Nuream, a Wilmington-based sleep tech startup, announced its partnership with the National Sleep Foundation’s SleepTech Network, a move that the company’s CEO, Rob Cooley, says is pivotal in accelerating the company’s growth. 

Founded in 2023, Nuream is focused on using long-term sleep data to address what Cooley describes as a national “sleep epidemic,” noting that more than half of Americans report sleep problems. 

“We’re not trying to create more data for just data purposes. We’re trying to give you the right, accurate, correct data for you to make an insight,” said Cooley. 

The most accurate tool in sleep research is the electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures the brain’s electrical activity and typically requires caps and wired sensors for testing. According to Cooley, a more realistic way to gather sleep and brain data is through the “fabric-as-a-sensory technology" that Nuream is developing. 

The technology can be built into mattresses, pillowcases, clothing or existing wearables, such as Apple or Garmin watches. By turning everyday textiles into noninvasive sensors, the company plans to capture long-term sleep and brain data, and, with the help of AI, identify patterns and early warning signs of conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy and other neurodegenerative diseases. 

Acceptance into the SleepTech Network gives Nuream access to expertise and data from the National Sleep Foundation, an independent, nonprofit organization, providing expert information on sleep health. 

“This is an exciting validation of our science and technology. For us to be accepted into the National Sleep Foundation ecosystem is really important,” Cooley said. “It demonstrates that our science is applicable, that our solutions are material, and that with their support and their network, the ecosystem will help us really accelerate our ability to commercialize and go to market.” 

Nuream received a grant from Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA), a Department of Defense-backed manufacturing institute, to develop its second fabric-as-a-sensor prototype. The company is partnering with UNCW’s College of Health and Human Services and the College of Science and Engineering, as well as with sleep clinics across the country, to test the technology.

“We’re completely a different company than when we formed in April of 2023,” said Cooley. “We’ve validated the science through prototype testing, built an amazing clinical staff, and we’re still raising money to accelerate.”

Nuream plans to validate its latest prototype and turn it into a minimum viable product, with a pillowcase-sized sensor and a companion software platform on the market as early as next year, according to Cooley. The company is continuing to pursue grants and investment funding while expanding clinical and industry partnerships. 

“We have the ability to create a unique health‑tech, life‑sciences cluster right next to fintech here in Wilmington,” said Cooley.