InnerGize, a global pioneer in the neuro-tech space, secures funding of INR 6.5 crore in its pre-seed round

InnerGize—a pioneering wellness system that improves the body’s resilience to stress—has recently announced that it has raised an impressive INR 6.5 crore from a consortium of investors mere days after its unveiling. As the world’s first clinically-validated mental health wearable for stressed and anxious individuals, InnerGize has positioned itself as a disruptor in the health-tech ecosystem and addresses a gaping lacuna in India’s healthcare industry. 

The brand’s marquee product, developed by  Dr Siddhant Bhargava, an innovator, entrepreneur and one of the best-known names in India’s burgeoning fitness and wellness industry, in collaboration with engineer and product head Shalmali Kadu and tech and compliance head Mitansh Khurana, assures users of calmness on call, which they can access via a discreet wearable and an app. It leverages groundbreaking Neuro-Acoustic Vagal Modulation (patent pending) technology to activate body’s vagus nerve. This nerve, in turn, connects with the brain’s relaxation centres, shifting the body from the ‘fight-or-flight’ to the ‘relax-and-restore’ response in only a few minutes. Sustained use of the system can enable users to ‘train’ their vagus nerve to perform better, thus improving their innate resilience to stress.

InnerGize is backed by more than five years of proprietary research, the expertise of more than 50 experts, and feedback compiled from 10,000+ user sessions. Pre-clinical studies have revealed that users experienced a 32 per cent reduction in anxiety, 36 per cent reduction in stress, and 86 per cent increase in their relaxation levels. Since making its public debut on an electrifying episode of Shark Tank, InnerGize received more than 1,000 pre-orders in just four days. The product will be formally launched on April 15, 2025.

The pre-seed funding round was headed by eminent names from the Indian startup landscape, including venture capital funds Antler India and AC Ventures, as well as entrepreneur Sharan Hedge from Finance with Sharan, Arjun Vaidya – a D2C founder and early-stage consumer investor, renowned dermatologist Dr Agni Bose, neurologist and public speaker Dr Sid Warrier, Aman Gupta – CMO of boAt Lifestyle, Harnidh Kaur – co-founder of WTFund, Ritesh Agarwal – founder and group CEO of OYO, Varun Mayya – CEO and founder of Avalon Labs, and Inshots founder Azhar Iqbal. The startup is also a recipient of the Biotechnology Ignition Grant Scheme (BIG), a flagship scheme of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), as well as a beneficiary of Zerodha founder Nikhil Kamath’s WTF Fund.

On the topic of funding, Dr Bhargava said: “The funds and pre-orders we have raised are evidence of our investors’ conviction in the efficacy and urgency of a solution like InnerGize for a country like India, where mental health remains largely overlooked to date. We are certain that the launch of this device is only the beginning of a new age of wellness, and will open the doors to countless possibilities that will change the way we regard and treat mental health, not only in India but also globally.”

“Creating something that can help people to manage stress and anxiety, and witnessing so many people connecting with our mission fills me with so much gratitude. InnerGize stemmed from our own personal struggles; seeing it come to life because of the support we’re getting is incredibly humbling,” said Kadu.

“Technology is solving so many problems in the world; so why not use it to address mental health? With the increasing adoption of wearables and health-focused features in gadgets, there is already a vast amount of health data being generated. Most of this data is being used for commercial purposes—why not turn it around and use it for people’s own wellbeing? For us, the proposition of building, not just an innovative product, but creating a solution that is accessible and credible was thrilling. And we’re so proud to see InnerGize receiving an outpouring of support in its early days,” Khurana added.

InnerGize will be formally launched on April 15, 2025. For more information, log on to getinnergize.com