Sleep Cycle is a company that aims to offer everyone an affordable and easy-to-use tool to track sleep, get to know personal sleep patterns, and learn what affects positive sleep trends. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Sleep Cycle CEO Erik Jivmark to learn more about the company.
Erik Jivmark’s Background
What is Erik Jivmark’s background? Jivmark said:
“I’m Erik Jivmark, the CEO of Sleep Cycle. My professional journey has been deeply rooted in digital products and services. Before joining Sleep Cycle, I co-founded and served as the CEO of Volvo Car Mobility AB. This experience was instrumental in honing my skills in building meaningful consumer brands and driving organizational change.”
“Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to gain experience in areas such as leadership, organizational development, digital product strategy, and mobility solutions. I’m a firm believer in design-driven approaches and the application of agile principles, whether in product development or building dynamic organizations.”
“My passion lies in working with brands that resonate with consumers and have the potential to make a real difference in people’s lives. This aligns perfectly with my current role at Sleep Cycle, where we’re leveraging technology to impact global health and well-being through sleep. I’ve always been drawn to opportunities where I can drive change through innovation. This mindset has been a constant thread throughout my professional journey, from my early days post-graduation to my current position leading Sleep Cycle’s talented team.”
Formation Of Sleep Cycle
How did the idea for the company come together? Jivmark shared:
“Sleep Cycle’s journey began in an unexpected way. In 2009, Our founder initially started the company as a game development venture. However, a moment of frustration with his own sleep led to a brilliant insight. He noticed the sensitivity of the accelerometer in his first iPhone and had an “aha moment.” He envisioned using this technology to create a solution for waking up feeling refreshed rather than groggy.”
“This spark of inspiration led to the development of Sleep Cycle, which became the world’s first movement-based sleep tracking platform. The app’s success quickly surpassed his original gaming projects, prompting a pivotal decision to focus entirely on sleep health technology. In 2015, Sleep Cycle shifted to audio-based sleep tracking for iOS, and in 2017 it introduced audio tracking for Android as well, allowing the app to unobtrusively monitor sleep patterns without requiring any wearable devices.”
“What’s truly remarkable is Sleep Cycle’s evolution from a creative solution to a personal problem into a global leader in sleep health technology. As an early industry pioneer, we’ve consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible, with our team of experts developing innovative strategies to improve sleep for millions worldwide. This spirit of ingenuity and commitment to enhancing people’s lives is what attracted me to Sleep Cycle and continues to drive our mission forward today.”
Core Products
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What are the company’s core products and features? Jivmark explained:
“Our core product is our app, but it’s more than just that– it’s a comprehensive sleep health solution that has transformed how people worldwide approach their rest. Since our launch in 2009, the Sleep Cycle app has had the privilege of analyzing over two billion nights of sleep across more than 150 countries. That’s a lot of data, and it’s helped us refine our technology to truly make a difference in people’s lives.”
“One popular feature is the patented Smart Alarm Clock, which monitors sleep cycles and gently wakes users during their lightest sleep phase, ensuring they start their day feeling refreshed. Beyond the Smart Alarm, we offer a range of features designed to improve sleep quality. Our Sleep Aid feature provides programs and soothing sounds to help users unwind and fall asleep more easily. We also provide comprehensive sleep tracking, including sound recording to identify sleep disruptors like snoring or coughing, all without the need for wearable devices. Our recent launch of Cough Radar further enhances our ability to monitor health-related breathing disruptions during sleep.”
“What truly sets Sleep Cycle apart is our commitment to personalization and continuous innovation. We don’t just provide raw data; we offer tailored statistics and insights to help users understand and improve their unique sleep patterns.”
“By prioritizing sleep, we believe people can empower themselves to be at their best in every aspect of life, enhancing both longevity and overall quality of life. We’re committed to making AI an indispensable ally in the pursuit of well-being, empowering individuals to take charge of their health in ways previously unimaginable. The journey to better sleep and a better life– that’s what Sleep Cycle is all about.”
Challenges Faced
What challenges have Jivmark and the team face in building the company? Jivmark acknowledged:
“As a leader, I’ve encountered various challenges in steering Sleep Cycle through the healthtech landscape. Leading a company that is at the forefront of sleep health requires not only strategic vision but also the ability to adapt and innovate continuously.”
“And when it comes to the challenges we’ve faced in the development of Sleep Cycle features, one recent challenge arose during the creation of Cough Radar, which uses sound analysis to detect coughing patterns during sleep, helping users identify potential illnesses before symptoms become noticeable.”
“Managing the immense data processing required for daily predictions across a global scale was a significant hurdle. These predictions, which form the foundation for our maps, involved processing data for over one million tiles, each containing thousands of pixels, requiring daily estimates. This challenge highlighted the need for a scalable infrastructure while ensuring data accuracy and adhering to stringent user privacy standards.”
“Another challenge was accurately categorizing coughing events and presenting these insights in a way that is both informative and user-friendly. Our goal was to communicate changes in coughing patterns without overwhelming users. Achieving this required developing sophisticated algorithms capable of unobtrusively distinguishing between normal, elevated, and high coughing events. Through iterative testing and refinement, we focused on creating an intuitive interface that delivers critical health insights clearly and actionable.”
“Overcoming these challenges has not only strengthened our product but also reinforced our commitment to leveraging AI for enhancing sleep health and well-being, positioning Sleep Cycle as a leader in AI-driven healthcare.”
Evolution Of Sleep Cycle
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Jivmark noted:
“While AI has become a buzzword over the years, for us, it’s our bread and butter. We’ve been working with AI and machine learning long before they became mainstream, embedding these technologies into our product from the very beginning. We started with the iPhone’s accelerometer to monitor sleep movements and wake users during their lightest sleep phase. As AI and machine learning capabilities have evolved, so has our technology, integrating advanced features that continuously improve user experience and accuracy.”
“Over the years, we’ve significantly enhanced our AI systems, incorporating robust respiratory tracking and state-of-the-art audio-based sleep analysis. A major milestone was the introduction of Cough Radar in 2023, a feature that uses sophisticated AI to monitor and visualize coughing patterns during sleep. This not only offers critical health insights but also turns bedrooms into proactive healthcare hubs, showcasing our commitment to transforming sleep analysis into comprehensive health monitoring.”
“Balancing AI innovation with ethical considerations and data privacy has always been crucial. Throughout the years, we’ve established robust security protocols and fostered a culture of ethical AI use, ensuring user trust while pushing technological boundaries. Our evolution from a simple smart alarm app to a leading AI-driven sleep health platform highlights our dedication to continuous adaptation and improving global health through better sleep.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Jivmark cited:
Sleep Cycle’s journey has been marked by several significant milestones that highlight our growth and advancement:
— 2010: Hit one million downloads and approximately 14,000 years of cumulative sleep tracked. Introduced long-term sleep statistics and graphs to help users better understand their sleep patterns.
— 2014: Integrated with Apple Health and debuted Sleep Cycle for Android, making our technology more accessible.
— 2015: Launched patented Aurora technology for machine learning sound analysis, enabling use from the nightstand.
— 2019: Surpassed 37.4 million downloads and 4.38 billion hours of sleep tracked. Launched the Sleep Cycle Institute, putting our anonymized global sleep data into the hands of multidisciplinary health and wellness experts to provide insights into the relationship between sleep and overall health.
— 2021: Went public with an Initial Public Offering (IPO) on Nasdaq Stockholm, reflecting our growth and stability.
— 2023: Introduced Cough Radar, a cutting-edge tool that monitors health-related breathing disruptions during sleep.
Each of these milestones demonstrates our commitment to advancing sleep technology and improving global sleep health. As we look to the future, we remain focused on leveraging AI to deliver even more cutting-edge solutions for our users. Our journey is far from over, and we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead as we continue to lead in the sleep health industry.
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Jivmark affirmed:
“At Sleep Cycle, we believe that quality sleep is the foundation for living a full and vibrant life. For over 15 years, we have been the industry leader in sleep health, leveraging advanced AI technology to empower individuals to achieve better sleep and improve their overall well-being. Our mission is to make sleep health as accessible as possible to people around the world, helping them understand and enhance their sleep patterns in a way that directly impacts their daily lives.”
“What sets us apart is our commitment to innovation and our deep understanding of sleep’s role in achieving a variety of life goals—whether it’s improved fitness, stronger relationships, or enhanced work performance. With millions of daily active users and over three billion nights of sleep analyzed in more than 150 countries, our AI-driven solution leverages vast amounts of data to provide highly detailed, personalized insights. Built on our proprietary technology and platform, this approach offers a user-friendly experience that has helped millions optimize their sleep, making Sleep Cycle a trusted partner in their journey toward better health and a sleep technology solution that stands out from our competitors. We also have a dedicated sleep scientist, Dr. Michael Gradisar, who ensures that everything we do is grounded in the latest scientific research and evidence-based practices. Being certain that what we develop and deliver to our users is based in science is at the core of what we do, making us a trusted partner in our users’ journeys toward better health and well-being.”
“We have been at the forefront of sleep health for more than a decade, and our product continues to remain highly relevant to both existing and potential users. Everything we do is focused on maintaining and expanding our leadership in the sleep health segment.”
“By prioritizing sleep, we enable individuals to be at their best in every aspect of life, ultimately enhancing longevity and quality of life. Our track record as an industry leader, combined with our continuous innovation, sets us apart from the competition and shows our commitment to making a meaningful impact on the well-being of people worldwide.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future company goals? Jivmark concluded:
“At Sleep Cycle, our future goals are centered on expanding our global health impact through innovative sleep technology and comprehensive well-being solutions. We are uniquely positioned to leverage our AI-based audio technology and robust platform to meet the evolving needs of our users.”
“One of our primary objectives is to further integrate AI into personalized health solutions. Over the next five years, we aim to evolve our services beyond sleep analysis to become a comprehensive tool for enhancing various aspects of life. By leveraging insights from sleep patterns, our AI technology could help users take steps to optimize exercise routines and weight management, as well as enhance mental health and personal relationships. We believe that quality sleep is foundational to improved fitness, stronger relationships, enhanced work performance, and overall quality of life.”
“In addition to enhancing our product offerings, we are committed to expanding our global reach and increasing our user base. With millions of daily active users, we see an immense opportunity to make a positive impact on global health. Our goal is to enhance our platform’s accessibility and usability, ensuring that more people benefit from our cutting-edge sleep technology.”
“To support this growth, we have set an ambitious target of doubling our revenue within the next three years while continuing to grow profitably. Our new business strategy focuses on three major areas: user acquisition, user engagement, and exploring opportunities for potential usage of our platform and data. We plan to leverage our proprietary platform and vast amounts of aggregated, anonymized data to continuously improve our products and explore new possibilities.”
“In summary, Sleep Cycle’s future goals are to continue leading the sleep health industry by focusing on profitable growth, expanding our global presence, and advancing our AI-driven innovations. We are committed to helping individuals achieve better sleep, which is foundational to living a full and vibrant life. If you’re not already using our app, we invite you to join us as we redefine the future of sleep health, one night at a time.”
