Why we invested in Zen, an ergonomics app for work
Workers who spend the majority of each day sitting at a computer often suffer from medical problems ranging from low back pain to carpal tunnel syndrome. The cost to employers, in disability payments and productivity loss, is staggering. Employers in the U.S. spend over $300 billion a year to cover employee back and joint medical treatments, while losing over 150 million workdays.
Zen offers an antidote to the problem by deploying posture correction software that uses the embedded cameras of computers and smartphones, along with artificial intelligence, to help employees better monitor and improve their posture while they work. The app gently alerts users when they slouch, and reminds them to take regular breaks to stand, stretch, and walk.
Samsung Next invested in Zen because we think it can scale its go-to-market strategy of selling directly to medium- and large-sized companies Enterprise accounts present a larger market, and employers appear to have a willingness to pay for wellness solutions for their employees, especially post-pandemic. We participated in a $3.5 million seed round that also includes Y Combinator, Valor Equity Partners, Goodwater Capital, SoftBank Opportunity Fund, Socii Capital, Dragon Capital, and TRUE Culture Fund.
We think Zen’s founder-market fit bodes well for the company’s growth potential. Daniel James, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Daniel had a successful football and academic career at Yale University that included participating as an accelerator fellow at the Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking. Ion Alexandru, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, earned a degree in Computer Science from the University of St. Andrews. He has worked as a software engineering intern at Adobe and Intuit.
The two young entrepreneurs founded PostureHealth in 2020. Ion initially developed a prototype for the Zen ergonomics app while he was grappling with his own work-related pain issues. They launched the app during COVID, when a growing number of work from home employees were grappling with ergonomic challenges, such as using couches and kitchen tables in lieu of desks.
Zen has already found traction in the marketplace with its posture correction app. Early enterprise users include Adobe, Alation, Amazon, Brex, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft. Moreover, within a week of launching a self-service solution on Product Hunt, the company on-boarded more than 500 new users.
Looking ahead, Zen’s focused value proposition is to help enterprises save on insurance and workers compensation costs. The app also promises to serve as an enterprise wellness solution, eliminating the need for ergonomics consultants. By starting with large corporate customers, the Zen app has an opportunity to establish itself as a first-mover, and to fend-off competition.
Because Zen makes posture simple and easy, employees can use it to improve alignment, relieve tension, and improve focus. A survey conducted by the company found that people who use the app more than 5-times a week reported improvements in back and joint health, productivity, and comfort.
Improving ergonomics results in better employee health outcomes, lower employer costs, and higher worker productivity. We think that’s a formula for success, and we think Zen is an important tool to help shape and improve the future of work.
Antonio Key is an Investor at Samsung Next. Samsung Next's investment strategy is limited to its own views and does not reflect the vision or strategy of any other Samsung business unit, including, but not limited, to Samsung Electronics.
