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In this episode, host Chris Whyte is joined by Stefan Chmelik, founder of Sensate – a revolutionary consumer product designed to reduce stress and improve well-being through sound and vibration therapy. Before Sensate, Stefan spent 30 years as a clinician specialising in stress, anxiety, trauma, and complex disease management. His expertise in meditation and breathwork led him to develop a technology-first approach to well-being.

This episode explores the intersection of medicine, meditation, and hardware innovation. Stefan shares his journey from working with patients in a clinical setting to co-founding a tech company that now helps thousands of people worldwide. He explains the science behind stress, vagal nerve tone, and how Sensate's wearable device supports relaxation and resilience. We also dive into the challenges of launching a hardware start-up, from product design to fundraising and business strategy.

If you're interested in the role of design in health and wellness, this episode is packed with insights on making well-being more accessible at scale.

Key Takeaways:

✅ The science behind stress and how vagal nerve tone affects well-being

✅ How Stefan’s background in meditation and medicine influenced Sensate’s design

✅ The challenges of bringing a hardware health device to market

✅ Fundraising lessons and why US investors saw the potential before UK investors

✅ Why start-up success is about resilience, adaptation, and the right co-founding team

✅ The importance of cooperation over competition in both business and life

✅ How Sensate is making relaxation effortless through sound and vibration technology

Links & References

Visit Sensate: https://www.getsensate.com/

Connect with Stefan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanchmelik/

Connect with Chris Whyte on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrchriswhyte/

Sign up for Why Design? events: https://teamkodu.com/events

Learn more about Kodu recruitment: https://teamkodu.com