Skift Take
There’s no denying that meditation is on the rise in the U.S., and companies want in on the upswing. Not only are the big players getting more funding but so too are startups, which might be able to carve out their own niches.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year reported on the significant growth of meditation in America. Since then the more established meditation startups have received increased funding, and new ones are getting in on the action too.
Take Wave, a guided meditation app that’s all about the custom-made music that plays in the background. It just landed over $5 million in funding and hopes to differentiate itself by “leading with the positive,” as its founder said. For example, instead of looking for a practice to help you feel less tired, you’d search for one more energizing.
Unlike rivals Calm or Headspace, the subscription-based app pairs with hardware: a pillow that vibrates to the music, along with a pair of over-ear headphones. Wave’s business model of subscription plus hardware parallels that of Peloton — and it presumably hopes it will have similar
