Scent technology business created by UCL academics raises £2.2 million

OW is set to redefine the way humans experience and interact with smell. The business was created by Dr Emanuela Maggioni (UCL honorary research fellow) and Professor Marianna Obrist (UCL Department of Computer Science).  

The company’s sleep-tech solution will deliver custom scents through a ​​digitally controlled scent-delivery device, app and AI-based algorithms for personalised sleep experiences. 

Professor Obrist and Dr Maggioni have worked with Innovate UK Business Growth, of which UCL Innovation & Enterprise is a delivery partner, to shape their idea and secure the Innovate UK funding. 

Using scent to help people sleep

A good night’s sleep is crucial for health and wellbeing, yet 74% of adults report bad sleep quality, costing the UK economy an estimated £40 billion annually. Scientific research now provides strong evidence that scents can have a profound effect on an individual’s emotions and improve their quality of sleep.

OW's sleep solution uses AI-based scent algorithms, electronics, sensors, biofeedback and the company’s scent distribution technology to deliver a user-friendly smart system.

The technology will be able to detect where someone has difficulties in their sleep cycle. It will then release custom scents to help them either fall asleep or stay asleep, and wake up refreshed in the morning.

Dr Maggioni said: “Smell can be our most powerful sense and only now are we realising the potential of technology to translate it for experience, welfare and health. This technology has enormous commercial applications which this new investment will help us unlock.”

From research to a commercial business

OW was founded in 2019 by Dr Maggioni and Professor Obrist at the University of Sussex, after they received a European Research Council (ERC) proof-of-concept award. The grant enabled the creation of the startup and understanding of the commercial viability of the idea.    

Dr Maggioni has over 16 years’ experience in research and consultancy related to olfaction (the sensation of smell) and has published in more than 45 scientific publications. She’s also a Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) Enterprise Fellow and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at UCL Computer Science.  

The sleep system is just one of many potential applications now being developed by OW. This is a result of decades of academic research into how the digitalisation of smell can revolutionise people’s quality of life.  

Dr Maggioni is spearheading the commercialisation efforts as CEO, CTO and co-founder of OW. Professor Obrist is supporting the business as it grows, to ensure its impact is built on a solid scientific foundation.

Support from UCL Innovation & Enterprise

Professor Obrist and Dr Maggioni have been supported by Innovate UK Business Growth. The team’s innovation and growth specialist​s​ helped the two academics identify market applications, hone their pitch, identify target investors, and secure the £700,000 Innovate UK Investor Partnerships grant.  

Stuart Hartley, from Innovate UK Business Growth, said: “What Dr Maggioni and Professor Obrist are doing here with ​​scent is hugely exciting. Smell is the last of the senses to not yet have been digitised, and it’s been fantastic to work with them to shape and hone their idea. To see one of the businesses we support secure such a large investment at this early commercialisation stage is fantastic.” 

​​​Dr Maggioni described the mentoring they’ve received as being instrumental in helping them identify the first market application for their research.  

“It’s really thanks to the innovation team’s knowledge, energy, experience and motivation that we’ve been able to take our work from the lab and turn it into something that’s set to make a real difference to many, many people who struggle with sleep.” 

​​​Dr Kathryn Walsh, Executive Director, UCL Innovation & Enterprise, said: “It’s fantastic to see a UCL-supported business attracting so much interest, and backing, from investors at this early technology stage. Congratulations to the researchers for their commitment and desire to take their work out into the world where it will directly help people. This is a stellar example of UCL’s commitment to knowledge exchange and using academic research to find new ways to ​solve urgent​​ ​problems.” 

OW will now be using the investment to validate their technology through sleep lab testing. They’re aiming to move to the early stage launch of their ​scent-enhanced sleep-tech solution ​in the next 18 months.  

Links

Find out more about:

• OW Smell Made Digital
• Support for SMEs to grow and scale their business 
• UCL's innovation support for academics
• UCL Computer Science

Photo of OW professionals discussing their sleep-tech device. © OW Smell Made Digital