The future of personalized health monitoring just got a facelift – and a mask. PNOĒ’s newest device, the PNOĒ 2.0, might evoke images of comic-book villains, but its mission is far from nefarious: to empower individuals with precise metabolic data for optimal eating, training, and a longer life. Launching October 1st, this iteration marks a significant leap, transitioning from a professional-only tool to a self-administered, 8-minute breath test accessible to anyone.
Key Takeaways
- Democratizing Metabolic Insights:The PNOĒ 2.0 makes gold-standard metabolic testing, including VO₂ max measurement, accessible to a broader audience through a user-friendly, self-administered 8-minute breath test.
- Personalized Health Blueprint:By analyzing 23 biomarkers, the device provides tailored recommendations for nutrition and exercise, directly addressing the growing demand for data-driven longevity and wellness strategies.
- Strategic B2B Growth:PNOĒ’s business-to-business model, offering a “business in a box” solution, has driven rapid growth and profitability, securing partnerships with major fitness and health brands and fueling global expansion plans.
At first glance, the newest device from PNOĒ looks like something a comic-book villain might wear. The mask, which covers the nose and mouth and straps around the back of the head, bears more than a passing resemblance to the one worn by Bane, Batman’s hulking nemesis. But its purpose is far more benign; it measures how much oxygen you consume and how much carbon dioxide you exhale, then turns that data into advice about how to eat, train, and, the company hopes, live longer.
PNOĒ, a company with roots in Malden, Massachusetts, and operations in Athens, Greece, is preparing to launch the PNOĒ 2.0 on October 1. This new version represents a critical evolution: users can now administer the test themselves. According to co-founder and CEO Apostolos Atsalakis, the process is remarkably simple. Someone can walk into a gym, “just wear the mask, push the button, sit down,” and breathe for eight minutes. “That’s it. It’s that easy,” he emphasized during a recent Zoom call from the company’s Athens office.
Democratizing a Gold Standard: From Lab to Gym Floor
This shift to self-service is a game-changer. PNOĒ’s current device requires a trained operator, a limitation that restricted its deployment to specialized facilities. A self-serve version dramatically broadens its potential reach, opening doors to fitness centers without dedicated staff, and potentially even pharmacies or corporate wellness programs, Atsalakis noted. The convenience factor alone is poised to make metabolic testing, once a niche offering, far more mainstream.
The science underpinning PNOĒ isn’t groundbreaking in itself. Metabolic testing, which involves analyzing gases in a person’s breath to understand their body’s energy production, boasts a history stretching back over a century. For decades, it has stood as the unchallenged gold standard for accurately measuring VO₂ max – the maximum amount of oxygen the body can utilize during intense exercise. VO₂ max is a widely recognized and critical indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness. However, the traditional application of these tests has been hampered by bulky, expensive equipment typically confined to specialized sports labs and hospitals, making them the exclusive domain of elite athletes, academic researchers, and high-end executive wellness programs.
What 10-year-old PNOĒ truly innovates is its ability to deliver this same gold-standard accuracy in a portable, user-friendly package. Crucially, this hardware is seamlessly paired with sophisticated software that translates complex physiological results into actionable, personalized recommendations. “We made it accessible to everyone,” Atsalakis proudly states, bridging the gap between cutting-edge science and everyday wellness goals.
Unlocking Your Body’s Blueprint: The Power of Breath Biomarkers
The company asserts that its test captures an impressive 23 biomarkers. Beyond the foundational VO₂ max, these include essential metrics like one’s resting metabolic rate (RMR), which quantifies the calories the body burns at rest, and metabolic flexibility, indicating how efficiently the body can switch between burning fats and carbohydrates for fuel. Atsalakis passionately argues that these breath-derived metrics provide answers to fundamental questions that even comprehensive blood tests cannot fully address, such as the precise caloric intake a person needs to achieve their goals or the most effective training strategies for their unique physiology.
The timing for PNOĒ’s enhanced offering couldn’t be better. VO₂ max has emerged as a significant buzzword within the burgeoning longevity movement, propelled by increasing research that firmly links higher cardiorespiratory fitness to lower mortality rates and a longer, healthier lifespan. Atsalakis positions VO₂ max as “the strongest predictor of human longevity,” envisioning his company’s data as a vital scorecard for individuals navigating the rapidly expanding and often complex wellness industry.
Engineering for Experience and Expansion
The new PNOĒ 2.0 device itself is a testament to meticulous engineering. It is noticeably smaller and more compact than its predecessor, featuring fewer parts, which Atsalakis says directly contributes to its enhanced reliability. The design journey was extensive, undertaken in collaboration with Milan-based Design Group Italia, and involved what Atsalakis described as “a lot, a lot, alotof iterations.” This intensive process was necessary because creating a self-administered metabolic testing device of this caliber was, quite simply, unprecedented.
Addressing a practical concern for post-pandemic users, the PNOĒ 2.0 ingeniously tackles the “who wore it last?” question. The electronic components detach cleanly from the silicone mask and straps. This modular design allows multiple individuals to share the more costly hardware, while each user maintains their own personal, hygienic mask, ensuring both safety and cost-effectiveness for businesses.
PNOĒ operates exclusively as a business-to-business (B2B) provider, selling its systems to companies that, in turn, offer the test to their customers. Its impressive client roster includes industry giants like Equinox, where the PNOĒ system is available at nearly all clubs, as well as prestigious Four Seasons hotels, Red Bull, the NBA, the Mount Sinai Health System, and the popular med spa chain Restore Hyper Wellness.
Approximately 85% of PNOĒ’s business originates from the U.S., a market Atsalakis describes as “by far the most advanced market globally” for longevity and wellness solutions. The company is actively pursuing expansion in Europe and, through strategic partners, is extending its footprint into Latin America and Asia, aiming to establish its presence globally.
Businesses subscribe to PNOĒ’s service, with monthly fees ranging from $400 to over $1,000. This comprehensive subscription covers the hardware, software, training, and marketing materials, a package Atsalakis aptly terms a “business in a box.” A key differentiator is PNOĒ’s ability to link test results directly to the services a business offers. This allows a gym or spa to recommend highly specific and personalized offerings based on a customer’s unique metabolic profile. Many clients integrate the test into their onboarding process, positioning it as a sophisticated tool that bridges the gap between a full clinical workup and the often-estimated metrics provided by consumer smartwatches.
The Wellness Frontier: Navigating Claims and Future Horizons
For all its clinical precision, PNOĒ maintains careful discretion regarding its claims. The device is not cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Atsalakis unequivocally states, “we do not provide medical recommendations.” Instead, PNOĒ positions itself firmly as a wellness device. “It’s like a body composition device, like a scale,” he explains. “A doctor cannot prescribe medication based on our results.”
However, the long-term vision could evolve. Researchers have long explored the potential of compounds in human breath to signal the presence of diseases such as cancer. Atsalakis believes PNOĒ’s rapidly expanding trove of breath data could, in time, enable the company to flag potential health issues. Yet, he acknowledges that offering full diagnoses is “definitely a couple of years away,” with significant regulatory hurdles likely to extend that timeline further. “We’re not there yet,” he admits, underscoring the company’s cautious approach to medical claims.
The “middle ground” that PNOĒ occupies is becoming increasingly competitive. Consumer tech giants like Apple, Garmin, and Whoop all offer estimates of VO₂ max derived from heart-rate data. Other specialized consumer devices, such as Lumen, analyze breath to provide insights into fat and carbohydrate burning. At the highest end, traditional metabolic carts continue to reign as the undisputed standard in advanced research labs and hospitals.
PNOĒ’s Ascent: From Cambridge PhD to Profitable Growth
PNOĒ traces its origins back to Atsalakis’s PhD work in sensing technologies at the University of Cambridge, a period when the wearable technology boom first captured his fascination with the rich insights human breath could reveal about the body. He co-founded the company with Panos Papadiamantis, a childhood friend who now serves as the company’s chief product officer.
The startup gained early traction as part of Y Combinator’s Winter 2019 batch, a time when the concept of “longevity” had not yet crystallized into the multi-billion-dollar industry it is today. Since then, PNOĒ has successfully raised approximately $22 million, including a recently closed $11 million round. Notable investors include 50 Years and Google Maps co-founder Lars Rasmussen, who, by a serendipitous twist, is now also based in Athens.
With a team of 110 employees, PNOĒ proudly announced it recently turned profitable, while simultaneously sustaining an impressive annual growth rate exceeding 100%. Atsalakis revealed that the company plans to pursue a Series B funding round within the next six to twelve months, as it endeavors to put its distinctive mask — Bane comparisons and all — in front of an ever-wider array of faces, solidifying its position as a leader in personalized metabolic health.
Bottom Line
PNOĒ 2.0 represents a pivotal moment in accessible health technology. By bringing gold-standard metabolic testing to the mainstream through a self-administered device, the company is empowering individuals and businesses with unprecedented insights into personalized wellness, nutrition, and training. While carefully navigating the line between wellness and medical claims, PNOĒ’s innovative B2B model, strong growth, and clear vision for the future position it as a significant player in the evolving landscape of longevity and preventive health, poised to redefine how we understand and optimize our bodies.
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