Healium’s mental fitness wearables earn innovation award from world’s largest tech show

November 15, 2021  |  Startland News Staff

Sarah Hill Healium 2021

A Columbia-based startup’s patented technology that brings wearable biometric data to life via virtual and augmented reality apps has earned a major industry honor, announcing Healium’s selection for a 2022 Innovation Award from the Consumer Technology Association.

The awards program is an annual competition honoring outstanding design and engineering in 27 consumer technology product categories. Healium’s selection announcement was made ahead of the Jan. 5-8 CES 2022 event in Las Vegas, the world’s largest and most influential technology showcase.

[pullquote]

Healium is a patented technology and product that allows users to learn to self-regulate their focus and calm by giving them the ability to see their EEG brain patterns or heart rate in near-real-time. In five peer-reviewed journals, Healium has been shown to significantly reduce anxiety and improve mood in as little as four minutes. 

[/pullquote]

A panel of industry expert judges, including members of the media, designers, engineers, and more, reviewed submissions from companies like Healium — one of Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2020 — based on innovation, engineering and functionality, aesthetic, and design. Judges this year received a record-high number of more than 1,800 entries.

“Healium is the first immersive media channel for hardware-agnostic wearables,” said Sarah Hill, Healium’s CEO who developed the technology to ease her own anxiety as a former TV news reporter. “Think of Healium like a video game you play with your smartwatch or EEG headband. Mental fitness is an important way to build resilience with drugless, non-harmful coping mechanisms. We’re delighted CES has recognized our technology that is an important bridge between biometric data and XR content.”

Healium’s products are used worldwide with the US military, in schools, with elite athletes, and wellness practitioners to equip high performers with brain and heart rate training they need to excel. Healium teaches users to learn to self-regulate so they can focus faster, stress less, and perform better. 

Click here to learn more about Healium.

The company’s VR/AR products are expected to be among technology highlighted during the CES event in Las Vegas, at Healium’s booth near the entrance to the North Hall’s health pavilion. 

CES 2022 is also set to convene the tech industry digitally, giving global audiences access to major brands and startups, as well as the world’s most influential leaders and industry advocates, according to organizers. 

Click here to learn more about the in-person and virtual CES 2022 event.

[divide]

This story is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.

For more information, visit www.kauffman.org and connect at www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn

startland-tip-jar

TIP JAR

Did you enjoy this post? Show your support by becoming a member or buying us a coffee.

Tagged ,
Featured Business
    Featured Founder

      2021 Startups to Watch

        stats here

        Related Posts on Startland News

        Scout charts pre-seed funding from Midwest investors at KCRise Fund, eGrowth Ventures

        By Tommy Felts | November 24, 2025

        The just-announced pre-seed round for an emerging innovator in veterinary medicine software is expected to help the Kansas City-built startup deepen its product capabilities, further strengthen its core technology, and strategically grow its team to meet rising demand. “Closing this round gives us the resources and momentum to execute on our mission,” said Dr. Gonzalo…

        Keystone launching corporate engagement accelerator to boost low-friction startup collabs

        By Tommy Felts | November 20, 2025

        Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem gets its fair share of positive press thanks to a decade of momentum, Kevin McGinnis noted, but the region’s ability to scale innovative ideas to their potential remains stalled because corporations and startups lack an easy on-ramp for collaboration. “We have been listening for years to the ecosystem, to the community,…

        Just funded: AltCap Your Biz cycles trio of winners from KC’s diverse hospitality scene

        By Tommy Felts | November 20, 2025

        Persistence pays off, said Ruben Alonso, celebrating a decade of the AltCap Your Biz Pitch Competition and its role as an energy boost for Kansas City small businesses. The latest winning founders walked away with $60,000 in checks Wednesday at Union Station. Two of this year’s top three winners were returning finalists, the AltCap CEO…

        Innovation check(s): Angels scout potential KC investments at NXTUS nano-pitch event

        By Tommy Felts | November 19, 2025

        A startup showcase Tuesday in the heart of Johnson County’s innovation community put impact on display as NXTUS’ Accelerate Venture Partners organized a nano-pitch event for its network of angel investors amid Global Entrepreneurship Week-Kansas City festivities. The Wichita-based entrepreneurial support organization — which has mobilized over $8.5 million for entrepreneurs in the Heartland since…