Original

Y Combinator

Application

Founders:

CEO: Alex Julian (45% equity)

CTO: Evan Meshberg (20% equity)

COO: Anne Julian (15% equity)

How long have the founders known one another and how did you meet? Have any of the founders not met in person?

Our founding team brings together deep technical expertise, visionary leadership, and decades of operational experience — a rare combination in any YC company.

Alex (CEO) & Evan (CTO) have known each other for 10+ years, connected in college, and have worked together with yoga. They share a deep passion for yoga, nature, and tech.

Alex & Anne (COO) have known each other for a lifetime — Anne is his mother and brings 40+ years of experience in computing, admin, and operations, having worked on foundational tech at Prime Computer.

Evan & Anne have known each other for 10+ years and align on scaling 29 Earth with AI-driven efficiency and deep operational rigor.

We’ve worked together seamlessly with yoga, and are now ready to combine AI, hardware, and wellness expertise to build the first real solution to EMF pollution.

YC has never seen a founding team like this: a generationally diverse, high-experience team solving the biggest overlooked crisis of the AI era.

Who writes code, or does other technical work on your product? Was any of it done by a non-founder? Please explain.

All three co-founders are technical and can write code.

All technical work has been done and will be done by the founding team and AI. No external developers or contractors have been involved.

Evan is currently focused on: AI-driven product development, and future expansion into grounded AI workspaces and Copper Cities infrastructure.

Alex (CEO) leads AI-driven strategy and has built extensive AI-powered workflows to accelerate content, branding, and market positioning.

Anne (COO) brings decades of operational experience and is streamlining the foundation for scalable product deployment.

Company name: 29 Earth

Describe what your company does in 50 characters or less.

Solving the EMF crisis with copper grounding tech.

Company URL: www.29earth.com

What is your company going to make? Please describe your product and what it does or will do.

A scalable solution to the EMF crisis — starting with copper grounding products and expanding into copper grounding infrastructure.

Just like Tesla led the clean energy revolution, we will lead the EMF grounding revolution.

We start with high-impact consumer products:

Copper Feet Sheet – Passive grounding for workspaces

Copper Body Sheet – Entire body grounding for work or sleep

Copper Laptop Sheet – Eliminates overheating forever guaranteed

Copper Sleep Chamber – The ultimate EMF-free sleep sanctuary

Our long-term vision extends into AI wellness infrastructure, urban design, and Copper Cities — grounded environments built for the future.

Where do you live now, and where would the company be based after YC?

Sterling, MA, USA / San Francisco, CA, USA

Explain your decision regarding location.

San Francisco is the best place to be for the most important moment in human history.

San Francisco is the epicenter of AI, deep tech, and category-defining startups. Y Combinator is there. OpenAI is there. So many top AI founders are here. The talent density is insane. To lead the AI Grounding Movement, we need to be where the AI revolution is happening. 29 Earth belongs in SF.

Progress

How far along are you?

Early-stage idea, but moving fast. The vision is massive, and we are executing with urgency.

Core science validated – Copper’s ability to neutralize EMFs is well-documented and supported by research.

Product roadmap complete – Prototyping and manufacturing plans are in motion.

Market demand confirmed – AI professionals, health-conscious consumers, and wellness influencers are actively looking for solutions.

Strategic partnerships forming – Early conversations with wellness experts and AI-focused workspaces to accelerate adoption.

How long have each of you been working on this? How much of that has been full-time? Please explain.

We have been rapidly developing 29 Earth over the last two weeks, leveraging AI to refine our vision, market positioning, and technical approach at an accelerated pace.

Alex (CEO) has been deeply immersed in AI, yoga, and EMF research for years, which finally led to the recent realization that this problem is massive, urgent, and unsolved.

Evan (CTO) has extensive technical experience and has also been deeply immersed in yoga and EMF research for years.

Anne (COO) brings decades of experience in computing, operations, and industrial-scale tech — her background ensures we move fast and execute efficiently.

Right now, we are not full-time yet due to financial constraints, but this is an emergency-level problem that must be solved immediately. With YC’s backing, we can go all-in, execute at full speed, and scale 29 Earth to solve the biggest crisis of the AI era.

We aren’t waiting — we are building. And with YC, we can take this from idea to a movement.

What tech stack are you using, or planning to use, to build this product?

29 Earth is a hardware-first company solving a deeply technical AI-era problem with copper-based grounding solutions. While our core products are material science-driven, we will be integrating AI, IoT, and smart infrastructure into our long-term roadmap.

Are people using your product?

No

When will you have a version people can use?

We are moving fast and will have working prototypes within weeks. The science is sound. The market is ready. We are ready.

Do you have revenue?

No

If you are applying with the same idea as a previous batch, did anything change? If you applied with a different idea, why did you pivot and what did you learn from the last idea?

We applied with AI Melody Masters for F24 and AI Anthems for W25. We realized the AI music school and store was not as scalable as we initially thought. We then had a breakthrough with 29 Earth and realized it is a bigger and more urgent problem.

If you have already participated or committed to participate in an incubator, "accelerator" or "pre-accelerator" program, please tell us about it.

N/A

Idea

Why did you pick this idea to work on? Do you have domain expertise in this area? How do you know people need what you're making?

This is the single biggest problem of the AI Revolution that no one else sees. AI is flooding our environment with invisible electromagnetic fields (EMFs), just like the Industrial Revolution filled the air with smoke. We are repeating history — but this time, the pollution worse and invisible.

We have lived and breathed yoga, nature, and grounding our entire lives, while also being deep in tech. Because of this unique combination, we are literally the only ones who can see this.

And people feel it — even if they don’t know why. The rise in brain fog, fatigue, sleep issues, and anxiety isn’t random. The entire world will wake up to this soon — 29 Earth will already have the solution.

Who are your competitors? What do you understand about your business that they don't?

29 Earth is pioneering a new category at the intersection of AI-era wellness, environmental health, and bioelectric optimization. While there are companies that sell grounding mats and EMF shielding products, no one is solving the EMF crisis at scale or integrating it into the AI Revolution like we are.

Generic Grounding Mat Brands (Earthing.com, Grounding Official, etc.)

Problem: These brands focus on simple grounding sheets but lack real scientific innovation. Most use low-conductivity materials like carbon-infused fabric instead of high-purity copper, which offers superior conductivity and true EMF discharge.

What We Understand That They Don’t: Copper is the missing link — it’s 100x more conductive than carbon and can scale beyond mats into urban infrastructure, AI workplaces, and large-scale grounding environments.

EMF Shielding Companies (DefenderShield, SafeSleeve, etc.)

Problem: Most EMF products on the market rely on fear-based marketing and act as “shields” rather than actually solving the root problem — EMF accumulation in the body and environment. Shields can deflect some radiation, but they don’t neutralize EMFs like copper grounding does.

What We Understand That They Don’t: You don’t need to hide from EMFs — you need to drain them. Our technology isn’t just about protection; it’s about eliminating the problem at the source and optimizing human performance in the AI era.

Biohacking & Wellness Startups (Oura, Whoop, Apollo Neuro, etc.)

Problem: These companies focus on tracking health data rather than actually solving the environmental stressors that disrupt performance. Wearables can measure stress, sleep, and focus, but they don’t fix the underlying issue: EMF pollution.

What We Understand That They Don’t: We’re not just providing analytics — we’re engineering a direct, scientifically backed solution to improve energy levels, cognitive function, and sleep quality in real-time.

29 Earth is in a league of its own.

We’re not just selling a niche grounding product — we’re building the EMF Grounding Movement.

We’re solving the biggest hidden crisis of the AI era before it explodes.

We’re thinking in systems — not just products. Our roadmap includes:

Consumer grounding solutions

Copper-integrated AI workplaces

Copper-lined smart cities & urban planning

The biggest companies of the next decade will be the ones that solve the unintended consequences of AI. 29 Earth is one of those companies. No one else sees this problem like we do, and no one else is building a scalable solution.

How do or will you make money? How much could you make?

We’re creating the Clean Energy Movement for the AI age and for human bioelectric health. Our first products could get us to $100 million. Our urban expansion could take us to $10 billion and beyond.

EMFs are the new industrial pollution, and we’re solving it before the crisis explodes.

The key is starting with a high-growth, high-margin consumer product, then expanding into massive-scale urban infrastructure.

Business Model: Three-Phase Growth Strategy

Phase 1 – Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) – $100M+ opportunity

Launch copper grounding products (feet sheets, body sheets, laptop sheets, sleep chambers).

Target health-conscious consumers, AI professionals, and wellness markets.

High-margin, direct sales via e-commerce, influencers, and paid ads.

Comparable brands in biohacking & wellness (Oura Ring, Whoop) have scaled to $500M+ valuations.

Target: $10M ARR in 3 years, scaling to $100M+ as adoption grows.

Phase 2 – Enterprise (B2B) – $500M+ opportunity

Sell grounding solutions to wellness offices, AI startups, co-working spaces, and corporations.

Offer integrated workplace solutions (Copper Office: grounded floors, desks, chairs).

Comparable to ergonomic workspace brands (e.g., Herman Miller, standing desks industry).

Target: $50M-$100M ARR as grounding becomes a corporate wellness standard.

Phase 3 – Infrastructure (Copper Cities) – $10B+ opportunity

Scale into urban planning & large-scale grounding solutions (copper-lined buildings, sidewalks, EMF-free public spaces).

Government & corporate-funded initiatives (e.g., “grounded smart cities”).

Comparable markets: Environmental infrastructure (solar energy, smart cities, clean air initiatives).

Target: $1B+ valuation by integrating grounding into global city design.

Revenue Projections & TAM

Short-Term (1-3 Years):

Consumer sales: $10M+ ARR

Enterprise sales: $50M-$100M ARR

Mid-Term (3-5 Years):

Scaling consumer & enterprise grounding solutions to $250M+ revenue.

Long-Term (5 Years+):

Copper Cities infrastructure, global wellness movement → $10B+ opportunity.

Why This is a Billion-Dollar Market

Total Addressable Market (TAM) Calculations:

Consumer Wellness & Biohacking TAM:

$6.3T global wellness industry (projected to hit $9T by 2028)

Grounding & EMF wellness alone projected at $8.67B by 2032

Enterprise Wellness TAM:

$50B+ corporate wellness industry (companies invest in health solutions)

Standing desk & ergonomic office market alone: $13B+

Infrastructure & Smart Cities TAM:

$500B+ sustainable urban development market

Governments and corporations already investing in EMF-free spaces, low-radiation buildings

Why YC Should Care About This Market

This isn’t a niche biohacking trend. This is the beginning of a new wellness movement as AI and EMF exposure skyrocket worldwide.

We aren’t just selling a product — we’re building a category.

We’re tackling a trillion-dollar problem that no one else is solving.

Which category best applies to your company?

Wellness

If you had any other ideas you considered applying with, please list them. One may be something we've been waiting for. Often when we fund people it's to do something they list here and not in the main application.

AI Anthems -- https://www.aianthems.com

AI Yoga Masters -- https://www.aiyogamasters.com

Tree Yoga School -- https://www.treeyogaschool.com

EQUITY

Have you formed ANY legal entity yet?

No

If you have not formed the company yet, describe the planned equity ownership breakdown among the founders, employees and any other proposed stockholders. If there are multiple founders, be sure to give the proposed equity ownership of each founder and founder title (e.g. CEO). (This question is as much for you as us.)

Co-Founder, CEO: Alex Julian (45%)

Co-Founder, CTO: Evan Meshberg (20%)

Co-Founder, COO: Anne Julian (15%)

Future Pool: 13%

YC: 7%

Have you taken any investment yet?

No

Are you currently fundraising?

No

Curious

What convinced you to apply to Y Combinator? Did someone encourage you to apply? Have you been to any YC events?

YC backs category-defining startups solving massive, overlooked problems. 29 Earth is one of those startups. We are solving the biggest unseen health crisis of the AI era — EMF pollution.

Further, in our opinion, it is a no-brainer. Getting into Y Combinator is the single best thing that could happen to 29 Earth, and that includes better than winning the lottery because it is so much more than just the money. However, on that note, Garry Tan mentioned in one of his YouTube videos about how this URL has made more money than any other URL. It was profound to think about. We would love to go to ALL the YC events if accepted.

How did you hear about Y Combinator?

YouTube

We originally heard about Y Combinator from Dalton Caldwell’s announcement of the first-ever Fall Batch.

It was auspicious timing. We knew it was our moment to transition from yoga to AI.