The Sleep Revolution – WakeZ by Steepsoft AI
Regional Impact
The project targets three transition regions: Western Macedonia (Greece), Centru (Romania), and Southeastern Bulgaria. These areas face the dual challenge of economic restructuring and fossil fuel phase-out.
COALition strengthens local ecosystems, builds capacity, and helps secure funding, laying the foundation for sustainable growth and job creation in emerging sectors like renewables, hydrogen, and energy efficiency.
Market Context
Coal regions across Europe are under pressure to phase out fossil fuels while preserving economic stability.
Despite their challenges, they also present major opportunities — with estimates of up to 314,000 jobs created through clean energy investments by 2030.
EU policies like the Green Deal, Just Transition Fund, and Hydrogen Strategy support this shift, yet local coordination, strategic planning, and skills development remain key barriers.
Beneficiary
Primary beneficiaries include workers in coal-related industries, regional and local authorities, innovation ecosystem stakeholders, academic institutions, and SMEs in the energy and tech sectors.
Broader beneficiaries include residents of transition regions, future investors, and the extended EU innovation community focused on clean energy and climate neutrality.
Stakeholder Network
COALition is implemented by a diverse consortium of partners from Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria, including public institutions, universities, regional agencies, private companies, and NGOs.
Key members include CERTH (leader), Iceberg Plus, UMFST Târgu Mureș, Sofia University, Mureș County Council, Stara Zagora REDA, and many more.
Through its role as an Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) contact point, Iceberg+ provided strategic guidance to Steepsoft AI, a Brașov-based startup developing WakeZ, a clinically validated digital therapeutic that uses smartwatch vibrations to enhance sleep quality.
Unlike typical sleep apps, WakeZ is a science-driven solution combining neurofeedback with haptics to influence brain activity during sleep. Iceberg+ supported the startup in defining its funding pathway, developing a competitive proposal, and successfully securing financing through the 2014–2020 Regional Operational Program.
This support helped move the innovation from TRL 3 to TRL 5 and lay the groundwork for regulatory alignment and commercialization.
Regional Impact
Iceberg+ played a catalytic role in amplifying the Central Region’s capacity to deliver high-impact healthcare innovation.
By empowering a local SME to access substantial non-dilutive funding and transform their validated concept into a market-ready solution, Iceberg+ demonstrated the critical importance of EEN support services in strengthening regional innovation ecosystems.
Market Context
The Enterprise Europe Network, co-funded by the European Commission, exists to help SMEs scale through access to funding, partnerships, and innovation services.
In the case of WakeZ, Iceberg+ helped translate deep tech innovation into health impact by navigating the complex landscape of digital therapeutics — including IP strategy, regulatory trends (FDA Pre-Cert, DiGA), and real-world applications in treating sleep-related disorders.
The market for digital sleep solutions is growing rapidly, and EEN support ensured that a Romanian solution could position itself for international relevance.
Beneficiary
Steepsoft AI is the direct beneficiary of the support, but the impact extends to a broader innovation ecosystem:
- patients with sleep disorders
- public health institutions
- regional innovation stakeholders
The case illustrates how Iceberg+ and EEN services empower high-potential startups to mature their solutions and unlock funding opportunities that accelerate growth.
Stakeholder Network
The project was made possible through the BISNet Transylvania team at Iceberg+ and the Enterprise Europe Network.
Key contributors:
- Miruna Mureșan
- Marius Apostu
Strategic ecosystem support comes from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Brașov, Transylvania IT Cluster, regional development agencies, and funding bodies within the ROP 2014–2020 program.
Results
(Short Timeline Yearly)
2022
Conducted needs and innovation capability assessment
Developed and submitted proposal with Iceberg+ support
Raised €500K in bootstrap funding
2023
Secured €1.5M in non-dilutive funding for WakeZ development
Acquired €470K for haptic device development
Completed clinical trial and reached
TRL 5
Published 3 peer-reviewed papers
Finalists in EIT Health WildCard accelerator
Received EU patent for digital depression treatment
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