Move over, smartwatches? NextSense’s new EEG Smartbuds promise to turn better sleep and sharper focus into something you can actually hear
The wearable space has conquered the wrist, the finger and the arm. Now it’s time for the ear.
NextSense, a neurotechnology company founded by former Google executive Jonathan “JB” Berent, has raised $16 million in a Series A funding round to bring EEG-powered Smartbuds to market.
The wearable earbuds tap into two growing areas of interest for wellness-minded consumers: brain health and sleep.
Healthcare venture fund Ascension Ventures led the oversubscribed round, which saw participation from Satori Neuro and Corundrum Neuroscience Fund (CNS). The round also drew backing from notable names in tech and science, including Stanford neuroscientist David Eagleman, Wellville founder Esther Dyson and former Google product executive Bradley Horowitz, now a general partner at Wisdom Ventures.
“We started NextSense to democratize brain health — to give people the same visibility into their minds that wearables gave their bodies,” Berent said. “This round is the next step toward that reality, and we’re excited for the next chapter in bringing science-backed brain health tools to everyone.”
NextSense says its Smartbuds promote more restorative rest through auditory stimulation that can increase slow-wave sleep by up to 50% among early users.
Also in development are “relax” and “focus” modes, which use brain-responsive audio that adjusts in real time to help users reach calmer or more attentive states.
“We share NextSense’s vision that closed-loop wearables are the next frontier for human flourishing when it comes to consumer wellness,” Satori Neuro general partner Dr. Amy Kruse said. “Their combination of academic research, user-focused design and scalable technology uniquely positions them to have a transformative impact on human well-being.”
As is increasingly the case across wellness tech, personalization is a core focus. By integrating EEG sensing with adaptive algorithms, Smartbuds let users personalize their rest and recovery through bio-responsive sound. Instead of simply tracking sleep, the earbuds respond to it, adjusting sound patterns in real time to encourage deeper relaxation or sharper focus using a library of curated soundscapes.
The startup says it’s also exploring collaborations with universities and pharmaceutical companies to study how its technology could be applied clinically, with early applications targeted for 2027.
“NextSense offers a cutting-edge solution to improve brain health,” said Itsik Francis, PhD, managing partner of business development at Corundum Neuroscience. “We are excited to support the team in their mission to help consumers better understand and improve their sleep.”
The NextSense Smartbuds are available for pre-order for $399. Each pair comes with a three-month Fit Kit subscription, which allows for free replacements to ensure a comfortable, secure fit. After the trial period, the subscription renews automatically at $14.99 per month, though users can manage or cancel anytime.
In an interview last month with ATN, Berent said he sees the company’s technology eventually expanding beyond sleep, helping people do everything from quitting smoking to finding the confidence to have difficult conversations.
“What if you could change your mood as easily as you change your mind?” he said. “That’s essentially what EEG with AI could do. I like to call it a mind mirror. I think EEG is going to make sure your mind matches the occasion. What if it were that easy to say, ‘Hey, Siri, put me in a focused mood,’ and then it actually puts you in a focused mood? That’s what’s coming.”
