Somnee Sleep Headband Maker Hires Tim Rosa as CEO
As StimScience CEO, the former Fitbit executive will look to make Somnee a household name in the world of sleep technology
StimScience, the neuroscience-based sleep company, has appointed Tim Rosa, a former Fitbit executive, as its new CEO.
Rosa’s appointment marks a step forward for the company’s flagship product line, Somnee, a personalized, smart sleep headband that employs non-invasive, closed-loop neurostimulation to enhance sleep quality and duration.
“With StimScience, the team has pioneered and delivered lab-grade technology in a sleep headband that accurately maps and measures brainwave patterns and applies personalized tES neurostimulation that nudges the brain to sleep,” Rosa said.
With a proven track record in launching world-class brands and products, Rosa is aiming to guide StimScience through its next phase of growth and innovation. As the former chief marketing officer of Fitbit, he scaled the company from a small startup into a household name, with over 140 million devices sold in 100-plus countries.
“There’s a lot of exciting clinical research and momentum validating the importance of sleep fitness and its impact on cognitive performance, athletic performance, mental health, general health, and even weight loss,” Rosa said. “Wearables have done a great job educating consumers on their general sleep stage trends and insights. The challenge for most consumer-grade devices has been creating a closed-loop, lab-grade diagnostic in combination with a personalized therapeutic that adapts with the user and ultimately improves sleep onset, duration, and/or depth.”
Rosa added that he’s “excited to partner with wearables, sleep products and services, and healthcare to close that loop and improve outcomes for 100 million consumers.”
The Future of Sleep Science?
As the first company to approach sleep improvement through personalized closed-loop neurostimulation, StimScience claims its device is proven to cut the time it takes to fall asleep in half and improve sleep quality with only 15 minutes of use. It also claims Somnee is four times as effective as a melatonin pill, twice as effective as cognitive behavior therapy, and one-and-a-half as effective as Ambien in improving sleep efficiency and duration. Somnee markets itself as the “future of sleep.”
Rosa’s recruitment was backed by Dr. Matthew Walker, PhD, the author of New York Times bestseller “Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams,” and chief sleep advisor at Somnee.
“Sleep is increasingly recognized as one of the most fundamental habits not only for our day-to-day functioning, concentration, mood, and body health, but also for continued brain and body wellness as we age,” Walker noted.
Venture capital firm Khosla Ventures also supports StimScience.
“We backed Somnee because the team had every component needed to bring forward clinical-grade consumer technology to change the face of sleep. Since our initial investment, this thesis is proving itself out,” said Vinod Khosla, a tech investor and founder of Khosla Ventures. “With Tim at the helm, Somnee can now scale to bridge a foundational health gap and cement itself as an iconic brand that carries weight with consumers, the medical and sleep health communities.”