윌슬립(WillSleep)

Insomnia is common, affecting 3 out of 10 modern people, but existing treatments such as sleeping pills or cognitive behavioral therapy have side effects or high dependence on experts. Long-term use of drugs carries the risk of tolerance and dependence, and expensive EEG equipment makes device treatment less accessible. In addition, polysomnography, etc., is only available in hospitals, making self-management difficult.

The WillSleep device is a simple device that can be used daily for 15-30 minutes by attaching a patch smaller than an adult man's fist to the lower neck. This patch electrically stimulates the cervical vagus nerve (n.Vagus), promoting the secretion of neurotransmitters such as GABA and serotonin in the brain, which induce sleep and stability.

It is non-invasive and can be used without pain or wounds. Clinical trials have demonstrated significant improvements with 82% improvement in sleep quality (PSQI index) and 80% reduction in insomnia symptoms (ISI index) after 5 weeks of use. This shows an effect comparable to drug treatment.

In addition, an AI algorithm analyzes biosignals (such as heart rate variability during sleep) and user's daytime activity data through the patch to adjust the user-specific stimulation intensity and time, and visualizes sleep improvement trends in the app. As a result, sleep can be improved without medication, and users can check their status changes with the app and be motivated, which differentiates it from existing solutions.

The main target for B2C is general people suffering from insomnia. If it can be purchased without a hospital prescription, adults in their 20s to 50s who are reluctant to rely on medication can purchase it as a self-investment product.

For B2B, it can be provided to patients in sleep clinics or mental health departments, or introduced as a device to improve employee sleep as part of corporate welfare. In addition, if it is approved as an insurance-linked digital therapeutics (DTx) device, doctors can prescribe it.

Currently, it is positioned as a medical device-compatible wellness device that can be purchased directly by individuals with insomnia or stress-related sleep disorders.

This is NeuroTx's first CES Innovation Award, securing its position in the digital health field. This device is being promoted for approval as a digital therapeutic in Korea, and has a high possibility of entering the global insomnia market upon approval from the FDA, etc. in the future.

Technically, sleep stages can be detected more precisely by adding a brainwave sensor, or it can be applied to other brain diseases such as depression and anxiety disorders. Vagus nerve stimulation is also used to treat depression, so it seems possible to expand to overall mental health with one platform device. As user data accumulates, the accuracy of AI coaching also increases, so there is room for development into a service-type platform.

In terms of regulations, medical device approval must be obtained in each country, but clinical data is already solid and there is a high unmet need for insomnia, so regulatory agencies are expected to be favorable.

Selected as a CES 2026 Digital Health Honoree, the fact that "a small patch can replace sleeping pills" became a hot topic. Neurologists paid attention to the clinical results (82% improvement in sleep quality in 5 weeks) and mentioned the possibility of it becoming a "new success story for digital therapeutics."

Media outlets such as Tom's Guide cited WillSleep as one of the best sleep tech at CES, reporting that "a Seoul-based startup has introduced an innovation that will shake up the insomnia market." However, among general consumers, there may be some resistance (unfamiliarity) to a device attached to the neck, and there are realistic concerns that accessibility will be limited if the price is in the hundreds of dollars.

Overall, there is a strong positive view that "technical reliability and convenience were sufficiently appealed through the CES exhibition," and medical staff who were struggling with the side effects of sleeping pills are also showing interest. The market's assessment is that "it is very promising based on the CES showcase, but the introduction of the medical community and improvement of consumer awareness are challenges."