From experience to innovation: Mask’eep transforms CPAP use

As part of the H4 innovation hub, the Mask’eep project, founded by a product designer, set out to rethink the CPAP mask for people suffering from sleep apnea. Driven by his personal experience and a strong desire to improve patient comfort, founder Eric Tallon found in H4 much more than support: a place for exchange with healthcare professionals, concrete validation of his idea, and a springboard toward developing a prototype truly adapted to real-world needs. This testimony once again illustrates how innovation takes root in dialogue with healthcare professionals and is transformed into concrete solutions that serve patients.

Can you introduce yourself in a few words: who are you and what does your startup do?
I am a product designer and I have developed a CPAP mask focused on comfort and ergonomics, designed to improve the experience of users with sleep apnea.

What convinced you to join H4 and meet with healthcare professionals in the field?
The need to share my personal experience as a patient, but also to help others who, like me, suffer from this condition and struggle with current treatments.

How did the ‘hands-on’ experience unfold? Was there a meeting or a moment that particularly stood out for you?
It was an extremely rewarding experience. It allowed me to challenge my questions and ideas with sleep specialists. Until then, I had been alone with my doubts; for the first time, I was able to share them with supportive, committed, and attentive experts. My project sparked interest, and the feedback I received—frank, relevant, and constructive—was invaluable. I was also able to build a strong, engaged network that continues to help me move my work forward for the benefit of patients.

How did this direct contact with healthcare professionals influence your project?
It created genuine momentum around the idea of supporting patients with equipment that is better suited, more ergonomic, and aligned with their real needs. These exchanges grounded my project in real-world practice.

And now, what are the next steps for your startup after the H4 experience?
Developing the prototype, conducting clinical tests in collaboration with sleep centers, feasibility studies, and product improvement in partnership with third-year bachelor students. I am also actively seeking investment to support this next stage.

What message would you share with a startup considering joining H4?
Taking part in H4 is an essential step in maturing your project. The program offers a valuable network, sheds light on the real challenges of the medical sector, and confronts innovation with real-world practice. It allows you to ground your project, validate hypotheses, and help it grow with the support of dedicated professionals.
H4 was a key moment in the evolution of my project, and I will always be grateful to them. Thanks to H4, I now collaborate with academic institutions as well as a foundation dedicated to supporting startups.