CHICAGO, IL — June 9, 2021 — Rise Science, the leader in energy management backed by nearly a century of sleep and circadian science research, today announced the launch of its consumer app, RISE, in addition to $15.5M in funding. The company’s funding is comprised of a $10M Series A led by Goodwater Capital as well as a previous $5.5M Seed round with participation from Freestyle Capital, High Alpha, and True Ventures, the last of which has had prominent investments in health and wellness technologies and hardware such as Fitbit and Peloton. Through years of working to improve sleep and performance with professional and collegiate sports teams as well as Fortune 500 companies, Rise Science has created the ultimate tool to help the over three billion people with a smartphone awaken to their best selves every day. The new funds will be used to enhance the RISE app experience for subscribers with additional tools and educational content as well as grow the Rise Science team.
RISE was developed using the two process model of sleep regulation, which posits that circadian rhythm and sleep debt are leading factors in determining how a person feels and functions. Circadian rhythm determines a person’s peaks and dips in energy levels and their biological best time for sleeping. Sleep debt accrues when a person gets less than their genetically-determined sleep need. RISE helps people manage their sleep debt and predict their circadian rhythm to feel and function their best every single day. The pandemic-related routine changes and anxiety of the last year have had a significant impact on people’s sleep and circadian alignment, and RISE gives users the tools they need to get back to their best.
"Most of us know sleep is important, but thanks to scientific research that has been done, we also know if you want to get the benefits of sleep, it’s not your mattress or time spent in REM that matters,” said Jeff Kahn, CEO and Co-Founder of Rise Science. “The two most impactful things you can do to be and feel your best are to keep your sleep debt in check and plan your lifestyle with your circadian rhythm. In a world where we have so much misleading information about consumer health tools, our commitment at Rise Science is that everything we create, do and say will stand up to a leading panel of scientists. We’ve built RISE powered by the leading scientific research and cutting-edge technology so that everyone has the proven methods to manage their lives and feel their best every day.”
Prior to launching its consumer offering, Rise Science perfected its tools serving teams across the NFL, MLB, NBA, MLS, and NCAAF, as well as employees of Fortune 500 companies. In research conducted with Northwestern University’s Kellogg Sales Institute, sales teams using RISE changed their sleep behavior to drive a 14 percent increase in revenue and a 50 percent increase in outbound efforts, with 95 percent of users saying they felt more productive. Rise Science has since expanded its focus to create an easy-to-use consumer offering, as the positive effects of sleep and energy management are beneficial in almost all aspects of life. RISE’s beta app launched in June of 2020 and is already one of the fastest growing consumer apps, averaging 20,000-30,000 installs per week. Currently, 80 percent of users report feeling better in just five days of using the app, and Rise Science stays committed to continuing its industry-leading research on the impacts of sleep behavior. “RISE is not just another sleep app or wellness gimmick. Rise Science has already proved its effectiveness with professional athletes and Fortune 500 sales teams, and now its proprietary intel is available as an all-in-one lifestyle tool that incorporates the scientific truths behind sleep, wellness, energy and performance.” says Chi-Hua Chien, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Goodwater Capital.
“We’re passionate about companies that are building tools to transform the lives of millions of people, and the RISE app is the way towards a healthier, more fulfilling and productive life for us all.” By analyzing users’ sleep debt and circadian rhythm using behavioral data from their smartphone, RISE shows a daily timeline of peaks and dips in energy unique to every person. Unlike competitive sleep and energy solutions, RISE works all day and analyzes energy as dynamic, going above an estimated ‘energy potential’ to show exact levels including when people will have the most and least energy throughout the day. With this knowledge, users can best optimize their energy for productivity in their daily lives.
Additional in-app features include progress monitors to analyze long term sleep behavior, educational articles on the practical science behind sleep and energy management, and habit reminders including the best times to workout, to stop drinking caffeine, or to limit blue light, all pegged to an individual's unique circadian rhythm.
The RISE app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play as well as a widget on iOS 14+ and an app for Apple Watch, for a yearly subscription of $60. Users can sign up for a 7-day free trial to find out their individual sleep need, circadian rhythms, and sleep debt.
