Metabolic Health Startup Ultrahuman Launches Smart Ring

Ultrahuman, a metabolic health company, is entering the smart ring wars.

For context: Ultrahuman previously raised $17.5M and acquired LazyCo, an Indian smart ring maker, this past April. Known for its “Cyborg” CGM patch paired with accompanying app, the company targets health optimization over diabetic care.

The latest: The company announced preorders for its new Ultrahuman Ring. Set to ship globally in August 2022, the device is a companion wearable to the company’s CGM patch, tracking heart rate, movement, temperature, and sleep.

Of note, despite being billed as the “world’s first metabolism tracking ring,” the new ring is not equipped with glucose monitoring tech.

How it works: Syncing with the Ultrahuman’s Cyborg CGM and M1 platform, the ring’s biometric data will be used for insights and lifestyle recommendations to support overall metabolic health — such as balancing blood sugar with a better night’s sleep.

A limiting factor for now, Ultrahuman’s Cyborg hardware is only available in India and United Arab Emirates. Still in beta, the company amassed a waitlist of 125K, with plans to enter the US market by “Q2 2023.”

Tackling the metabolic health crisis, Ultrahuman hopes its health-tracking ring bolsters its CGM ecosystem, encouraging adoption and differentiating it in a crowded market.

Ring Wars

As we pointed out in Issue No. 188, more companies are vying for your finger, including some with blood glucose in their sights.

• Oura has sold 1M devices, with promised SPO2 capabilities finally hitting this summer.
• French ring maker Circular will attempt to side-step an Oura patent suit to begin US sales this fall.
• Movano recently secured its seventh patent and is trialing noninvasive ​​sensors for glucose and blood pressure monitoring.

Takeaway: From rings to patches, predicting stress to analyzing your blood, wearable makers like Ultrahuman are carving out niches to compete. But, beyond biometric data, no one has solved for behavior change — meaning the industry has a long way to go if it hopes to impact health on a global scale.