PNI Therapeutics

What PNI Therapeutics does

PNI Therapeutics is a privately held, early-stage digital therapeutics company headquartered in Mamaroneck, New York, founded by Charlie Silvestro to commercialize VR-based therapeutic programs (marketed as "digiceuticals") that augment standard-of-care treatment for chronic diseases. Its core product, PNI Thrive, is a VR application delivering guided meditation and therapeutic experiences to cancer patients, with a 2023 feasibility study of 36 patients published in Frontiers in Virtual Reality reporting statistically significant improvements in patient-reported mental and physical health outcomes. The company operates three service lines: PNI Thrive / VR for Oncology Patients, VR to Ease Patient Anxiety (non-pharmacological distraction therapy for procedures and pre-surgery), and VR for Healthcare Providers' Wellness (VR-guided mindfulness-based stress reduction for clinical staff).

The business model is B2B enterprise sales targeting hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare providers under a recurring subscription model with quote-based pricing; revenue is not publicly disclosed and the company is bootstrapped with no institutional funding rounds identified in the available data. Technology is developed in-house through a core partnership with Somun Immersive (founded by CTO Ijaz Naeem Ahmed), with additional collaborations involving Virtuleap, XR Valley, and HITlab at Howest University of Applied Sciences. PNI Therapeutics employs 1–10 people, currently operates only in North America (USA), and is recruiting a Medical Director to formalize clinical leadership.

Name

PNI Therapeutics

Legal name

PNI Therapeutics

Website

https://pnitherapeutics.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PNI Therapeutics is a privately held, early-stage digital therapeutics company developing VR-based therapeutic programs (digiceuticals) for cancer patients, procedural anxiety, and healthcare provider burnout, sold on a B2B subscription basis to hospitals and clinics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mamaroneck

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. VR Therapeutic Programs: PNI Therapeutics generates revenue by providing VR-based therapeutic programs to healthcare providers including hospitals and clinics. These programs target patient anxiety, pain, and stress, as well as healthcare provider wellness and burnout reduction.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PNI Therapeutics develops and provides VR-based therapeutic programs (digiceuticals) to healthcare providers, including hospitals and clinics. Their flagship product, PNI Thrive, is a VR application designed to help cancer patients manage anxiety, stress, and pain through immersive guided experiences. They also offer specialized VR programs for easing patient anxiety during medical procedures and for reducing burnout among healthcare providers through VR-guided meditation.

Product overview

PNI Therapeutics offers a suite of VR-based therapeutic programs (digiceuticals) focused on improving health outcomes through immersive virtual reality. The core product is PNI Thrive, a VR application for cancer patients. This is complemented by three specialized service offerings: VR for Oncology Patients (using PNI Thrive for cancer care), VR to Ease Patient Anxiety (for patients undergoing medical procedures), and VR for Healthcare Providers' Wellness (VR-guided meditation for staff). Together, these products form a comprehensive mind-body medicine platform that leverages immersive VR to augment standard-of-care treatments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PNI Thrive: VR application developed by PNI Therapeutics for cancer patients, demonstrating statistically significant improvement in patient-reported outcomes for mental and physical health.

Products and services

• PNI Thrive (VR for Oncology Patients)

Quantifiable outcome

• Statistically significant improvement in patient-reported outcomes in mental and physical health after using PNI Thrive VR application (36-patient feasibility study)

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Somun ImmersivecoreTechnology or IntegrationSomun Immersive, led by Ijaz Naeem Ahmed (PNI Therapeutics CTO), provides VR development expertise. As founder and principal programmer, Ahmed has led development of VR games and simulations. This partnership provides in-house VR development capabilities for PNI Therapeutics' therapeutic applications.
• VirtuleapminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirtuleap, led by Amir Bozorgzadeh (Board Advisor to PNI Therapeutics), is a health and education startup developing VR and AI-based cognitive assessment and training through their Enhance VR brain training app. Represents potential collaboration opportunity in cognitive wellness VR applications.
• XR ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian XR association where Cederik Haverbeke (Board Advisor) serves as Managing Director and Jelle Demanet serves as co-founder and Director. Focuses on XR technologies, AI, and advanced computing collaboration among business leaders, designers, and technology experts.
• HITlab at Howest University of Applied Sciences and ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJelle Demanet (team member) co-founded HITlab where he directs a team of XR developers and researchers addressing problems and solutions in health, education, and industry 4.0. Potential research collaboration and development partnership.
• communicate4IMPACTminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDouglass Hatcher (Board Advisor) is co-founder and president of this marketing and communications firm specializing in executive communications training. Brings 20+ years of speechwriting and leadership storytelling expertise.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• SyncThink: SyncThink provides VR-based neurological assessment and concussion monitoring, with FDA-cleared eye-tracking technology deployed in healthcare systems. Adjacent in VR-for-clinical-outcomes space with healthcare B2B sales motion.
• Sana Health: Sana Health develops VR-based neuro-modulation for chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and other neurological conditions. Comparable VR therapeutic approach targeting chronic disease, though with different mechanism (audio-visual neurostimulation).
• Tripp: Tripp offers VR-guided meditation and mindfulness experiences for wellness, stress reduction, and mental health. Comparable in VR-delivered mindfulness/wellness focus, particularly to PNI's healthcare provider wellness product, but more consumer-oriented.
• Flowly: Flowly offers VR-based biofeedback therapy for chronic pain and anxiety management. Comparable VR therapeutics focus on pain/anxiety with overlap to PNI's patient anxiety and oncology indications, though smaller scale and earlier stage.
• Limbic: Limbic (formerly Psious) offers VR-based exposure therapy and mental health interventions for anxiety and phobias. Comparable VR therapeutic applications for anxiety, overlapping with PNI's patient anxiety product line.

Others

• Virtuleap: Virtuleap is a VR/AI-based cognitive assessment and training platform led by PNI board advisor Amir Bozorgzadeh. Thematically adjacent VR health-and-education startup and existing partner relationship, not a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• XRHealth: XRHealth operates a VR therapy platform with FDA-registered devices sold to hospitals, clinics, and patients for rehabilitation, pain, and mental health. Direct competitor in VR therapeutic software for healthcare providers with overlapping customer base.
• MyndVR: MyndVR provides VR wellness and therapeutic content primarily for older adults in senior living communities and healthcare settings. Comparable as a B2B VR wellness platform serving healthcare facilities with non-pharmacological interventions.
• AppliedVR: AppliedVR sells FDA-authorized EaseVRx VR therapeutic for chronic pain to hospitals and health plans on a B2B subscription basis. Closely comparable as a VR digital therapeutics company targeting healthcare providers with subscription pricing and clinical evidence.
• BehaVR: BehaVR develops VR digital therapeutics for chronic pain, mental health, and oncology-related conditions, sold to health systems and payers. Highly comparable business model, target buyer (hospitals/clinics), and condition overlap with PNI Therapeutics' oncology and anxiety focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 PNI Therapeutics