Rewiring the Brain: How Non-Invasive Tech is Tackling Anxiety, Insomnia & Obesity

Meeting Jason McKeown was like watching someone quietly change the future of healthcare. I first met him through the Rosenman Innovators program—where his company, Neurovalens, was honored in 2022—and it quickly became clear that his vision goes beyond ordinary medicine. A UK-trained doctor with a PhD in non-invasive neurostimulation, Jason is not only a doctor or a researcher; he’s a forward-thinking leader who has spent more than a decade combining brain science with technology to help people manage anxiety, insomnia, and metabolic disorders. As the founder and CEO of Neurovalens, Jason has developed devices like Modius Sleep and Modius Stress. Both devices have received FDA approval and work by using gentle electrical signals to adjust the brainstem—the part of the brain that controls stress and sleep. His journey wasn’t easy, though. In our conversation, Jason explained how he balanced working as a doctor in the UK with building a startup until 2017, when he made the big decision to focus entirely on Neurovalens. What began as a project inspired by NASA research at UC San Diego has now grown into a mission to make advanced brain therapies available worldwide. What impressed me most was Jason’s determination to challenge the norm. Whether he was sharing how veterans can now access Modius devices through the VA or describing how his team’s use of remote clinical trials sped up FDA approvals, his work is all about changing the way patient care is delivered. In this episode, Jason explains the science behind non-invasive neurostimulation, discusses the challenges of growing a medtech startup, and tells how a NASA study on astronauts’ metabolism led to his obesity-focused device. He also shares why treating investors as key customers early on was a game changer for him. Listening to him, you’ll see there is still so much to learn about the brain—and that we might be closer than ever to unlocking its secrets. Do you have thoughts on this episode or suggestions for future guests? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at [email protected].