Negative Air Ion Technology
Clinical-Stage Medtech · Seed Round OpenThe first Ion-Plasma based at-home therapy for Major Depression Disorder (MDD)
A Promise of a new fast-acting, very effective, affordable, side effects free treatment for major depression.
A Global Crisis
People worldwide live with major depression disorder (MDD), the world's #2 cause of disability
Rise in global depression prevalence since 2020
Using the same mechanism (since the 1950s) with incremental improvements — no breakthrough
Of patients don't seek or adhere to current care due to side effects, cost, accessibility, or stigma
Lost to the global economy each year — 12 billion working days
Existing non-invasive treatments — ECT, TMS, esketamine — require frequent clinic visits, cost up to $25,000 per patient per treatment course, and still carry side effects. Chronic and treatment-resistant depression remains one of the most underserved conditions in modern medicine. Millions go untreated.
A New Category of Treatment
Patent Pending
Clinically Evidenced.
A landmark randomized controlled trial demonstrates 50% remission rates and 51.1% reduced depression scores in 5 weeks. No reported side effects across all trials.
Wearable. Non-Invasive.
Self-administered at home, work, or on-the-go. The ScudoMind device delivers therapeutic doses of Negative Air Ions via natural breathing — and resembles a consumer headphone.
Clinic-Connected.
An AI-driven clinic dashboard enables remote monitoring, treatment personalization, and progress tracking — letting clinicians manage dozens of patients with minimal staff.
Treatment core protocol: daily ~1 hour of precise therapeutic-dose inhaled Negative Air Ions (NAI)
Potential Impact on Five Neuropathways.
NAI therapy engages multiple biological systems simultaneously — explaining why results appear faster and more comprehensively than conventional approaches.
Neuroendocrine Regulation
Attenuates HPA axis hyperactivity by reducing stress-induced corticosterone elevation.
Normalizes the stress response — a core physiological dysfunction in depression.
Autonomic Nervous System
Enhances parasympathetic tone (increased HRV) and modulates sympatho-vagal balance via vagal nerve and hypothalamic pathways.
Reduces physiological hyperarousal and promotes somatic recovery and relaxation.
Neurotransmitter Modulation
Modulates serotonin (5-HT) levels and accelerates enzymatic oxidation via superoxide pathways.
Modulates monoaminergic signaling systems central to mood regulation.
Immunomodulation & Antioxidative
Rebalances Th1/Th2 cytokine profiles, downregulates pro-inflammatory cytokines and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) pathways.
Targets the inflammatory hypothesis of depression by reducing neuroinflammation and oxidative stress.
Emotional & Cognitive Processing
Increases positive emotional processing, improves vigilance and memory for positive stimuli, and enhances cognitive performance.
Mimics early cognitive shifts seen with conventional antidepressants, reversing negative cognitive bias.
Results based on multiple small-scale trials including a landmark randomized controlled trial (Goel et al., 2005).
Full scientific detail →Competitive Positioning
Novel, fast-acting, effective, affordable and without side effects (standalone / complementary)
| Treatment | Complexity | Time | Response | Remission | Side Effects | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ScudoMind*NAI | Simple / 1x day · Home/On-the-Go | 5 weeks | 51% | 50% | None | $Low |
| TMSe.g., NeuroStar, Brainsway | Clinic · 5×/week | 4–6 wks | ~50% | 31–37% | Mild Headache | $5–13K |
| Cranial Electrical Stimulatione.g., FlowNeuroscience, ProlivRx | Daily · 2×/day | 8–16 wks | 50–60% | Up to 50% | Very Mild | $3.6K |
| EsketamineSpravato®, J&J | Clinic · 2–1×/week | 4–12 wks | ~50% | 30–50% | Dissociation, Hypertension | $5–18K |
| ECTElectroconvulsive | Clinic · 3×/week | 6–8 wks | ~54% | 31–47% | Cognitive Memory Loss | $13–25K |
*ScudoMind results based on multiple small-scale trials including Goel et al. (2005). Competitor data from published clinical literature.
TAM-SAM-SOM in $
USA, EU, Japan, Korea, Taiwan
Total Addressable Market
Depression patients (973M × 13%)
Serviceable Available Market
MDD (36.4%)
Serviceable Obtainable Market
2.5% of MDD (USA & EU, first 5 years)
5-Year target: 310,000 patients | $280–$360M revenue
Based on ~$900–$1,172 per patient to ScudoMind
A Scalable B2B2C Model Built for Clinical Adoption
ScudoMind sells to clinics and hospitals, who deliver treatment to patients. Multiple revenue streams accumulate to ~$ per patient at high gross margins.
Revenue Streams
- Device per Patient$
- 5-Week Protocol$
- Post-Treatment (Optional)$ / week
- Per-Clinic Dashboard$ / year
ScudoMind Revenue
~$ per patient at high gross margins
Clinical Delivery
Multi-patient management and remote supervision via dashboard.
Clinic Revenue
~$ per patient at high gross margins
Insurance Reimbursement
$ / patient
(+ 5 weeks post treatment)
Patient Experience
- ✓Device access
- ✓5-week treatment protocol
- ✓Optional relapse prevention
Built by People Who Know This Problem
Benny Shoham
CEO & Founder
Serial entrepreneur and inventor who built three companies across BioTech, Renewable Energy (BrightView), and Sustainable Nutrition (GreenOnyx). ScudoMind is his third startup, born from a personal encounter with depression. Decades of experience taking hardware products from concept through manufacturing.
- —Electronic Engineering degree, Technion
- —Executive MBA
- —25 patents across hardware and deep-tech domains
- —Deep expertise in IP strategy, fundraising, and company scaling
- —Markets: BioTech, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Nutrition, Enterprise SW, Semiconductors
Dr. Shahak Yariv
Chief Medical Officer
Psychiatrist specialising in treatment-resistant depression. Former Head of the Neuromodulation and Advanced Treatments for Depression Unit, Emek Medical Center (Technion-affiliated). Currently serves as medical advisor steering FDA approval and clinical research for medical device companies. Based in The Hague, Netherlands.
- —M.D./Ph.D. in Neurobiology — Weizmann Institute & Technion
- —Former Head, Neuromodulation & Advanced Treatments Unit, Emek Medical Center
- —Brain Stimulation Fellowship, CAMH Toronto
- —Hands-on experience with ECT, TMS, tDCS, esketamine & psychotherapy
- —FDA approval process & clinical research advisor
Michal Kedar-Datel
VP Clinical Affairs
Over 20 years leading clinical operations, regulatory affairs, and quality assurance in the medical device industry, with specific expertise in mental health and innovative depression treatments. Track record spanning the full product lifecycle from early feasibility through pivotal RCTs to market entry.
- —20+ years in medical device clinical ops, regulatory affairs & QA
- —Successfully led FDA PMA and De Novo clearance programmes
- —Completed pivotal trials ahead of schedule under challenging conditions
- —Built clinical infrastructures from scratch to ISO 13485 compliance
- —Experienced integrating internal teams with KOLs and CROs
Shai Rubanenko Shalgi
COO & AI Lead
Operations executive with extensive experience leading large-scale, multi-stakeholder programmes across government, technology, and international organisations. Led national-scale digital transformation initiatives implementing AI and automation solutions at EY Advisory.
- —MSc European Studies, LSE
- —M.A. Human Rights, Hebrew University
- —AI Development and Automation Course graduate, Hebrew University
- —Led national-scale digital transformation at EY Advisory
- —Experience across government, technology, and international organisations
1st Round & Use of Funds ($5.5M)
36-month plan to POC and infrastructure setting for clinical trials
Device Finalisation
Wearable device & SW
1st Clinical POC
First feasibility
$3.5M–$4.5M
Ready for Trials
Team, partners & devices
$5.5M
Clinical Trials
Multi-site RCT
The Promise Of
A new fast-acting, very effective, affordable, side effects free treatment for major depression.
Reach out directly to the founding team.
Connect with Benny · benny.shoham@scudo.health