A Personal Loss That Sparked a Powerful Idea

Entrepreneur Ria Rustagi did not enter the world of neuro-technology because of a market trend or business opportunity. Her journey began with a deeply personal tragedy. In 2016, Ria lost her elder sister to a brain infection that initially appeared as mild symptoms such as headaches and neck pain. Unfortunately, the condition was misdiagnosed, and her sister’s health deteriorated rapidly within months.

The heartbreaking experience left Ria with a lingering question: What if technology could detect brain-health issues much earlier? This thought eventually became the driving force behind her entrepreneurial journey.

Exploring Brain-Monitoring Technology

The idea began taking shape when Ria’s partner, now her husband and co-founder, moved to Germany to pursue a master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence. During this time, the duo started exploring brain-monitoring technologies such as Electroencephalography (EEG), a technique that records electrical activity in the brain.

Their vision was ambitious yet simple: build wearable technology capable of tracking brain activity and detecting early signs of potential neurological issues. In 2018, this vision turned into a startup called Neuphony, focused on developing brain-wearable devices designed to monitor mental states such as stress, relaxation, and cognitive focus.

Building a Deep-Tech Startup Against the Odds

The early days of the company were far from easy. The startup initially ran on personal savings, with Ria continuing her corporate job in Germany and using her salary to support research, prototypes, and testing.

Over the next two years, the team collaborated with psychologists, neuroscientists, and meditation experts to validate their concept. Despite the challenges of hardware manufacturing, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the startup managed to gain traction.

A major breakthrough came when the team began pre-selling their product globally before manufacturing it. Early adopters from countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and India showed strong interest, giving the founders confidence that their idea had real potential. 

Recognition and the Shark Tank Moment

As the startup gained momentum, it began attracting attention within India’s innovation ecosystem. In 2022, Ria appeared on Shark Tank India, showcasing India’s first consumer brain-wearable product.

The appearance dramatically increased the company’s visibility. Website traffic surged, new customers discovered the product, and investor interest grew. Although the investment deal discussed on the show did not ultimately materialize, the exposure opened new opportunities for funding and partnerships. By 2024, the company had raised significant investment and reached a valuation of nearly ₹65–70 crore.

Introducing AI-Powered Brain-Wellness Technology

Building on their early learnings, Ria and her team later introduced a new product line under the brand Psyche AI Brain Wellness Headphones. These AI-powered headphones combine neuroscience and wearable technology to monitor physiological signals such as heart-rate variability and estimated brain-blood flow.

Using these insights, the device analyzes mood patterns and recommends personalized music to help users improve focus, reduce stress, or sleep better. The device also uses Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), a neuromodulation technique that gently stimulates brain neurons to support relaxation and cognitive performance.

The Vision: Making Brain Health Preventive

Ria believes the future of healthcare lies in prevention rather than treatment. By integrating neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and wearable technology, she hopes to make brain-health monitoring a part of everyday life—just like fitness tracking today.

Featured on The Startup Caffe

This inspiring journey of resilience and innovation was featured on The Startup Caffe, where Ria Rustagi shared how personal loss transformed into a mission to revolutionize brain-health technology. The conversation highlighted the challenges of building deep-tech hardware in India and her vision of creating AI-driven wellness solutions for the future.