Awear: A Fitness Device for Your Brain

Key Highlights

  • Startup plans a $5 million seed round and a 2026 Kickstarter launch
  • Awear tracks stress using behind-the-ear EEG sensors
  • AI-powered coaching helps users manage chronic stress
  • Early-access price set at $195 with lifetime app access
  • Stanford tests the device for post-surgery confusion in older adults

Awear enters the wellness market with a bold idea. It tracks your brain the same way fitness trackers count your steps. The device sits behind your ear and uses EEG signals to read your stress levels. It then shares insights through an app and guides you with AI-powered coaching.

Its founder, Antonio Forenza, built Awear after struggling with stress during his time at Rakuten Symphony. His Apple Watch helped him drop 40 pounds earlier, yet it couldn’t measure stress. Because of this gap, he turned to EEG, a tool used in clinical settings for decades, and adapted it for everyday use.

Why Awear Says Your Brain Needs Tracking

The startup says chronic stress hides itself. Our brains stay in “fight or flight” longer than we realise. Awear detects persistent beta waves, which often remain high during prolonged stress. These waves can push people toward exhaustion, anxiety, and sleep issues.

However, Awear gives users early warnings before stress becomes harmful. The app highlights mood patterns and suggests actions to reset the mind. Many early adopters, including startup founders, already rely on the device to stay balanced.

Backed by Research and Early Investment

Awear gained early attention at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 as a Startup Battlefield 200 finalist. Moreover, Stanford University’s psychiatry department is testing it to track confusion in older patients after surgery.

The company recently closed a pre-seed round backed by Hustle Fund, Niremia Collective, Techstars, and The Pitch Fund. Now it aims to raise a $5 million seed round in early 2026 to push wider distribution.

Early Access, Consumer Focus and the Kickstarter Path

Awear follows the same consumer-first path as Oura and Peloton. The device costs $195 for early-access users and includes lifetime app access. After its seed round, the startup plans a Kickstarter launch to expand quickly and gain visibility.

Awear positions itself as a simple and accessible way to monitor mental strain. And as stress levels rise globally, the startup believes a brain-tracking wearable may soon become as common as a step counter.

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