At first glance, the newest device from PNO\u0112 looks like something a comic-book villain might wear. The mask, which covers the nose and mouth and straps around the back of the head, bears more than a passing resemblance to the one worn by Bane, Batman\u2019s hulking nemesis. But its purpose is far more benign; it measures how much oxygen you consume and how much carbon dioxide you exhale, then turns that data into advice about how to eat, train, and, the company hopes, live longer.<\/p>\n
PNO\u0112, which is based in Malden, Massachusetts, and has operations in Athens, Greece, is preparing to launch the PNO\u0112 2.0 on October 1. The big change from its current device is that users can administer the test themselves. According to co-founder and CEO Apostolos Atsalakis, someone can walk into a gym, \u201cjust wear the mask, push the button, sit down,\u201d and breathe for eight minutes. \u201cThat\u2019s it. It\u2019s that easy,\u201d he said recently, talking with this editor over a Zoom call from the company\u2019s Athens location.<\/p>\n
That matters because PNO\u0112\u2019s current device requires a trained operator, which limits where it can be used. A self-serve version could open the door to fitness centers without dedicated staff and potentially even pharmacies, Atsalakis said.<\/p>\n
The science behind PNO\u0112 isn\u2019t new. Metabolic testing, which analyzes the gases in a person\u2019s breath to gauge how their body produces energy, has been around for more than a century. For decades, it has been the gold standard for measuring VO\u2082 max, the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during exercise and a widely used measure of cardiorespiratory fitness. But the tests have traditionally required bulky, expensive equipment found mainly in sports labs and hospitals, which is why they\u2019ve largely been the province of elite athletes and executive wellness programs.<\/p>\n
What 10-year-old PNO\u0112 promises is the same accuracy in a portable package, paired with software that translates the results into recommendations. \u201cWe made it accessible to everyone,\u201d Atsalakis said.<\/p>\n
The company says its test captures 23 biomarkers, including (beyond measuring VO\u2082 max) one\u2019s resting metabolic rate (how many calories the body burns at rest), and metabolic flexibility (how well the body switches between burning fat and carbohydrates). Atsalakis argues that these metrics answer questions that blood tests can\u2019t, such as how many calories a person needs or how they should train.<\/p>\n
The timing is good for PNO\u0112. VO\u2082 max has become a buzzword among longevity enthusiasts, thanks in part to research linking higher cardiorespiratory fitness to lower mortality. Atsalakis calls VO\u2082 max the strongest predictor of human longevity, and he sees his company\u2019s data as a kind of scorecard for the booming wellness industry.<\/p>\n
The new device is smaller and more compact than its predecessor, with fewer parts, which Atsalakis said makes it more reliable. It was designed with Milan-based Design Group Italia over what Atsalakis described as \u201ca lot, a lot, a lot of iterations,\u201d since a self-administered metabolic testing device hadn\u2019t been done before.<\/p>\n
It also addresses a question that post-pandemic users are likely to ask: who wore it last? The answer: it doesn\u2019t matter, as the electronics detach from the silicone mask and straps, so multiple people can share the costly hardware while each user keeps their own mask.<\/p>\n
For all its clinical ambitions, PNO\u0112 is careful about what it claims. The device isn\u2019t cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and Atsalakis said that \u201cwe do not provide medical recommendations.\u201d Instead, PNO\u0112 considers itself a wellness device. \u201cIt\u2019s like a body composition device, like a scale,\u201d he said. \u201cA doctor cannot prescribe medication based on our results.\u201d<\/p>\n
That could change down the road. Researchers have long explored whether compounds in human breath can signal diseases such as cancer, and Atsalakis believes the company\u2019s growing trove of data could eventually help it flag health issues. But he acknowledged that full diagnoses are \u201cdefinitely a couple of years away,\u201d with regulatory hurdles likely stretching that timeline further. \u201cWe\u2019re not there yet,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
PNO\u0112 traces its roots to Atsalakis\u2019s PhD work in sensing technologies at the University of Cambridge, when wearables were taking off and he became fascinated by what the breath could reveal about the body. He co-founded the company with Panos Papadiamantis, a childhood friend who is now the company\u2019s chief product officer.<\/p>\n
The startup went through Y Combinator\u2019s Winter 2019 batch, back when \u201clongevity\u201d was not yet the industry it is today. It has since raised about $22 million, including a recently closed $11 million round, from investors including 50 Years and Google Maps co-founder Lars Rasmussen, who is himself now based in Athens.<\/p>\n
PNO\u0112 sells only to businesses, which then offer the test to their customers. Its clients include Equinox, where it\u2019s available at almost all clubs, said Atsalakis, as well as Four Seasons hotels, Red Bull, the NBA, the Mount Sinai Health System, and the med spa chain Restore Hyper Wellness. <\/p>\n
About 85% of its business comes from the U.S., which Atsalakis described as \u201cby far the most advanced market globally\u201d for longevity. The company is now expanding in Europe and, through partners, in Latin America and Asia.<\/p>\n
Businesses pay a subscription ranging from $400 a month to more than $1,000, which covers the hardware, software, training, and marketing materials, a package Atsalakis calls a \u201cbusiness in a box.\u201d PNO\u0112 also links its results to the services a business sells, so a gym or spa can recommend specific offerings based on a customer\u2019s test. Many clients use the test during onboarding, Atsalakis said, positioning it somewhere between a full clinical workup and the estimates people get from their smartwatches.<\/p>\n
That middle ground is increasingly crowded. Apple, Garmin, and Whoop all estimate VO\u2082 max from heart-rate data, while consumer devices like Lumen analyze breath to gauge fat and carb burning. At the high end, traditional metabolic carts remain the standard in labs and hospitals.<\/p>\n
PNO\u0112, which employs 110 people, says it recently turned profitable, while growing more than 100% a year. Atsalakis said the company plans to raise a Series B within the next six to 12 months as it tries to put its mask \u2014 Bane comparisons and all \u2014 in front of more faces.<\/p>\n