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Below is our recent interview with Jonathan Marcoschamer, Founder & CEO at OpenSeed:
Q: Could you provide our readers with a brief introduction to your company?
A: OpenSeed has developed meditation pods for the workplace and other commercial spaces. These pods are designed to quickly induce calm & facilitate access to elevated states of mental wellbeing. We are part of the solution to the worldwide mental health crisis. Mental health issues have cost individuals and companies billions of dollars in medical bills, lost productivity, and wellbeing. Although approaches exist for employee wellbeing (e.g., corporate retreats, wellness apps, and in-house meditation facilitators), most workplaces don’t offer spaces conducive for meditation. According to a research report by JLL, a world leader in real estate services, only 17% of workers have access to relaxation spaces.
Millions of people already know about the benefits of meditation, yet they find it difficult to start and maintain a consistent practice. We have a solution that was born at the intersection of industrial design, sound, music, technology, and ancient wisdom. It provides a conducive space to learn and practice meditation, even in busy, high-stress environments like the workplace and hospitals
Q: Any highlights on your recent announcement?
A: Yes ! OpenSeed has partnered with Dr. Deepak Chopra and Yves Behar, CEO and Founder of award-winning design studio Fuseproject, to provide meditation pods to alleviate stress. The innovative new pod, called Iris, is made with sustainable materials and integrates sound, guided meditations, aromatherapy and specially-designed lighting. Iris is now available for pre-order reservations.
Deepak Chopra has joined our board of advisors and said: “OpenSeed’s meditation pods can play an important role in facilitating meditation in the workplace, residences, and commercial spaces,” said Dr. Deepak Chopra, best-selling author and world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. “The pod is a unique environment that beautifully integrates industrial design, technology, and content that helps ease stress and expand self-awareness. Given the mental health crisis we are facing, OpenSeed may offer the type of solution that could help many people reap the vast benefits of meditation” continued Chopra.
Q: Can you give us more insights into your offering?
A: We’ve designed a micro-environment that induces calm as soon as you step inside. The soft sound-insulating materials block noise from the outside while silent fans keep the air circulating and fresh inside the pod. As you sit inside, the dimensions, lighting, and sounds give you a sense of comfort, privacy, and spaciousness.
By activating a session from the main menu on the tablet inside the pod, you begin to follow the guided meditations and absorb the therapeutic sound vibrations that entrain your mind to the lower alpha and theta brainwave frequencies associated with deep states of relaxation. Convenient placement of essential oils for aromatherapy applications give you an instant dose of medicine that lets you go deeper.
By designing experiences that integrate sound, guided meditations, essential oils, and lighting, we are able to induce calm and facilitate access to higher states of awareness.
Q: Why do offices need meditation pods ?
- A: Effective – Facilitates access higher state of awareness, where creativity flows and productivity peaks.
- Convenient – A single solution that includes the space (pod) and content.
- Affordable – More economical than building a meditation room.
- Beautiful – Free-standing design enhances the aesthetics of any space and integrates elegantly with existing office furniture.
- Exclusive – Provides employees with an amenity/ experience they can only access in the workplace.
- Upgradeable – Fresh and personalized content encourages repeat, long-term usage. Upgradeable features include premium content, VR/AR, and other immersive experiences in the future.
Q: What can we expect from your company in next 6 months? What are your plans?
A: We are currently fundraising on WeFunder to allow our customers and the wellness community to be a part of our journey. We plan on bringing Iris, our new pod, to market, and provide our customers with a new way to meditate, alleviate stress, and elevate their performance.
