CHI Institute

What CHI Institute does

CHI Institute is a Reno, Nevada-based wellness-technology company that designs, manufactures, and sells a portfolio of hardware devices built around infrasonic and frequency-based therapy. Its flagship product, the CHI Palm (Infratonic 11) priced at $695, is a handheld device that combines acoustic, magnetic, and electrical stimulation using stochastic-resonance principles to relieve pain and inflammation, accelerate recovery, and reduce stress; the line is completed by the CHI Sun 2.0 (calming frequencies), CHI Stone ($69, vital-field support), CHI Guard Home and Auto ($29-$39, atmospheric pollutant neutralization via 'SludgeBuster' technology), and the CHI Shield wearable. Underlying features documented include jade magnetic-field, hyaluronic acid stimulation, and randomized sound-wave delivery, and the company traces the CHI Palm technology to a 30-year development arc originating with founder Richard Lee's research in China (formerly operating as China Healthways, evidenced by a 1998 newsletter).

The company operates as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce business, selling exclusively through its own website (chi.us) and a toll-free phone line, with no third-party retailer, distributor, or marketplace presence. Revenue is hardware-only with one-time/perpetual pricing across the catalog — $695 (CHI Palm), $69 (CHI Stone), $29-$39 (CHI Guard), $10-$19.99 (accessories) — and no subscription or services layer. Customer acquisition runs through content (blog, YouTube, newsletter), paid advertising (Google, Facebook, Microsoft), and a $100-per-referral affiliate program ('Helping Friends Heal'); a Trade-Up program offers up to $200 off for legacy Infratonic device trade-ins. The business is privately held and founder-owned by Richard Lee, with 1-10 total employees.

Customer mix is highly fragmented across individual D2C consumers, animal owners (with a dedicated 'Equitonic' sub-brand for equine use), and holistic practitioners (acupuncturists, massage therapists). Product ratings are 4.93-5.0 stars, the company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and 1-year warranty, and the ~3% return rate is disclosed by the founder. No external funding rounds, partnerships, M&A, distribution agreements, or regulatory milestones are evidenced in the data.

Name

CHI Institute

Legal name

CHI Institute

Website

https://chi.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CHI Institute is a Reno, Nevada-based wellness hardware company that designs and direct-to-consumer sells a line of infrasonic and frequency-based therapy devices — led by the $695 CHI Palm — to individuals, animal owners, and holistic practitioners seeking drug-free pain relief, recovery, and stress reduction.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wellness and Medical Devices

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro primary industry

Posture, Musculoskeletal & Pain-Relief Devices (Posture Trainers, TENS/EMS, Massage Devices) (CRACAQAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Wellness devices
• Infrasonic therapy
• Pain relief products
• Frequency healing technology
• Vital field protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Reno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Device Sales: One-time purchase model for wellness devices including CHI Palm ($695), CHI Sun 2.0, CHI Stone ($69), CHI Guard products ($29-$39), and accessories. No recurring subscription required for device functionality.
2. Accessories and Consumables: Sales of accessories including CHI Palm Glove ($19.99), Leash ($10), Positioning Straps ($15), and replacement parts.
3. Trade-Up Program: Customers can trade in older Infratonic devices for up to $200 off a new CHI Palm, generating incremental revenue while maintaining customer loyalty.
4. Affiliate/Referral Program: The 'Helping Friends Heal' affiliate program pays $100 per successful referral, generating customer acquisition revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

CHI Institute designs, manufactures, and sells non-invasive handheld and wearable wellness devices that use infrasonic sound waves, magnetic fields, and stochastic resonance to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, calm stress, and support natural healing in both humans and animals. Its flagship product is the CHI Palm (Infratonic 11), supplemented by the CHI Sun 2.0, CHI Stone, CHI Shield, and CHI Guard Home/Auto environmental protection devices sold directly to consumers.

Product overview

CHI Institute offers a portfolio of wellness devices centered on infrasonic and frequency-based healing technology. The core product line includes the CHI Palm (Infratonic 11) as the primary handheld infrasound device for pain relief and healing, the CHI Sun 2.0 for stress relief and emotional balance, and the CHI Stone for vital field strengthening and stress reduction. Supporting products include the CHI Shield necklace and CHI Guard Home/Auto devices for environmental pollutant protection. Add-on accessories include the CHI Palm Glove, Leash, and Positioning Straps. The company also offers trade-up programs for device upgrades, an affiliate referral program, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and a 1-year warranty on all units.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CHI Palm: Handheld infrasound device for pain relief, inflammation reduction, and natural healing using acoustic, magnetic, and electrical stimulation.
• CHI Sun
• CHI Stone
• CHI Guard
• Infratonic
• Equitonic

Products and services

• CHI Palm (Infratonic 11) Handheld, cordless infrasound device combining acoustic, magnetic, and electrical stimulation to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, speed recovery, and restore balance through randomized sound wave frequencies. Sold to individual consumers for at-home use on themselves or animals; priced at $695.
• CHI Sun 2.0 Wellness device that emits calming frequencies with a broad 'sun-like' field output for stress relief, emotional clarity, focus, energy balance, and deep relaxation. Sold to health-conscious consumers for use on themselves, family members, or animals.
• CHI Stone Small biotechnology device that strengthens the electrostatic/vital field, providing protection against hazardous emotions and helping maintain calm in stressful situations using jade magnetic field technology. Sold to consumers for personal stress protection; priced at $69.
• CHI Shield Wearable necklace worn over the center of the chest that strengthens the vital field by ridding the body of harmful contaminants, using iron-rich jade material to connect with the body's magnetic field. Sold to consumers seeking wearable vital field support.
• CHI Guard Home Plug-in home device using SludgeBuster Technology to clear atmospheric pollutants within the home environment, protecting occupants from oxidative pollution that can contribute to pain, irritability, chronic illness, and dampened mental acuity. Sold to consumers; priced at $29.
• CHI Guard Auto Plug-in vehicle device using SludgeBuster Technology to clear atmospheric pollutants within cars and trucks, protecting drivers and passengers from continuous exposure to harmful pollutants. Sold to consumers; priced at $39.
• Trade-Up Program Direct-to-consumer exchange program allowing customers to trade in older Infratonic devices (such as the I-9 or E-9) and receive up to $200 off a new CHI Palm or CHI Sun 2.0, supporting device upgrades and customer retention.
• Helping Friends Heal Affiliate Program Referral program that pays customers $100 for each successful referral who purchases CHI products, supporting word-of-mouth customer acquisition and community-driven brand advocacy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of all types of pain relief often within minutes
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature7 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• iTENS: Wireless TENS unit company selling app-controlled electrotherapy devices directly to consumers for pain management. Comparable on device category, target customer, and D2C go-to-market motion.
• Apollo Neuro: Wearable stress- and sleep-management device using frequency-based stimulation for emotional balance. Directly comparable to CHI Sun 2.0 and CHI Stone in the mental wellness / stress-management category for D2C consumers.
• Oska Wellness: Maker of the Oska Pulse, a wearable PEMF device for chronic pain and inflammation relief sold direct-to-consumer. Directly competes with CHI Palm in the non-invasive, drug-free pain-relief category for at-home use.
• BioElectronics (ActiPatch): Manufacturer of ActiPatch pulsed shortwave therapy devices for musculoskeletal pain and inflammation. Overlaps with CHI Palm on mechanism (electromagnetic/electrical stimulation) and consumer target (individuals seeking drug-free pain relief).
• Assisi Animal Health: Manufacturer of targeted PEMF therapy products for companion animals and horses. Comparable to CHI's Equitonic line on veterinary use case, mechanism (electromagnetic healing), and direct-to-consumer distribution.
• NeuroMetrix (Quell): Maker of the Quell wearable TENS device for chronic pain relief. Targets the same D2C, drug-free pain-management consumer with a technology-adjacent neurostimulation approach.
• Alpha-Stim: Manufactures cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) and microcurrent devices for pain, anxiety, insomnia, and depression. Directly comparable to CHI on electrotherapeutic hardware for both pain relief and mental wellness use cases.

Emerging players

• Hapbee: Wearable wellness technology that emits low-frequency electromagnetic fields for sleep, focus, and calm. Comparable to CHI Sun/Stone in the frequency-based mental wellness space with similar D2C positioning at the consumer end of the market.

Broad incumbents

• BEMER Group: Global PEMF therapy device company with established multi-level marketing distribution targeting circulation, recovery, and pain relief. Wider product portfolio and significantly larger scale than CHI Institute, but overlapping mechanism and end-customer.
• Therabody: Premium percussive therapy and wellness brand (Theragun) with broad product line, retail distribution, and venture backing. Different mechanism but overlapping customer base in at-home pain relief and recovery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thechitribe
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@chi-institute
• Facebookfacebook.com/thechitribe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chi-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/chiinstitute
• Pinterestpinterest.com/thechitribe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 CHI Institute