Embr Labs

What Embr Labs does

Embr Labs, Inc. is a Boston-based thermal wellness technology company founded in 2013 as an MIT student project and incorporated in Delaware. The company designs and sells the Embr Wave 2, a smart wristband that uses a thermoelectric heat pump to deliver cooling or warming sensations in calibrated thermal waveforms to the temperature-sensitive nerves on the inside of the wrist, producing a whole-body comfort response without changing core body temperature. The device is positioned as the only FDA-cleared non-pharmacological wearable for hot flash relief and is supported by 10+ peer-reviewed clinical studies with institutions including Stanford, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, and UC Berkeley.

The business operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer and retail model. Hardware is sold one-time at $239, alongside an Embrship subscription at $20/month that bundles the device, a lifetime warranty, a free comfort case, accessory discounts, and seamless future upgrades. Distribution spans the company's own e-commerce site, Amazon US and UK (launched August 2024), and major US mass retailers including Costco, Walmart, and Target, with HSA/FSA eligibility enabled through a partnership with Flex. Marketing combines earned media (Oprah Daily, Fast Company, WSJ, Wired, Allure, BBC), clinical evidence content, an active social and creator affiliate program on Refersion, and conference presence (CES, Total Store Expo).

Embr Labs has raised approximately $44M across equity, debt, and grant funding, with the largest instrument being a $35M IP-based debt financing led by Ghost Tree Partners and Aon plc in May 2023. The company is MIT-origin, holds 90+ patents across the US, Japan, Europe, and other jurisdictions, and reports more than 200,000 cumulative customers. The leadership team includes CEO Elizabeth Gazda, co-founders Matthew Smith and Sam Shames (COO), Chief Medical Officer Pamela Peeke, and an SVP of Product and Corporate Strategy, supported by newly appointed strategic board members following the 2023 IP and expansion milestones.

Name

Embr Labs

Legal name

Embr Labs, Inc.

Website

https://embrlabs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Embr Labs is a Boston-based thermal wellness company that builds the Embr Wave 2 wristband, which delivers personalized cooling and warming sensations to relieve hot flashes, sleep disruption, and stress, serving 200,000+ customers (primarily menopausal women) through DTC, subscription, and major US/UK retail channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Health Wearables

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Wellness & Stress Management Devices (Biofeedback, Meditation/Neurostimulation Devices) (CRACAQAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sleep Tracking Devices (Wearables & Non-wearables) (CRACAQAD)

Keywords

• Thermal wellness wearables
• Personal thermostat wristband
• Hot flash relief device
• Wearable cooling technology
• Thermoelectric heat pump

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: One-time purchase of Embr Wave 2 device at $239. Includes 1-year limited warranty, free shipping, and 60-day returns.
2. Embrship Subscription: Monthly rental subscription at $20/month with lifetime warranty, free comfort case, 30% off accessories, and seamless upgrade options. Cancel anytime with no contracts.
3. Accessories: Accessories including comfort bands ($32), vegan leather bands ($38), chargers ($50), travel cases ($45), and comfort cases ($23). Subscription subscribers receive 30% off accessories.
4. Bundle Sales: Duo Bundle at $399 (save 33% vs buying two) includes two Embr Wave devices in Rose Gold or Black.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Embr Labs designs, manufactures, and sells the Embr Wave 2 smart cooling and warming wristband, a wearable thermal wellness device that uses thermoelectric heat pump technology to deliver intermittent heating and cooling sensations to the wrist's thermoreceptors. The device is sold through direct e-commerce and major retailers, with companion mobile apps for personalized thermal sessions, targeting hot flash relief, sleep, stress, and thermal comfort for individual consumers.

Product overview

Embr Labs offers a unified thermal wellness platform centered on the Embr Wave 2 smart wristband, a wearable device that delivers cooling and warming sensations through thermoelectric technology. The core product integrates with a companion mobile app (Embr Wave 2 App) available on iOS and Android. The company also offers accessory products including Comfort Bands, Comfort Cases (standard and limited editions), Travel Cases, and replacement chargers. An alternative ownership model is available through the Embrship Subscription ($20/month rental with lifetime warranty). The product portfolio is protected by 90+ patents covering thermal wave delivery and personalized usage tracking capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Embr Wave: Smart Cooling & Warming Wristband - a wearable device that provides personal temperature control through cooling and warming sensations on the wrist.
• Embrship

Products and services

• Embr Wave 2 Smart Cooling & Warming Wristband that provides personalized temperature control at the touch of a button. Uses a thermoelectric heat pump to generate cool or warm sensations by moving heat away from or toward the skin in waves, stimulating temperature-sensitive nerves on the inside of the wrist. Clinically proven relief for hot flashes, sleep, stress, night sweats, and thermal comfort.
• Embrship Subscription Monthly rental subscription ($20/month) for Embr Wave 2 that includes lifetime warranty, free Comfort Case, 30% off accessories, HSA/FSA eligibility, and seamless future upgrades. Cancel anytime with no contracts.
• Duo Bundle Package of two Embr Wave 2 devices at a discounted price (save 33%), allowing users to have a device for different locations or sharing with a partner. Available in Rose Gold or Black.
• Comfort Band Replacement comfort bands for Embr Wave 2, available in Dusty Rose and Black colors, made from vegan leather material.
• Embr Wave Comfort Case Protective case for Embr Wave devices that provides extra thermal comfort and improves performance by up to 10%. Available in Rose and Slate colors.
• Limited Edition Comfort Case Special edition protective cases for Embr Wave available in Soft Orchid, Merlot, and Lagoon colors.
• Limited Edition Comfort Band Special edition comfort bands in unique color combinations for personalization of Embr Wave devices.
• Vegan Leather Band Premium vegan leather replacement band for Embr Wave 2, offering an alternative to the standard band.
• Embr Wave 2 Travel Case Protective travel case for Embr Wave 2 and accessories, designed for convenient portability.
• Embrship Gift Card Gift cards for Embrship subscription available in 3, 6, or 12-month durations for giving the gift of thermal comfort.
• Wave 2 Rose Gold Charger Replacement magnetic charger for Embr Wave 2 in Rose Gold finish with USB connectivity.
• Wave 2 Black Charger Replacement magnetic charger for Embr Wave 2 in Black finish with USB connectivity.
• Embr Wave 2 Mobile App Companion mobile app for iOS and Android that enables 30+ customizable thermal sessions, session scheduling, personalized relief settings, and usage tracking. Device connectivity via Bluetooth.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 28% reduction in daytime and nighttime hot flashes
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and strategic.

• CostcocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor US retail partner distributing Embr Wave through Costco warehouse stores across the United States.
• WalmartcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor US retail partner distributing Embr Wave through Walmart stores and online marketplace.
• TargetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor US retail partner distributing Embr Wave through Target stores and online.
• Stanford UniversitykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical validation partnership demonstrating Embr Wave 2 significantly improved quality of life in POTS patients. Those reporting moderate-to-severe impact on leisure activities dropped from 45% to 0% over 28 days.
• University of Massachusetts AmherstkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of AI-driven hot flash prediction algorithm that can predict hot flashes an average of 17 seconds before onset with 82% detection rate. Also collaborated on hot flash prediction research published in Psychophysiology.
• Dana-Farber Cancer InstitutekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership conducting pilot study on hot flash management for prostate cancer patients. Study published in prestigious Nature journal Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases.
• Brigham and Women's HospitalkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical study partnership with Dr. Heather Hirsch on feasibility and effectiveness of personalized thermal interventions for improving quality of life in women with symptomatic hot flashes.
• Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer CenterkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerRandomized crossover pilot study showing 28% decrease in daily hot flash frequency and 50% reduction in moderate to severe hot flashes for breast cancer patients.
• University of California BerkeleykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilding and Environment research collaboration demonstrating Embr Wave provides 5-9°F corrective power on whole-body thermal comfort in just 3 minutes. Study cited over 50 times.
• Amazon UKcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partner for UK market expansion, launching Embr Wave on Amazon UK in August 2024.
• Vichy LaboratoiresstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to bring clinically proven menopause care solutions to women through combined thermal wellness and Vichy skincare products.
• FlexcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHSA/FSA payment partnership allowing customers to use Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account funds to purchase Embr Wave with pre-tax dollars.
• Johnson & JohnsonkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration partner with St. Joseph's University on thermal comfort intervention for hot-flash related insomnia symptoms in menopausal women. Published in Behavioral Sleep Medicine.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• Midi Health: Midi Health is a virtual care clinic for perimenopause and menopause. It competes for the same menopausal-women customer and could either partner with or substitute for Embr Wave's device-based hot flash solution via clinical drug and lifestyle interventions.
• Bon Charge: Bon Charge is a wellness brand that combines red light therapy, infrared saunas, and blue-light glasses. It targets the same biohacking and thermal-wellness consumer as Embr Labs through a different modality (light and heat rather than localized cooling).
• Calm Health: Calm Health extends the Calm brand into clinically positioned sleep and stress interventions. It competes for the same stress and sleep use case as Embr Wave through a software-only, prescription-capable model.

Direct peers

• Apollo Neuro: Apollo makes a wrist/ankle wearable that delivers gentle vibrations to modulate stress and sleep. It is the closest direct competitor to Embr Wave in the 'wearable neurostimulation for stress/sleep' category.
• Whoop: Whoop is a subscription-based wearable for recovery, sleep, and stress. It shares Embr Labs' hardware-plus-subscription GTM, targets similar wellness consumers, and competes for use cases like sleep quality and stress modulation.
• Muse: Muse offers a brain-sensing headband and accompanying app for meditation, focus, and sleep. Like Embr Labs, it positions hardware as a wellness intervention with a companion app and subscription.
• Oura: Oura Ring is a premium wearable focused on sleep, recovery, and women's health metrics. It overlaps directly with Embr Labs on sleep and thermal-wellness use cases and competes for the same health-conscious consumer wallet, particularly for menopausal women.

Others

• ThermaCare: ThermaCare is a mainstream OTC heat-wrap brand owned by Haleon. It is a non-device alternative for thermal therapy that competes for the same consumer relief use case (musculoskeletal pain, cramps) and competes for shelf space in mass retail.

Broad incumbents

• Fitbit (Google): Fitbit, now under Google, is a broad incumbent in health wearables with growing temperature and stress features. It overlaps with Embr Labs on sleep, stress, and women's health use cases but as part of a much larger product portfolio.
• Apple Watch: Apple Watch is the dominant general-purpose health wearable, including temperature-sensing and women's health features. It represents a broad-incumbent threat as Apple expands into domains historically addressed by specialized devices like Embr Wave.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/embrlabs/embr-wave-daemon-sdk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrZCq0Mcb46017DAf04G7Lg
• Facebookfacebook.com/embrlabs
• Instagraminstagram.com/embrlabs
• TikToktiktok.com/@embrlabs
• Xx.com/embrwave
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/embr-labs

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds14 records

Investors16 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Embr Labs