“We live in a “fix-it” culture with an expectation there’s a solution to every problem. But death is not a problem to solve. As has been said, death is not the opposite of life. Rather, death is the opposite of birth, an intrinsic part of the cycle of life. As death has become medicalized, we’ve lost indispensable cultural tools to teach this that help people both appreciate life and process grief. By helping individuals embrace mortality, we believe Clear Light reduces the suffering (though, of course, not the pain and loss) involved in death.”
-Gregory Roufa, Co-founder & CEO of anUma
In a sea of technology startups, aNUma stands out because of its willingness and desire to tackle an issue that all of humanity faces, but many are too scared to even think about. This technology company is creating novel uses for VR to address how society deals with mortality.
Psychedelic Invest’s exclusive interview with aNUma’s co-founder and CEO, Gregory Roufa, reveals the profound story of the company, interwoven with personal experiences and cutting-edge technological innovation that promises to redefine the relationship that the modern family has with death.
This novel tool aims to fill a hole in the market of human needs that cultural traditions used to fill. Throughout much of history, people had religious stories and mythologies to shape their relationship with morality. Now, with a decline in organized religious practices, people are struggling to find ways to cope with their own inevitable death and the death of loved ones. In comes aNUma— addressing this need through the mental wellness marketplace.
“At the core of aNUma’s mission lies a profound understanding of product-market fit,” emphasizes Roufa. “Our primary objective is to bolster the mental resilience and well-being of patients grappling with life-threatening diseases right from the outset.” The approach that aNUma has taken to address this problem mirrors what some studies have done to help cancer patients with their disease-related anxiety using psychedelics. However, it offers a more scalable solution without the need for robust, difficult-to-build, and costly infrastructure.
The inspiration for aNUma’s unique VR program stems from a pivotal moment in co-founder David Glowacki’s life— an almost fatal hiking accident in 2006. “Lying injured, I felt my conscious awareness detach from my physical form,” Glowacki recollects. This experience changed Glowacki’s life forever and became the catalyst behind aNUma’s efforts to recreate it with the goal of helping others reframe how death defines their lives.
Clear Light, aNUma’s flagship innovation, harnesses the immersive potential of virtual reality (VR) to recreate transformative experiences. It demonstrates promising outcomes in generating psychologically beneficial effects akin to those induced by psychedelics.
The impact of Clear Light has garnered interest from esteemed research institutions globally. Collaborations with the University of Valencia, Northwestern University, and most recently UC Berkeley are underway, and highlight its potential for global transformation.
“Clear Light seeks to facilitate profound shifts in perspectives,” emphasizes Roufa. Through meticulously crafted VR protocols, participants can transcend conventional perceptions, envisioning themselves and others as luminous entities, liberated from ego-driven limitations. “Suspending these ego-centric processes allows for a deeper sense of connection and liberation from societal pressures,” he added.
With a funding round of $1.5 million in progress to fortify Clear Light’s infrastructure for market launch, aNUma is gearing up to implement its product mission into the market. This mission is to help people ‘appreciate life and process grief’ and, in doing so, influence interpersonal dynamics, healthcare systems, and consumer behavior.
“In an era fraught with ethical dilemmas surrounding technology, aNUma remains steadfastly committed to pro-social technology,” asserts Roufa. Their objective isn’t merely healing; it is nurturing empathy and cognitive agency among consumers.
aNUma’s narrative is about empowering individuals to embrace mortality, creating an appreciation for life itself. As they begin widespread implementation of the product, aNUma’s impact on mental wellness, societal perceptions, and the human experience promises to be genuinely transformative.
This technology, rooted in Glowacki’s near-death experience, is designed as a companion for people who are facing serious diseases— and their families. The immersive experience of Clear Light aims to bolster mental resilience and well-being, creating a positive ripple effect on patients, caregivers, and the broader healthcare ecosystem.
It is noteworthy that interest in aNUma’s technology isn’t limited to serious disease care. The platform has garnered attention from researchers around the world who are interested in using it in different capacities. The company recently partnered with The UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics to provide the experience to students of its Psychedelic Facilitation Certificate Program. This specific application makes it a major asset to the psychedelic industry by allowing doctors, therapists, researchers, and guides to have experiences that help them understand what their patients may go through during a psychedelic experience. More importantly, it allows them to gain this understanding without risking their professional licenses by consuming drugs that are currently illegal.
The current seed round will serve to bring Clear Light to market as a patient/family self-pay offering. Some of the capital for this round has already been raised through various investors, including Iter Investments – one of the premier investment funds in the psychedelic space.
When asked about the long-term societal implications of this VR technology, aNUma highlighted their dedication to the responsible use of technology. They envision a future where these innovations foster empathy and cognitive agency, nurturing a more compassionate society. The aim isn’t merely to heal, but to transform how people engage with mortality, fostering a deeper appreciation for the cycle of life.
aNUma’s journey is a testament to the fusion of personal experience, scientific rigor, and ethical vision. The development of Clear Light, born from Glowacki’s transformative encounter, shows the company’s commitment to addressing the emotional and mental aspects of patients facing life-threatening illnesses. Their innovative approach holds promise for empowering individuals to embrace mortality and lead fuller lives.
As aNUma continues its path toward societal transformation, its story serves as a beacon of hope, illuminating a future where technology intertwines with compassion to redefine how we perceive life, death, and the human experience.