"Couldn't sleep at all" — Created 'Honey Sleep Band' after wife's words... This company even captivated investors

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More modern people are afraid of the night. Insomnia and sleep disorders are common issues, with over 30% of all adults experiencing them. Since insomnia can lead to stress, depression, and anxiety, this issue has become a domain requiring not just lifestyle improvements but also medical and technological solutions.

While various treatments and drugs have been developed, a startup offering a new solution through "digital therapeutics" (DTx) is drawing attention. This is Leesol (leesol), which develops wearable devices and various brain disorder DTx using technology to stabilize brainwaves.

Leesol is developing solutions that address various mental and nervous system disorders, including sleep disorders, depression, stress, dementia prevention, and chronic pain management, by combining microcurrent-based brainwave entrainment technology with AI (artificial intelligence) biosignal analysis algorithms for digital therapeutics.

The representative product is 'Sleepisol'. Shaped like a hairband, it earned the nickname 'Honey Sleep Band'. This product uses Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES) to send weak currents to the brain, reducing stress and alleviating insomnia.

Lee Seung-woo, co-founder of Leesol, led the development of this product for his wife who couldn't sleep. The technology behind Sleepisol was published in an SCI-level journal through clinical trials at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, and cumulative sales have exceeded 50,000 units in Korea, the U.S., and Japan, achieving commercialization success.

Recognized for this technology, Leesol recently succeeded in securing a 3 billion won Series A2 bridge round investment. The total cumulative investment amount is approximately 7.6 billion won.

This investment was led by BNK Venture Investment, with participation from SpaceTime Investment and Soo-in Investment Capital. Existing investor Vine Ventures also joined the follow-on investment. The investors decided on this investment after highly evaluating Leesol's technical expertise and business achievements.

Kim Yong-hwan, Head of Investment Division at BNK Venture Investment, stated, "Leesol combines the drive and business capabilities of co-founder Kwon Koo-seong, a former Samsung Bioepis executive, with the technical understanding and medical device know-how of co-founder Lee Seung-woo, who previously served as CTO at Samsung Medison. This combination equips Leesol with both technological strength and business viability."

He added, "Typically, early-stage medical device companies that succeed in business may have somewhat weak technology, while those with strong technology may lack business acumen. However, Leesol maintains an appropriate balance in these areas."

There is also high evaluation of its potential for business growth. Kim Yong-hwan (Director) stated, "Leesol is the only company in the world to commercialize brainwave entrainment using alternating current rather than direct current. We highly evaluated its potential as a foundational technology that can be expanded to various conditions such as insomnia and early-stage Alzheimer's."

He further added, "Kwon (CEO)'s background as a former Samsung Bioepis executive, with well-structured patent defense strategies, and the achievement of generating 900 million won in sales in the first year after launch and 2.5 billion won in the second year by rapidly penetrating the market with sleep aid devices also caught investors' attention."

Head Kim projected that Leesol's business model will grow in both the digital therapeutics and wellness sectors. He stated, "In digital therapeutics, we plan to expand from currently pending approval for depression to insomnia and early-stage Alzheimer's. In wellness, we plan to expand from sleep aid devices to education and beauty."

He also expressed expectations regarding performance in the global market. Head Kim said, "A key strength is the ability to connect with global marketing through 'Sleepisol Bio,' a sleep and mental management app that has surpassed 1.7 million cumulative downloads worldwide."

He emphasized, "There is potential to expand indefinitely as a healthcare management app by integrating with smart devices. We will provide various support, including loan linkage for baby unicorns through BNK Busan Bank, and conduct thorough post-investment management."

Meanwhile, based on this investment, Leesol will proceed with: △advancement of digital therapeutics technology; △development of new wellness and therapeutic devices; △global expansion of customized health management app services; △acquisition of global certifications and aggressive entry into overseas markets; and △enhancement of AI-based mental health platforms.

Kwon Gu-seong (CEO) stated, "This year, we are on the verge of launching a new product called 'Dayzer' (DAYZER) that improves performance in learning, work, and exercise through enhanced concentration, which is expected to drive sales growth. We aim to leapfrog as a global health platform company based on digital therapeutics that covers not only sleep disorders but also depression and cognitive health."

[MoneyToday startup media platform 'Unicorn Factory']