※ Kyungpook National University Startup Support Group, together with SKT, operates the “Startup Leap Package (Large Enterprise Collaboration Track)” for startups. It promotes innovative growth by activating startups’ ideas and technological capabilities based on collaboration with large corporations. ITDongA introduces promising startups that have participated in the Kyungpook National University–SKT Collaboration Track of the Startup Leap Package.

For modern people, stress is like an unavoidable shadow. In an era where the word “burnout” has become part of everyday language, mental health is no longer a matter of individual willpower but has emerged as a major challenge that society as a whole must address. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) document on mental health in the workplace released in September 2024, depression and anxiety cause a loss of 12 billion workdays annually worldwide, and the resulting productivity loss amounts to USD 1 trillion (approximately KRW 1,441.8 trillion).

Mental health issues in Korea are even more serious. The Republic of Korea has recorded the highest suicide rate among OECD countries for more than 10 years, and one in four adults experiences mental disorders such as depression and anxiety at some point in life. According to 2021 data from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, medical expenses for mental and behavioral disorders alone reached KRW 6.5321 trillion. When indirect costs such as productivity loss are included, the socioeconomic burden becomes even greater. Medical expenses for depression surged 73.5%, from KRW 303.8 billion in 2017 to KRW 527.1 billion in 2021, showing how mental health problems are expanding from an individual issue to an economic burden on society as a whole.



Against this backdrop, stress management solutions have come into the spotlight, and a variety of services such as meditation apps, psychological counseling platforms, and wearable devices have emerged. However, most have remained at the level of one-way, brainwave-centered solutions that uniformly provide supposedly beneficial frequencies, resulting in limitations in personalization. In contrast, technologies such as StressSolution’s Healing Beat analyze biosignals to diagnose stress and then use artificial intelligence (AI) to generate personalized sound for each individual as a mental healthcare solution.

StressSolution leverages heart rate variability to provide personalized sound that induces stress relief. Although a startup, its solutions are widely used in various fields including sports, insurance, and wellness. What is the secret behind this? The reporter spoke with StressSolution CEO Bae Ik-ryeol.

From nurse to healthcare startup founder

The story of CEO Bae Ik-ryeol’s startup dates back to 2011. While serving as a nursing professor and working closely with patients in clinical settings, Bae believed that technological research should not stop at academic papers but should be used to improve the lives of real patients. Watching Silicon Valley big tech companies launch businesses based on technologies developed in university labs, he sought ways to contribute to society with his own research achievements.

The area that caught Bae’s attention was stress management. Korea has the highest stress index among OECD countries. Nevertheless, stress is addressed primarily through medication at hospitals instead of being managed routinely in daily life. Recognizing that the most widely used contents in the smartphone era are music and sound, Bae set out to develop technology that uses them for stress management.

The common denominator across all stress-relief methods—such as listening to music, exercising, and meditating—is “stabilization of the autonomic nervous system.” Most sound-tech solutions that use music are limited to one-way, brainwave-centered services. Bae wondered: what if the autonomic nervous system could be measured directly, and customized sound generated based on that data? This question became the starting point for StressSolution.

Since 2016, Bae had been researching the technology under a Korea Research Foundation R&D project in the field of medical science. In 2022, he decided to launch a professor-led startup and founded StressSolution as a full-time nursing professor. Despite opposition from his family, he chose entrepreneurship to realize the social value of a social venture. As a result, StressSolution obtained social venture certification just five months after its establishment.

Regulating the autonomic nervous system with the heart, not brainwaves, through personalized sound

StressSolution’s core technology is personalized sound generation based on heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is an indicator that measures subtle variations in the intervals between heartbeats, enabling objective assessment of autonomic nervous system activity. The company focused on the fact that a healthy heart exhibits complex and continuous variability to quickly respond to sudden physical and psychological challenges, whereas under stress, the complexity of heart rate variability significantly decreases.

Most existing mental healthcare services provide brainwave-centered sound, stimulating specific frequencies such as alpha and theta waves in a one-way manner. Meditation music, white noise, and binaural beats fall into this category. By contrast, StressSolution measures stress using HRV and generates sound based on electrocardiogram waveforms. Because each person’s heart beats with a different rhythm and waveform, it is possible to generate ultra-personalized, tailored sound, Bae explained. “If existing brainwave sound has been a passive method of simply telling you to listen to good music, StressSolution provides sounds that match the current condition of your body,” he said.



Another differentiating factor for StressSolution is its AI camera-based rPPG (remote PhotoPlethysmoGraphy) technology. Using just a facial video, it measures HRV data in three seconds and generates personalized sound. By applying optical blood flow measurement technology, it detects heartbeats through subtle changes in skin color. This contactless method allows precise biosignal measurement without wearable devices, significantly enhancing accessibility. After measurement, personalized sound is generated according to the user’s condition, such as sleep, concentration enhancement, or stress relief. Wearable devices like Samsung Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch collect data via contact-based methods, enabling users to check and manage their autonomic nervous system status anytime, anywhere.

The education sector is also a major market. Bae emphasized that StressSolution’s service has gained popularity among students in Daechi-dong, a major private education district. Before studying, students measure their condition via AI camera and then listen to concentration-enhancing sound to improve learning efficiency. The sleep quality improvement mode is used before going to bed. Since all music is regenerated by AI based on personal data, users effectively have their own customized lullabies or study music.

StressSolution has also confirmed its potential in the corporate welfare market. KB Life adopted StressSolution’s technology in its Golden Care senior care service. According to Bae, insurance companies are highly interested in mental healthcare services because they help prevent mental health issues among policyholders and reduce insurance payouts.



StressSolution was selected in 2025 as a Samsung C-Lab Outside startup and participated in the Samsung C-Lab Pavilion at CES 2026. In addition, it has applied its AI camera-based measurement technology in collaboration with various robot care companies. After the camera recognizes the user’s face, the user can say, “Play a lullaby when I sleep,” and the system will play a personalized lullaby.

Global expansion and efforts to broaden the content industry

Despite its rapid growth, StressSolution faces challenges—most notably, global market expansion. “Growth is difficult if we rely solely on the domestic mental healthcare market. Even when looking only at students preparing for exams, the annual number is just around 520,000. For StressSolution to achieve sustainable growth, global expansion is essential,” Bae said.

Building on its participation in the Samsung Electronics C-Lab Pavilion at CES 2026, StressSolution is on the verge of signing two contracts. It recently established a joint venture in China and is conducting pilot tests in the Indian market. In the global market, the company focuses on the concept of stabilizing “anxiety” rather than “stress,” because while stress can have positive connotations, anxiety is perceived as something that needs to be alleviated. “After attending overseas exhibitions and observing the atmosphere, we concluded that the term ‘anxiety management’ is more effective,” Bae noted.

The company has also secured a foothold for entry into the U.S. market. In January 2026, StressSolution signed a business agreement with the Fine Tree Global Institute in Los Angeles. Specializing in acupuncture treatment, nervous system stabilization, and pain management, Fine Tree has a clinical network across the United States. The two parties plan to build a digital healthcare experience showroom in Los Angeles and conduct real-world demonstrations of an integrated solution ranging from HRV-based stress diagnosis to autonomic nervous system stabilization sound interventions.

Startup Leap Package with Kyungpook National University and SKT as a growth springboard

StressSolution was selected in 2025 for the Kyungpook National University–SKT Collaboration Track of the Startup Leap Package program. Through this program, the company conducted proof-of-concept (PoC) projects for its sound technology in areas such as mental care for the Seoul SK Knights basketball team and SK Telecom’s caller ringback tone service. By applying its technology within SK Group affiliates, StressSolution was able to validate its growth potential. At the Seoul Sports Science Center, national team athletes also use headsets to access StressSolution’s services. Rather than listening to ordinary music, athletes are provided with sound tailored to their physical condition.



Bae commented, “Athletes have a prime period, and maintaining peak condition during that time is crucial. If the balance of the autonomic nervous system collapses, it directly affects performance. Managing their mental state with personalized sound before a match or during sleep can help improve performance.” He added, “SK Telecom is very interested in developing technologies that use AI to analyze complex information such as voice and facial expressions to assess mental health status. There are many areas where we can create synergy with StressSolution’s HRV-based measurement technology, so collaboration is active.”

The support from Kyungpook National University’s Startup Support Group was also significant. Through Kyungpook National University’s startup programs, StressSolution received initial funding, mentoring, and networking opportunities. In particular, it received help in refining its business model and developing strategies for attracting investment. “The Kyungpook National University Startup Support Group did more than just provide space and funding; it helped ensure that founders would not repeat unnecessary trial and error in the early stages of their business. I believe Kyungpook National University’s systematic support served as the foundation for the company’s growth,” Bae said.

Aiming to become a global healthcare company with strong technological capabilities

StressSolution participated in CES 2026, held in Las Vegas, USA, from January 6 to 9, 2026. Selected as a Samsung Electronics C-Lab Outside startup, the company showcased Healing Beat to visitors from around the world. It demonstrated the process of measuring HRV in just three seconds with an AI camera and generating personalized sound, receiving positive responses. It also conducted technical briefings for global partners and buyers.

Bae evaluated, “CES 2026 was an important stage for promoting our technological capabilities and vision in the global market. By expanding collaboration opportunities with digital healthcare companies, platform operators, and investors, we gained confidence in our global competitiveness.”



Fundraising is also progressing smoothly. After receiving seed investment in 2023 from Korea Investment Partners and Enight Ventures, the company completed its Series A funding round across 2025 and the first half of 2026. This achievement is particularly meaningful given the challenging investment environment for digital healthcare companies. StressSolution’s mid- to long-term goal is an initial public offering (IPO).

StressSolution aims to grow beyond resolving stress solely through auditory means to become a company that provides total care for all five senses. “Our dream is to become the world’s leading digital healthcare company with Healing Beat, a sound solution that transcends language barriers,” Bae said. He believes this is possible because the heart beats in fundamentally the same way in all people worldwide, allowing for a universal solution that transcends language and culture.

The company also remains committed to its identity as a social venture. “We see it as our social mission to reduce national mental health costs and lower Koreans’ stress index by stabilizing the emotional states of stress-vulnerable groups such as adolescents and seniors. If we can reduce the suicide rate even by 1%, wouldn’t that be the greatest achievement we can make as a company?” Bae said.

ITDongA reporter Kang Hyeong-seok (redbk@itdonga.com)

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