Pune Inc: Startup’s innovative device aims to make people ‘breathe their way’ to health, happiness

Sanjay Phadke, founder of BreathAI, says breath is not just an exchange of gases, but the master key to unlock all systems of the body and bring them back into harmony.

Written by: Dipanita Nath

4 min readPuneNov 28, 2023 11:36 AM IST

The team behind BreathAI which aims to let users understand their breath, its strength, and patterns.

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Pune Inc: Startup’s innovative device aims to make people ‘breathe their way’ to health, happiness

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Above the switchboard in the offices of BreathAI, a wearable device that will be launched this week, is an image bearing a mission statement — “Maximum health and happiness for maximum people: 1 million users by 2025”.

In the room and others around it, work is underway to fine-tune an innovative ‘Made in Pune’ system that will contribute to healthy and happy living. Breath AI’s purpose is to let users have a perfect and accurate understanding of the strength and fineness of their breath, its patterns and fluctuations, which directly co-relate with the heart, brain and overall sound physiology.

The breath is at the core of BreathAI’s philosophy and it believes that the perfect breath can drive a good heart, sleep and lead to a happy life. BreathAI will do this by scoring the user’s sleep, stress and happiness levels by measuring and analysing their breathing.

“Breath is not just an exchange of gases. Heart rate is well understood, while breath is not at all. Breath rate is an important health indicator just like heart rate. It is also the master key to unlock all the systems of the body and bring them back into harmony with one another,” says Sanjay Phadke, who has founded BreathAI.

Also Read | Pune Inc: How an MBA dropout began a startup to make healthcare more accessible

Having completed mechanical engineering in 1994, Phadke has been a banker for many years, besides a fintech practitioner with Vayana Networks. He also authored the book ‘Fintech Future – Digital DNA of Finance’ in 2020. The focus of his recent work is to fuse science with spirituality.

While the market is packed with watches that calculate the heartbeat, sleep, steps, calories and other fitness parameters, BreathAI seeks to stand apart by including a wellness component. Its mobile phone app will provide recommendations — based on questionnaires— in the form of videos on mindfulness and fitness activities that a user can carry out every day in order to improve their body-mind health.

“At BreathAI, thus we track the most crucial element of breath to its logical conclusion of overall improvement of body, mind and holistic health/wellness. So, if a user’s stress is very high, they not only need to know this but also take it, over a period of time and through lifestyle changes, to a better environment,” says Phadke.

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Stress-related illnesses are a global epidemic. A number of surveys in India this year alone are warnings — GenZ reported 18 per cent higher career anxiety than millennials, according to ITC’s Feel Good with Fiama Mental Wellbeing Survey 2023, which was commissioned with NielsenIQ, while a US-based human capital management solutions provider, UKG, found that 88 per cent of employees in India would not mind a lesser-paying job if it came with reduced tension.

“Stress, today, has no independent quantification. Everybody is stressed, yet nobody is doing much about it. It has become okay to say that one is stressed without realising that stress results in heart attack,” Phadke points out.

The Ministry of Science and Technology had given a grant of Rs 10 lakh to BreathAI during 2018-19, allowing it to start. The company has since raised money from friends, family and angel investors. “We are expanding the scope of activities as we get access to more capital. We are interested in patient capital, because a big change takes time,” he says.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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