Our Awards, Titles, and Honors
AcousticSheep, LLC has made quite the journey since our humble beginnings in 2007. And along this journey—from Stamford, Connecticut, to central and finally northwestern Pennsylvania—we have received more than 20 local, regional, and international awards.
It's all thanks to SleepPhones® headphones. Originally designed on a kitchen table, they kept a family doctor from spending yet another sleepless night of waiting on patient phone calls. Before long, they became the saving grace to millions of people worldwide who had struggled through insomnia and snoring partners.
Soon, RunPhones® headphones would steal the fitness scene. Combining all-season wearability with moisture-wicking technology, RunPhones® headphones continue our mission of creating a world of happy, healthy, well-rested people—not just through easy sleep, but also through enjoyable exercise.
Our products have won 11 technology awards and nominations, our company has won 6 business awards and recognitions, and our founder has won 4 entrepreneurial titles. To follow these milestones on the path of our company's growth, read more about each award below.
Top Holiday Seller on Amazon 2012
At the end of our fifth year, we had reached not only the top quarter of all sellers on Amazon's platform but also the highest customer satisfaction rating. During the holiday season, we sold nearly 27,000 SleepPhones® headphones. And over the year, we saw a 240 percent increase in sales.
Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Innovation Award 2013
Every year, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) hosts an exhibit of the latest innovations on the market. A panel of industry judges then decides which companies demonstrate "outstanding design and engineering in consumer technology products." SleepPhones® Wireless won the headphones category for its innovative Bluetooth® technology, an upgrade to our traditional corded model.
Governor's Entrepreneur ImPAct Award 2013
In 2013, former Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett created the ImPAct Awards to celebrate 50 businesses that were creating jobs and stimulating the state's economy. Our founder, Dr. Wei Shin-Lai, received the Entrepreneur ImPAct Award for leading "her company to a position of strength in the marketplace by way of growth in one or all of the following areas: creativity, innovation, managerial ability, leadership skills and turnaround."
Two CES Innovation Awards 2014
RunPhones® headphones won us two Innovation Awards at the CES line show in 2014: one in the headphones category, and the other in wearable technology category. We received over 200 major press hits and even had photo ops with Martha Stewart and DJ Lucky Lou from LMFAO.
Governor's Export ImPAct Award 2014
AcousticSheep won a seat at the governor's table and another ImPAct Award—this time, in the export category. "This award is given to a company that has significantly increased its export sales and the number of new foreign markets it sells to since 2011," the description reads. Indeed, we had been shipping to more than 50 countries at that time.
CES Innovation Award 2015
We won a third Innovation Award in 2015, this time for SleepPhones® Effortless. This edition of headphones uses an induction charging base instead of a cable, making it easier for our fans to leave for the day and come home to a full battery. Our appearance at the live show also received over a thousand visitors and several media hits.
Digital Trends' Top Tech of CES Nominee 2015
Thanks to our appearance at CES, the Digital Trends editorial team named us one of four products at the top of the headphones category. This nomination honors our innovative, practical and impressive designs.
CTA Small Business of the Year Award 2015
There can only be one Small Business of the Year, and the honor went to AcousticSheep in 2015. The CTA's Innovation Entrepreneur Awards "recognize entrepreneurs and businesses with revenues under $30 million for the contributions they make to the U.S. economy." Watch our original video commemorating the award here, with a shortened version here.
Big Idea Contest Grand Prize Winner 2015
Ben Franklin Technology Partners is an initiative created by the Pennsylvania government to drive the state's technological growth. Seven companies brought their ideas to the contest and competed for a grand prize valued at $200,000. AcousticSheep won. Read more about the prize package here.
Red Dot Award Honorable Mention 2015
The Red Dot Award is an international program that evaluates outstanding product design. RunPhones® Wireless received an honorable mention in the leisure, sport, and games category for its amazing fitness capabilities.
Woman Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015
We adore our community in Erie, Pennsylvania, so we were especially honored to be a part of the first annual Disrupt Erie Awards. The non-profit organization Innovation Collaborative created the program to encourage the growth of entrepreneurship in the region. Dr. Lai won the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year award.
New Business of the Year 2015
The Erie Times-News created the Commitment to Erie Awards to celebrate the city's local businesses and nonprofit organizations. AcousticSheep won the New Business of the Year award in 2015 for our innovation and potential. We "already exuded some of the qualities seen in Commitment to Erie winners," namely "being more than just a stable, long-term employer" and "commiting to … customers and to the region through … support of local employees, endeavors and enterprises."
CES Innovation Award 2016
SleepPhones® Harmony won in two CES Innovation Awards categories: headphones, and fitness/biotech. The sensors in these headphones will track your sleep patterns, and over time, SleepPhones® Harmony will learn what music to play and when to play it. Here's a video of Drew Prindle, the Digital Trends Senior Features Editor, talking to Dr. Lai about the product.
Regional Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2016
The global accounting firm Ernst & Young (EY) hosts an annual celebration of entrepreneurs from several regions across the United States. Dr. Lai won the retail and consumer products category, standing among 8 other finalists from western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Pennsylvania Small Business Person of the Year 2016
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) selects one Small Business Person of the Year from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and three territories. Dr. Lai received the statewide title in 2016.
Inc. 5000 No. 1657 2016
Inc. ranks 5,000 American companies according to their overall revenue growth in the last three years. AcousticSheep ranked in the top third of all companies in 2016 for having increased revenue by 226 percent.
Two CES Innovation Awards 2017
2017 marks our fifth year in a row to have been an Innovation Awards Honoree. Our intuitive SleepPhones® Perform™ won in the headphones category. Via the headphones' sensors, our intelligent software will design a playlist that is specifically suited to the wearer's lifestyle.
Also, our cuddly pal Dozer won in the portable media players and accessories category. Not only will he keep the children company and play them a song—he will also let parents know whether they are sleeping soundly.
Bloody Ripper Idea 2017
"Bloody ripper" is Aussie slang for "totally awesome," not the cousin of the infamous London serial killer. We definitely killed EFTM's Best of CES awards, though. This men's lifestyle magazine featured Dozer as a great tool for parents to track their child's sleeping patterns.
Exporter of the Year 2020
The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (EXIM), the federal government's official export credit agency, helps American businesses like us compete in global markets. Because a quarter of our sales from 2017 to 2020 came from international markets, EXIM gave us an Exporter of the Year award. Only 12 other businesses received this honor.