Antonio Forenza was working as head of research and development at Rakuten Symphony, a telecom subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate, when he realized he needed a better way to manage his stress. A few years earlier, he had lost 40 pounds with the help of an Apple Watch, which tracked his steps and calorie burn. This success led him to wonder if a similar device existed to assess his stress levels. He wanted to lose what he called 40 pounds of stress, but discovered there was no wearable designed for that purpose.
Recognizing a gap in the consumer health market, Forenza decided to build the device himself. He drew on his engineering background and utilized a century-old technology: the electroencephalogram, or EEG, which detects electrical activity in the brain. While EEG is used clinically to diagnose conditions like epilepsy and sleep disorders, it can also detect psychological stress by measuring high-frequency brain waves known as beta waves. When these rapid beta waves persist for extended periods, they can lead to exhaustion, insomnia, and mental distress.
Forenza collaborated with data scientists and biomedical engineers to develop Awear, a small device worn behind the ear for continuous brainwave monitoring. The device transmits data to an app, which provides insights into the wearer’s mood and offers AI-powered coaching advice for managing stress and building emotional resilience. Forenza explains that our brain is phenomenal at self-adjusting and can make us believe we are not stressed. He notes that while an occasional fight-or-flight response is natural, falling into a state of constant fight-or-flight leads to chronic stress, depression, and anxiety.
Forenza claims that Awear helps users proactively intercept excessive stress before it leads to negative health effects. The device is a Startup Battlefield 200 finalist at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, where it won the health category pitch competition. While Stanford University’s psychiatry department is testing the device to detect confusion in elderly patients after surgery, Forenza’s primary focus is selling Awear directly to consumers, similar to the approach of the Oura ring and other wearables.
Earlier this year, Awear closed a pre-seed funding round led by Hustle Fund, Niremia Collective, Techstars, and The Pitch Fund. The company plans to raise a $5 million seed round in early 2026. Currently, Awear is available for purchase only through its early-access program. The device is offered to early adopters, including many other startup founders, for $195, which includes a complimentary lifetime app subscription.
After raising its seed round, the company will launch a Kickstarter campaign, following a strategy used by successful devices like Peloton and Oura. Forenza believes this is a path that worked for many other wearables, providing visibility and an effective way to acquire customers.