Focus@Will

Focus@Will
Founded 2012
Founder Will Henshall, John Vitale
Headquarters Los Angeles, California, United States
Website focusatwill.com

Focus@Will is a neuroscience based subscription service that uses phase sequenced playlists of instrumental music designed to improve users’ productivity.[1] [2][3][4][5][6]

The company is based out of Los Angeles.[7]

Service

All of the music featured on the service's application is instrumental.[3][8][9][10] Users choose from a number of different channels, including classical, up tempo, focus spa, cinematic, and ambient.[1][8][9][10]

The app allows its users to personalize the effectiveness of the focus enhancement by immediately skipping tracks that they find distracting.[1][6][8] The service also includes a timer function and a productivity tracker.[4][10][11]

History

The beta version of Focus@Will was released in December 2012.[6][8][9][12][13]

Beginning in April 2013 the company expanded the service to international markets.[4][14] The expanded service incorporated a timer for users to set work session intervals, and a productivity tracking function to measure efficiency and focus.[4][10]

A Focus@will mobile app and freemium service were released in May 2013.[1][3][15][16][17]

The company is backed by the Pritzker Foundation, other private investors and Singularity University.[1][7] As of February 2013, it has raised approximately $3.5 million.[7]

Focus studies

Research has shown that most people cannot focus for more than 20 to 30 minutes at a time.[1][6] Focus@will has claimed its music streaming service can help most users concentrate steadily for up to 100 minutes.[1][6][11]

A team of researchers from UCLA worked with the Focus@will developers to test and refine the playlist sequencing technology.[12] Track duration, tempo, musical key, and intensity were all taken into consideration when selections for the playlists were made.[7][12] The library of music that the Focus@will team has curated is designed to both quiet the fight-or-flight response and sooth the limbic system of the brain, preventing interruptions and distractions.[2][7]

Will Henshall

Founder and CEO Will Henshall founded Rocket Network and created DigiDelivery, which was sold to Avid Audio in 2003.[1][13]

He is also a professional musician, serving as a member of the UK soul/pop group Londonbeat. Henshall co-wrote the group’s #1 selling songs, “I've Been Thinking About You,” and “Come Back”[1][2][7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Anthony Ha (May 31, 2013). "Aiming To Make You More Productive, Focus@Will Launches A Music App For iOS". TechCrunch. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Kwame Opam (December 21, 2012). "New music streaming service hacks your brain to make you a better employee". Digital Trends. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 Kevin Smith (June 3, 2013). "This New Music App Promises To Help You Focus And Increase Your Productivity". Business Insider. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Josh Ong (April 24, 2013). "Focus@will readies Android and iOS versions of its productivity music service". The Next Web. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  5. ↑ SF Music Tech Summit (February 19, 2013). "focus@will Demo at SF Music Tech 2013". USTREAM. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Philip Michaels (January 7, 2013). "Focus@Will builds music playlists to help you concentrate". PCWorld. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Benjamin F. Kuo (February 25, 2013). "How Focus@Will Uses Music To Help You Concentrate Better". socaltech. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Paul Sawers (February 7, 2013). "Focus@Will: The music-streaming service that wants to help you concentrate". The Next Web. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 Kelli B. Grant (January 7, 2013). "CES: Can this music make you more productive?". Market Watch. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Jill Duffy (May 22, 2013). "Focus@Will". PC Magazine. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  11. 1 2 "Focus@Will Says Its Streaming Music Will Make You More Productive". Fast Company. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 Alan Henry (December 20, 2012). "Focus@Will Is a Music Service Designed to Boost Your Productivity (and We've Got Invites)". lifehacker. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  13. 1 2 Frank Kalman (February 15, 2013). "Can Music Make for Better Learners?". Chief Learning Officer Media. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  14. ↑ "New Music Service Aims To Keep You Focused". SoundCheck. March 11, 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  15. ↑ Paul Sawers (May 7, 2013). "Focus@will goes global, freemium and takes its concentration-boosting music-streaming app to Android". The Next Web. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  16. ↑ Dr. Bertalan Mesko (May 8, 2013). "Focus@Will: Neuroscience Based Service Increasing Your Attention With Music". ScienceRoll. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  17. ↑ Stormy Beach (May 7, 2013). "Focus@Will, the new mood setting productivity music App". Android Spin. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
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