Sleepio

Sleepio, a digital therapeutics company, was co-founded in 2010 by Peter Hames and Professor Colin Espie. The venture originated from Hames' personal struggle with insomnia, which he overcame using a self-help book on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) authored by Professor Espie, a world-renowned sleep scientist. This experience inspired Hames to partner with Espie to digitize these clinically-proven techniques, making them more accessible. Their collaboration resulted in Big Health, the parent company of Sleepio, with a mission to deliver evidence-based, non-drug mental health solutions at scale.

The company operates in the digital health market, offering its solutions primarily to employers, health systems, and national health services like the UK's NHS. The business model involves partnerships and subscription-based services. For instance, employers such as Comcast and LinkedIn provide Sleepio to their employees as a health benefit, aiming to improve productivity and reduce healthcare costs. Sleepio also generates revenue by working with health providers and through direct-to-consumer subscriptions. The company has secured significant funding across multiple rounds, with investors including Octopus Ventures, Kaiser Permanente Ventures, and SoftBank Vision Fund.

Sleepio is a digital program designed to treat insomnia using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), accessible via web and mobile apps. The program is structured into six interactive weekly sessions, guided by a virtual animated expert called 'The Prof'. It personalizes its approach by having users complete a sleep diary and questionnaires, which allows the AI algorithm to tailor the content to the individual's specific issues. This automated yet customized program teaches users techniques to address negative thoughts and behaviors related to sleep. Numerous clinical trials and studies have validated its effectiveness, showing that users fall asleep faster, spend less time awake at night, and experience improved daytime functioning. In May 2022, the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended Sleepio as a cost-effective treatment for insomnia, a first for a digital therapeutic.

Keywords: digital therapeutics, cognitive behavioral therapy, insomnia treatment, mental health, digital health, sleep science, corporate wellness, NHS partner, evidence-based, health technology