The all-in-one crib and bassinet senses early signs of wakefulness and gently bounces to soothe babies back to sleep before they even cry
“The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world,” wrote poet William Ross Wallace in 1865. This ode to motherhood has now found new resonance in a quiet revolution—born not in a lab, but in the heart of a young Indian couple’s home during the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Radhika and Bharath Patil, alumni of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, were navigating sleepless nights of new parenthood when they decided to take matters into their own hands—literally. What began as a personal mission to reclaim rest has now evolved into a much lauded venture that’s transforming infant care. Their brainchild, Cradlewise, is among the world’s first AI-powered smart cribs—a product that recently earned a big shoutout from Open AI’s Sam Altman on social media platform X .
Return to India
Cradlewise’s journey began in the US in 2022, where it quickly gained a loyal following. In just two years, it’s helped babies across US and Canada log nearly 30 million hours of restful sleep—and now, it’s come full circle, returning home to India.
“Moving our manufacturing to India was a strategic and emotional decision. We wanted to bring production closer to where the heart of the company is. Setting up a 20,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility in Pune has been one of our proudest achievements. But it wasn’t without its challenges,” said Radhika.
She adds that the biggest hurdle was building a supply chain in India that could meet the high standards required for a baby product that’s also a connected device. “We worked closely with local partners by training, collaborating, and sometimes co-developing processes with them — to help elevate quality and precision. Today, nearly 60 per cent of our components are locally sourced. Only chips and some specialised electronics are still imported,” she added.
Tech-driven parenting
At its core, Cradlewise is more than just a crib. It’s a quiet, intelligent companion for exhausted parents and restless babies — a sleek, all-in-one crib and bassinet that senses early signs of wakefulness and gently bounces to soothe babies back to sleep before they even cry. Armed with AI and embedded sensors, it monitors breathing and movement patterns without the need for wearables, offering real-time insights through a dedicated app.
With a price tag of ₹1,59,900, Cradlewise may seem like a luxury item — but it represents a broader shift toward tech-driven parenting, backed by science and empathy. Developed in consultation with medical experts and powered by sleep research, the crib is designed to support not just infants, but also the well-being of their caregivers.
Long-term vision
Radhika said that their long-term vision is to build an intelligent ecosystem that supports a child’s growth from infancy to early childhood, with sleep and wellbeing at its core. They are working on products that go beyond cribs, like toddler beds, wellness insights, and smart nursery tech that adapts to the evolving needs of growing families.
“At a macro level, Cradlewise is part of a much bigger story: India’s rise as a global innovation hub. We’re seeing a shift from being a service economy to a product powerhouse. For India to become a $10 trillion economy, we need to bet on deep-tech, build infrastructure that supports high-precision manufacturing, and create space for start-ups to scale responsibly,” she said.
Published on April 20, 2025
