“Well, looks like you’ve had fun lately,” said a friend as he joined me for coffee. There, in the middle of my dining room table, is a device that, now that I mention it, looks a lot like a sex toy. Moonbird‘small purpose of existence it is not to raise your pulse and make you breathe heavily. Quite the opposite. The Belgian company has helped more than 35,000 customers find sleep and reduce stress through breathing exercises.
The bird-like device is super simple to use: Shake it, place your thumb on the sensor, and the palm-sized device begins to gently twirl as it grows in size, then shrinks back down. Use the “breathing” plastic bird to speed up your breathing and your body is tricked into thinking that all is well in the world. It really seems like it shouldn’t work, but it does. Science agrees. “Slow breathing can be used as an alternative, non-pharmacological treatment for people with hypertension to lower blood pressure,” he concludes. a published document in Frontiers in Psychology. suggests Harvard Medical School it is good for stress. And from personal experience, I’ve woken up holding the little nugget of plastic more than once in the week I’ve tried it.
How does it work
Every time I review a tech product, I ask myself “does this really need to exist?” — especially since there seem to be more than 2,500 meditation apps available and at least a few dozen breathing or breath-specific apps. Making more pieces of plastic that will inevitably end up in the trash — is that a good idea? The founders of the company support their existence.
“There are obviously a lot of apps that you can use that can give you support. But if you’re struggling with sleep, the last thing you want to do is pick up your phone and open a meditation app,” Stefanie Broes, founder and CEO of Moonbird, told TechCrunch. He declares the phone an enemy of sleep. “You’re going to scroll and do other things. For me, it was very important to develop an offline, app-free solution that guides you to speed up your breathing. Breathing in a rhythm that is scientifically proven to relax your nervous system will calm you down. We had the idea to develop a device – a natural thing – that helps breathe with you. So you don’t have to hear or look at an app, but a physical object that moves for you in an organic way.”
Stefanie was struggling with insomnia during her PhD and her search for a solution led her to breathing, which surprised her with its benefits. Along the way he noticed a gap in the market. Stefanie’s brother Michael, who comes from a finance and technology background, was drawn to the project by the potential to combine medical science with data-driven insights. Together, they embarked on a journey to bring Moonbird to life, facing challenges such as the impact of COVID-19 on supply chains, but ultimately achieving significant market success in Europe.
The device is designed to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation without constantly connecting apps. That simplicity, combined with the option for biofeedback via an app, makes the Moonbird accessible to a wide audience, from children to the elderly, the company says.
With proven product market fit in Europe, Moonbird is now setting its sights on the US market. The Broes brothers are excited to repeat their success and continue their mission to advance the healing potential of breathwork. They emphasize the importance of a good product, scientific backing and simplicity to achieve success – and they have published a white paper and a bunch of additional science to support their claims.
Simple and elegant. Image Credits: TechCrunch / Haje Kamps.
When pressed about the sustainability of their products, the Moonbird team emphasizes that they do their best. The device works without an app, so even if the Moonbird company disappears, the product itself will still work.
“We produce locally. So we use everything on the third floor of our office in Belgium, we chose to optimize our entire supply chain and logistics to see that everything is as clean as possible and as efficient as possible in order to optimize flexibility for production , but also the impact on the environment,” explains Michael Broes, CTO and co-founder of Moonbird. “We also have a 30-day trial period. If the product doesn’t work for you, you can send it back and we will refurbish it and sell it again. We have never refused a return or repair. Even if your dog chews it to pieces, we’ll repair it — we want to keep as many of our devices in use as possible.”
The Moonbird device is, frankly, a marvel of simplicity, though the company still has a few hoops to jump through before it’s fully ready for the US market. For example; the date format and the height and weight the app wanted from me in the setup process were all distinctly euro flavored. Centi-whatnow? Kilo? However, these issues are quite easy to resolve as the company is serious about launching its products.
To be fair, the silicone-coated device looks a bit like a personal pleasure device. And I suppose it can be, if you take special pleasure in breathing deeply and slowly. Image Credits: TechCrunch / Haje Kamps
By focusing on activating the parasympathetic nervous system, the theory is that the device will help users achieve a state of relaxation and calmness. This is especially important in today’s fast-paced world where stress and anxiety are rampant. The design of the device, without an ON/OFF switch, further embodies simplicity. Users can activate Moonbird with a simple motion (a quick shake back and forth), making it accessible to anyone, regardless of age or technological proficiency.
Expansion into the US market represents a new chapter for Moonbird. The Broes brothers see this as an opportunity to introduce their innovative approach to wellness to a wider audience. Their success in Europe – the company claims to have sold more than 35,000 units, mainly in Belgium and the Netherlands – is a testament to the device’s appeal. Its popularity in domestic markets gives the founders hope for an international expansion. With its diverse demographics and openness to wellness technologies, the US market could prove fertile ground for Moonbird’s growth.
You can order a Moonbird today, for $199, from its website. A breath of fresh air: that’s all you’ll ever pay for. No subscriptions are displayed.
“All the content available in the app is free and there is no paywall. We don’t like subscriptions. You get full ownership and we have at least a two-year warranty — but the Moonbird will continue to run for years,” says Stefanie Broes. “No subscription also means you can share your device with other people if you want.”
