The Berkeley, California-founded startup was named winner of the NFL Players Association’s 10th annual Pitch Day, following in the footsteps of brands like Whoop
Any pro athlete will tell you that sleep is a cornerstone of their performance and recovery, and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) just doubled down on that with the winner of its 10th annual Pitch Day.
Somnee, the AI-powered smart sleep headband that uses neurostimulation to help users fall asleep, claimed the top spot at the yearly pitch competition, which brings together athletes, entrepreneurs, investors and leading venture capital firms to evaluate the future of athlete-focused fitness and wellness products.
“The NFLPA Pitch Day is absolutely critical for us, especially having the players validate what we’re doing as a union,” said Somnee CEO Tim Rosa. “We’re so excited. It creates so much opportunity, so we’re thrilled to be working with the NFLPA.
The startup was up against Epicore Biosystems, a sweat and electrolyte monitoring wearable, and Diddo, an AI-powered shopping platform for video content.
As this year’s winner, Somnee was awarded Super Bowl tickets, exclusive NFLPA event access and targeted business support, including expert coaching and consultations on athlete marketing, fundraising and strategic growth.
Somnee’s triumph comes soon after the brand announced the NBA would join as an investor, following the launch of the second generation of its headband.
Founded in 2022 by a team of University of California, Berkeley, neuroscientists including well-known social media personality Dr. Matt Walker, Somnee raised $10 million last year for its smart sleep headband, which uses electroencephalogram (EEG) sensors and proprietary AI technology to help people fall asleep faster, sleep for longer and improve their overall sleep quality.
The NFLPA Pitch Day could serve as a predictor for Somnee’s future success, as other brands have taken off after earning the same recognition.
In 2017, health and fitness wearable maker Whoop won the competition, later becoming the official recovery wearable of the NFLPA, providing every NFL player with their own device.
Three years ago, personalized telenutrition platform Culina Health won the top prize. The brand has since gone on to raise $7.9 million in a Series A funding round following 117% year-over-year growth.
