Stress impacts not only individual well-being but also poses substantial costs to employers. The American Institute of Stress, a nonprofit organization, estimates that workplace stress costs U.S. businesses more than $300 billion each year when considering factors like absenteeism, reduced productivity, employee turnover, medical expenses, and workplace accidents.
One scientific approach to assessing stress involves tracking cortisol levels. This concept has even reached social media, with the phenomenon of “cortisol face” trending on TikTok. To obtain accurate readings, it is essential to measure this hormone at various times throughout the day, as fluctuations are what truly matter.
“Ideally, by the end of the day, cortisol levels should be at their lowest,” states Maria Hahn, CEO of Nutrix. The company’s recently launched device, cortiSense, which analyzes cortisol in saliva, has been recognized with a CES Innovation Award 2025 in the Digital Health category.
Offering patients a device for at-home use instead of requiring clinic visits enhances convenience and allows for cortisol monitoring immediately upon waking, Hahn shared with TechCrunch.
cortiSense was developed in collaboration with the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland. It is integrated into Nutrix’s digital health ecosystem, gSense, which encompasses a digital health platform, continuous glucose monitoring, AI-driven dietary management, and telemedicine services.
This initiative aligns with Nutrix’s original mission focused on diabetes management. Although the company shifted its hardware direction to prioritize cortiSense, it remains committed to addressing chronic illnesses. “Cortisol regulates many other hormones, influencing both mental and metabolic health,” the entrepreneur from Switzerland noted.
Nutrix’s vision has garnered backing from the Swiss innovation agency Innosuisse, along with private investors. To date, the startup has secured $4 million in funding, including an unannounced $2.5 million seed round, co-led by Polish impact fund Simpact and Japan’s deep tech fund OIST-Lifetime Ventures. The Mayo Clinic also expressed interest after connecting with the team at CES 2024.
The startup aims to raise a substantial Series A round to support its growth, but its initial funding has already facilitated the U.S. rollout of cortiSense. With Mayo Clinic’s support, Nutrix plans to establish offices in Silicon Valley.
Nutrix has a track record of market expansion; its gSense platform is already integrated with Chile’s public insurance system, bolstered by the support of the Start-Up Chile initiative. In 2024, the Swiss health tech startup also expanded its presence in Mexico and Peru.
However, Nutrix faces new challenges regarding its strategy that emphasizes corporate, rather than direct consumer, engagement. Although less common in the U.S., several countries, including Chile, Mexico, and Peru, mandate health screenings as part of employers’ responsibilities to promote employee wellness while respecting the confidentiality of private health data.
As Nutrix shifts its focus to launching cortiSense in the U.S., Hahn finds herself needing to clarify that “the company will only collect aggregated data.” While framing the economic implications of workplace stress might be seen as unappealing by some, it could serve as a crucial reminder to employers that mental health is an integral aspect of overall health.
Furthermore, Hahn emphasizes that cortisol’s significance extends especially to women’s health during periods like perimenopause and menopause, which have often been overlooked in research. She plans to allocate part of Nutrix’s funding to explore these connections further, stating, “This is particularly important for me as a woman.”
Compiled by Techarena.au.
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