Cradlewise Raises $7M to Revolutionize Newborn Sleep

Addressing Infant Sleep Challenges with Smart Technology

Often, by the time a baby begins to cry in their crib, they've become overstimulated and irritable. Cradlewise offers a solution – a $2,000 smart crib designed to monitor a baby’s sleep stages and proactively soothe them back to sleep upon detecting initial signs of awakening.

Early Adoption and Development

The company initiated preorders at CES in 2021, initially concentrating on customers within the Bay Area. This strategic focus allowed Cradlewise to maintain a close feedback loop with its user base. Currently, approximately 100 units of the innovative crib are being utilized by parents, with ongoing preorders available at a reduced price of $1,499.

Securing Growth Capital

Footwork spearheaded a $7 million seed funding round, with contributions from CRV and further investment from existing backers SOSV and Better Capital. Notable investors also include Katrina Lake, founder of Stitch Fix, Jeremy Cai, CEO of Italic, Dilip Goswami, CTO of Molekule, and Sonny Vu, former CEO of Misfit Wearables.

“Many baby monitors simply alert you when your baby is already awake – a reactive approach. During our experience with our first child, my husband and I quickly realized the importance of responding even to the slightest movement, offering immediate comfort. However, constant vigilance is unsustainable. This led us to question why a crib couldn’t proactively detect these early signs of waking,” explained Radhika Patil, co-founder and CEO of Cradlewise.

From Personal Need to Innovative Product

The concept originated from a combination of personal experience and the growing “quantified self” trend. Radhika and her husband, Bharath Patil, were dedicated to tracking their own sleep and fitness data. Following the birth of their first child in 2014, they developed a prototype of the Cradlewise. The project was revisited in 2019, leading to funding and full-scale development.

Future Plans and Product Enhancements

This new funding will facilitate further expansion for Cradlewise. The team intends to grow its current staff of 11, concentrating on technological advancements and optimizing the supply chain for this complex product. Plans include more sophisticated sleep analytics and the potential integration of a smart scale for tracking a baby’s weight alongside sleep patterns. The long-term vision is to establish Cradlewise as the central component of a connected nursery.

Justifying the Premium Price Point

The final product is positioned as a premium offering, prompting inquiry into the price justification.

“We prioritize data privacy by ensuring the sleep monitoring is contained within the crib’s footprint, avoiding the privacy concerns associated with wall-mounted devices. We combine early wake-up detection with a natural bouncing motion that mimics a parent’s soothing technique,” Radhika Patil clarified, emphasizing the value proposition of a product that consolidates multiple baby care items. She also highlighted the crib’s environmentally conscious design, featuring reduced plastic usage and readily recyclable materials: “The mattress is constructed from coconut coir and natural rubber latex, making it fully biodegradable.”

Sustainability and Product Lifecycle

While a second-hand market for the cribs isn’t currently planned, the company notes the cradle’s ease of disinfection and the ability to replace the biodegradable mattress, reinforcing their commitment to sustainability.

Industry Recognition and Expert Opinions

Nikhil Basu Trivedi, co-founder and general partner at Footwork, stated, “Cradlewise stands alone in the baby product market by leveraging deep tech and AI to understand a baby’s sleep patterns and growth. Through software updates that utilize this data, Cradlewise is pioneering the connected nursery, mirroring the best practices of connected hardware companies like Nest, Peloton, Tesla, and Tonal.”

Kristin Baker Spohn, general partner at CRV, added, “Cradlewise is more than just a smart crib; it’s a solution for parental mental wellbeing. Having focused on the intersection of technology and health, I believe Cradlewise exemplifies how smart technology can promote restful sleep for both babies and parents – a cornerstone of overall health.”

Availability and Usage

The crib is designed for infants up to two years of age, and preorders are currently being accepted through the Cradlewise website.

• Cradlewise: A smart crib designed to monitor and soothe babies.
• Seed Funding: The company secured $7 million in seed funding.
• Key Features: Sleep monitoring, automated soothing, biodegradable mattress.