Pausa
Pausa is a mobile breathwork app for iOS and Android that offers science-based guided breathing exercises for stress and anxiety, plus an enterprise tier (Pausa for People) with NOM-035 compliance tooling for corporate wellness buyers in Mexico and the USA.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2024
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Pausa does
Pausa is a mental-wellness platform that delivers guided breathwork through a freemium mobile application on iOS and Android and through an enterprise offering branded Pausa for People (also referenced as Pausa for Business), targeting both individual consumers and corporate buyers in Mexico and the United States. The core consumer product provides structured, audio-led breathing sessions built on validated techniques — box breathing, 4-7-8, physiological sigh, resonant breathing, and the Wim Hof method — plus an SOS mode for acute anxiety, a 10-Day habit-forming journey, daily streak tracking, and mood-based recommendations. A distinctive integration with Apple's Screen Time API enables the "Breathe to Unlock" feature, which gates access to distracting apps behind a completed breathing exercise. The company was founded in 2024 by Andy Nadal, a self-taught software engineer who created the product after experiencing a personal panic attack; the legal entity is Pausa Technologies LLC (USA-domiciled), and the operating team is small at 1-10 employees.
The platform's technical stack is mobile-first with rule-based personalization rather than machine-learning-driven inference. The enterprise layer adds an admin dashboard for engagement monitoring, NOM-035-STPS-2018 compliance tooling (Mexican workplace psychology standard — questionnaires, reports, action plans), virtual group sessions, and a portfolio of on-site activations including the Disconnection Cabin, Breathwork Master Class, and Digital Detox Course — physically delivered only in Aguascalientes and Mexico City. Revenue mechanics span three streams: (1) consumer subscriptions at $3 USD/month or $20 USD/year after a free tier of three sessions plus the full 10-Day Journey; (2) enterprise per-seat subscriptions at MXN $380/year (basic) and MXN $680/year (NOM-035-compliant bundle); and (3) quote-based on-site professional services. Go-to-market is hybrid — product-led growth and content marketing (blog, YouTube, Product Hunt) for the consumer side, direct field sales with custom plan design for enterprise.
Business scale is early: a single disclosed funding round of $123,500 in May 2025 with undisclosed investors, named-customer logos limited to micro-businesses and startups (photographers, marketing agencies, small SaaS, an NGO), and the only commercial scale metrics being a homepage claim of 71 daily signups and 127 enterprise-customer reviews averaging 4.8/5 stars. No revenue, ARR, or paying-subscriber figure is disclosed. The product is competitive in a breathwork sub-vertical less crowded than meditation apps, and is differentiated by the regulatory-compliance bundle for Mexican corporates, but the company's installed scale and capital base remain nascent.
Pausa firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pausa
- Legal name
- Pausa Technologies LLC
- Website
- https://pausaapp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2024
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Pausa is a mobile breathwork app for iOS and Android that offers science-based guided breathing exercises for stress and anxiety, plus an enterprise tier (Pausa for People) with NOM-035 compliance tooling for corporate wellness buyers in Mexico and the USA.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pausa industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mental Wellness Software
- NAICS
- Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)
- SIC
- Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro industry
- Breathwork Facilitation (Pranayama, Somatic, Holotropic-style)Corporate/Workplace Wellness CoachingHolistic & Alternative Therapies (Reiki, Sound Healing, Breathwork, Energy Work)Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Wellness & Spa Experiences (Retreats, Thermal Baths, Yoga)Virtual Preventive Care & Wellness Coaching (incl. lifestyle medicine)Wellness Retreats & Immersions (Multi-day, Digital Detox, Mind-Body Programs)Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Wellness & Spa Experiences (Retreats, Thermal Baths, Yoga)
Keywords
Where Pausa is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Pausa business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual App Subscription: Freemium-to-subscription model for the mobile app. Free tier includes 3 guided breathing sessions and full 10 Day Journey access. Premium subscription unlocks all techniques and content. Revenue is recurring with monthly ($3 USD) and annual ($20 USD) billing options.
- Pausa App Enterprise License: Annual per-employee license for organizations providing full access to all breathing techniques, guided exercises, and wellbeing content. Priced at MXN $380 per person/year (approximately $19 USD), available for entire organization regardless of location.
- Pausa App + NOM-035 Enterprise Package: Enhanced enterprise package combining app access with NOM-035-STPS-2018 compliance tools, including questionnaire implementation, export of reports and action plans, and access to visualization platform. Priced at MXN $680 per person/year.
- On-Site Events and Activations: In-person wellness experiences including 'Disconnect to Connect' group breathwork sessions, Breathwork Master Class workshops, and Digital Detox Course nature experiences. Pricing is quote-based and available exclusively in Aguascalientes and Mexico City for enterprise clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free tier with limited access |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly subscription for individual users |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual subscription for individual users |
| Per seat | Annual | Enterprise digital license per employee |
| Per seat | Annual | Enterprise digital license with NOM-035 compliance |
| Other | Others | Disconnect to Connect (On-site) |
| Other | Others | Breathwork Master Class (On-site) |
| Other | Others | Digital Detox Course (On-site) |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Pausa product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pausa provides a mobile wellness app delivering science-based guided breathing exercises (box breathing, 4-7-8, physiological sigh, resonant breathing, Wim Hof method) for individuals to reduce stress, anxiety, and panic attacks. The company also offers an enterprise platform, Pausa for People/Business, providing organizational wellness tools including team app access, admin dashboards, NOM-035-STPS-2018 compliance reporting, and on-site breathwork workshops for companies in Mexico and the USA.
Product overview
Pausa is a mental wellness platform consisting of a mobile app as the core product, supplemented by a free stress assessment quiz and an enterprise offering called Pausa for Business (Pausa for People). The mobile app delivers guided breathing exercises for individual users, while the business tier provides organizational tools including an admin dashboard, on-site activation experiences like the Disconnection Cabin, and compliance reporting. Individual products are available separately (app, quiz, admin panel), while business customers receive bundled access across multiple components.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Pausa for People: Enterprise wellness solution for teams to manage stress and anxiety, includes admin dashboard, team access, and on-site events
- Pausa for Business
Products and services
- Pausa Mobile App
Quantifiable outcome
- 70% of people feel better after doing breathwork
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Pausa
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Pausa technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature8 records
Pausa partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Andy NadalcoreFounder & CEO who experienced panic attacks that led to creating Pausa. Self-taught software engineer with personal mission to help others avoid panic attacks. Primary decision-maker and public figure for the company.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Pausa competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Lyra Health: Enterprise mental health benefits platform offering therapy, coaching, and digital self-care tools. Competes with Pausa for People as an established incumbent in employer-sponsored wellness.
- BetterUp: Enterprise wellness and coaching platform offering mental health support, coaching, and behavioral change tools. Competes with Pausa for People in the corporate wellness category at higher price points and broader scope.
- Modern Health: Global mental health platform for employers combining therapy, coaching, and digital content. Enterprise wellness competitor with broader clinical offerings.
Direct peers
- Othership: Breathwork-focused app with guided sessions and community features. Direct competitor in the dedicated breathwork category, with similar focus on science-backed techniques and habit formation.
- Waking Up: Subscription meditation and mindfulness app founded by Sam Harris. Competes in the consumer wellness app space with similar focus on mental wellbeing, though more philosophy-oriented.
- Ten Percent Happier: Subscription meditation app targeting skeptics and busy professionals with practical, no-nonsense approach. Similar positioning to Pausa's 'not everyone meditates' angle, with comparable content library and price point.
- Insight Timer: Free meditation and wellness app with a large library of guided breathing and meditation content. Competes on breadth of content and free pricing model.
- Breathwrk: Pure-play breathwork app offering guided breathing exercises, science-based techniques, and habit tracking. Most direct niche competitor to Pausa, focused exclusively on the breathwork modality.
- Calm: Market-leading meditation and sleep app that has expanded into breathwork sessions and Calm Business. Closest direct competitor in the consumer subscription wellness app category with overlapping content (breathing exercises, sleep, anxiety).
- Headspace: Major meditation/wellness app with Headspace for Work enterprise offering. Competes head-to-head with Pausa's consumer app and Pausa for People in the corporate wellness category.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pausa social profiles
Digital presencePausa financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pausa leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Pausa funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pausa M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pausa
What does Pausa do?
Pausa provides a mobile wellness app delivering science-based guided breathing exercises (box breathing, 4-7-8, physiological sigh, resonant breathing, Wim Hof method) for individuals to reduce stress, anxiety, and panic attacks. The company also offers an enterprise platform, Pausa for People/Business, providing organizational wellness tools including team app access, admin dashboards, NOM-035-STPS-2018 compliance reporting, and on-site breathwork workshops for companies in Mexico and the USA.
Is Pausa a public or private company?
Pausa is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Pausa founded?
Pausa was founded in 2024. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Pausa based?
Pausa is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pausa make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual App Subscription is the primary driver. The others are pausa App Enterprise License, pausa App + NOM-035 Enterprise Package and on-Site Events and Activations.
Who are Pausa's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Lyra Health, BetterUp and Modern Health. Direct peers are Othership, Waking Up, Ten Percent Happier, Insight Timer, Breathwrk, Calm and Headspace.
Does Pausa have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pausa.
What industry is Pausa in?
Pausa's product category is Mental Wellness Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSADAJAC, Breathwork Facilitation (Pranayama, Somatic, Holotropic-style), with a secondary code of HSADAGAL, Corporate/Workplace Wellness Coaching. Its NAICS code is 713940 and its SIC code is 8090.