From: thepipeline_xyz
Pulse is a team building a consumer-facing product at the “cutting edge” of consumer crypto, uniquely combining both software and hardware [00:00:27]. This approach allows them to address a vertical that has gained significant traction in the traditional space [00:00:36].
Inspiration Behind Pulse
Nix, a founder with a history of building startups since 2010, found himself neglecting his health in his 20s and early 30s while focusing on building and shipping products [00:01:41]. As he aged, he realized his body wasn’t responding as it used to, leading to a disconnect between his brain’s desire to act and his body’s ability to follow [00:02:28]. This personal realization spurred his focus on health, recognizing that unlike crypto assets, one cannot “trade” or replace their body [00:02:59].
The inspiration for Pulse is rooted in the belief that taking care of one’s body can enhance productivity [00:03:22]. The goal is not merely to make users healthier, but to help them gain an “edge” in various aspects of life, including work, social interactions, happiness, and overall personal productivity [00:03:32].
What is Pulse?
Pulse is defined as a “lifestyle wearable,” distinct from a mere health wearable [00:03:57]. It is designed to assist users across several life aspects, utilizing data to help them become better operators, builders, and humans in ways they desire [00:04:09].
As Naval Ravikant stated, “a Calm Mind, a Fit Body and a house full of love these are all things that cannot be bought they have to be earned” [00:04:24]. This sentiment aligns with Pulse’s vision, acknowledging that fitness and mental/physical health cannot be purchased but must be earned [00:04:40].
The Web3 Component: Data Ownership and Transparency
Pulse integrates a web3 component to address issues prevalent in traditional wearable industries [00:05:10]. Users of traditional wearables like Whoop or Oura Ring often generate valuable data without being rewarded for it, while companies sell this data for millions [00:05:30]. Pulse aims to rectify this by using crypto rails as a transparency mechanism for data brokerage [00:06:17].
This means users can be notified if a third party, such as the University of Oxford, wishes to acquire their data for a clinical study, review the opportunity, and decide whether to license their data [00:06:24]. The crypto rails ensure transparency regarding what data was shared, for how long, and its intended use [00:06:56]. This approach leverages blockchain to provide a unique advantage in data incentives [00:07:12].
Furthermore, Pulse prioritizes data security by striving to store as much data as possible encrypted on-chain [00:05:51]. Utilizing MPC-powered encryption, only the user can decrypt their data, not even Pulse itself [00:36:05]. This approach aims to prevent data hacks seen in traditional platforms, such as the 23andMe hack or the Change Healthcare hack, which incurred over a billion dollars in fines and losses [00:37:15]. Fully homomorphic encryption allows users to gain insights from their data without risking exposure to third parties [00:36:32].
The Challenge of Building Hardware
Building hardware is described as akin to “chewing glass that is on fire” [00:08:05]. Unlike software, where issues can be fixed with quick updates, a single mistake in hardware can necessitate restarting and rebuilding from scratch [00:08:17]. The process involves:
- Finding and benchmarking suppliers [00:08:52].
- Designing products [00:08:59].
- Figuring out logistics, fulfillment, and delivery [00:09:04].
- Customizing branding [00:09:09].
The Pulse team dedicated an entire summer to this “gauntlet of production” in stealth, with a co-founder spending months full-time in China to oversee manufacturing until the last wearable leaves the production line [00:08:45].
Advantages of Hardware
Despite the difficulty, building hardware offers several strategic advantages:
- Creating a Moat [00:10:34]: It prevents displacement by competitors like Whoop or Oura Ring who could otherwise restrict API access [00:10:36].
- NFC Chip Integration [00:10:49]: The Pulse wearable includes an NFC chip, allowing direct integration of a crypto wallet [00:10:52]. This enables “proof of pulse,” verifying “one wallet equals one human” without doxing the user, which is highly valuable for teams seeking human verification [00:10:56].
- Infrastructure for Other Builders [00:11:14]: Pulse views its wearable as infrastructure, providing an API and SDK for other teams to build software on top of their device [00:11:17].
Design and Data Collection
Pulse conducted extensive research into the existing wearable market, analyzing popular devices like Whoop, Aura, UltraHuman Ring, Fitbit, and Apple Watch to understand user behaviors and identify flaws [00:12:25]. Nix observed that many tech professionals use Whoop primarily for sleep tracking to optimize productivity, despite Whoop being designed more for athletes optimizing strain and recovery [00:13:07].
Pulse’s design addresses a broader definition of productivity, encompassing sleep, gym, diet, stress levels, sun exposure, and social fulfillment [00:13:33]. This holistic approach makes it a “lifestyle wearable” distinct from purely health and fitness devices [00:13:57].
The device leverages several sensors to glean insights from a user’s day:
- Accelerometer [00:30:29]: Detects acceleration, deceleration, and movement, helping to identify physical activities like weightlifting or running [00:30:31].
- Temperature Sensors [00:30:48]: Helps determine if the user is outdoors or indoors (e.g., in a hot yoga class) [00:30:53].
- Heart Rate [00:31:06]: Monitors heart rate patterns, which can indicate activities like consistent running [00:31:08].
Pulse aims to automate the detection of about 50 common activities, including swimming, running, boxing, lifting weights, yoga, and Pilates [00:31:30]. It also focuses on general lifestyle data, like detecting prolonged sitting or phone usage, to nudge users towards more energetic or productive behaviors [00:31:53].
"Live to Earn" Concept
Pulse’s value proposition is “Live to Earn,” where users are not rewarded for being healthier, but for generating and sharing their day-to-day lifestyle data with third parties who want to build products or services [00:33:12]. This means even someone who doesn’t go to the gym can still generate valuable data [00:33:28]. Pulse is also exploring incentivizing users to contribute other data like blood work, DNA, and electronic health records to build a more comprehensive “Health Digital Twin” [00:33:41].
Growth Strategy and Community Building
Pulse’s near-term goal is to build a “hardcore fan base” of 10,000 users, primarily from the crypto community [00:15:16]. This initial phase will focus on refining the app, positioning, branding, and proving the stickiness and value of Pulse for productivity [00:15:30].
The subsequent phase involves targeting the “normie market” beyond crypto, aiming for 100,000 users, then a million [00:15:58]. This will involve marketing on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, using language tailored to diverse audiences, such as busy moms, students, or high-performers seeking more energy or productivity [00:16:04]. This growth will utilize influencer marketing and paid advertising [00:16:57].
Once a healthy user base of around 100,000 Daily Active Users (DAU) is achieved, Pulse plans to pursue data acquisition deals, offering companies access to anonymized user data for product development [00:17:19].
Crypto is seen as a “superpower” for bootstrapping a user base and building community [00:19:51]. While people are willing to pay for an “edge” in life, whether through courses or health optimization [00:18:42], crypto excels at formulating culture and communities around shared beliefs, such as privacy, self-sovereignty, or asset ownership [00:21:23]. This inherent community aspect, fueled by token and data ownership, provides a significant advantage over traditional wearable companies that lack such direct user incentives and loyalty [00:22:05].
Underrated Health Tips
Nix, drawing from his extensive experience in health optimization, offers a simple yet impactful tip:
- Blackout Curtains [00:23:23]: These are crucial for regulating sleep cycles efficiently, especially in areas where the sun rises early [00:24:02]. Even a small investment can significantly improve sleep quality and daily productivity [00:24:42].
- Actual Exercise [00:25:41]: People often over-index on dietary changes while neglecting consistent physical activity [00:26:08]. Regular exercise, even a 30-minute run, can profoundly improve mood, focus, determination, and creativity [00:27:07].
Building on Monad
Pulse chose to build on Monad after an initial connection with Kevin, head of growth at Monad [00:39:00]. Despite being primarily a Solana-based development team initially, detailed research into Monad’s consensus mechanism and throughput capabilities provided confidence for the switch [00:39:28].
The decision was “all in” from day one, driven by Monad’s focus on speeding up user experience, low latency, and high throughput, which are critical for Pulse’s application [00:41:18]. Pulse, not being a DeFi app, prioritizes transaction speed and user experience over metrics like TVL or liquidity [00:41:06].
Furthermore, building on Monad has allowed Pulse to “galvanize a hardcore community of superfans” already excited about consumer crypto [00:41:41]. The Monad community is perceived as particularly engaged with health and wellness, with initiatives like “Iron Nads,” “Monad Run Club,” and “Monad Gym Club,” making them an ideal, “pilled” audience that understands Pulse’s value proposition immediately [00:41:55].
Final Alpha for Builders
“If you’re going to eat [poop], don’t nibble.” [00:45:25] This quote, from Ben Horowitz’s book The Hard Thing About Hard Things, advises founders that when faced with difficult situations, it’s better to tackle them decisively rather than prolonging the agony [00:44:46]. The reaction to adversity is often more important than the good times [00:45:36].