Award-Winning App Design
Goji Labs, a Los Angeles agency, earns DesignRush Best App Design for its sleep-focused Dreamwell app
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Goji Labs, a Los Angeles-based digital product agency, has won the DesignRush Best App Design award for Dreamwell, a sleep-focused mobile app Paris Star. The app earned a near-perfect 9.75 out of 10 from DesignRush's expert panel, which judged entries on creativity, functionality, and problem-solving Barchart.
The win puts Goji Labs on the map in a sleep tech industry projected to hit $58.21 billion by 2030 Fort McMurray Today. The agency has helped launch over 500 digital products since its founding in 2014 and has assisted partners in raising more than $1 billion in funding.
A Dark, Quiet Interface Built for Sleep
The Dreamwell app tackles a core problem: most phone screens keep users awake. Goji Labs solved this with near-black and charcoal backgrounds designed to cut glare and eye strain Sault This Week. The goal was to reduce the number of taps needed to start a sleep session, so tired users never get pulled into scrolling.
DesignRush juror Andrea Owsinek-Brucker praised the result directly. She said the interface "prioritizes calm and accessibility through a dark nocturnal palette," with "muted blues and soft gray typography" that stay readable without feeling harsh. The app also uses a modular audio library, meaning sound profiles can be updated without changing the layout.
Science-Backed Audio at the Core of Dreamwell
Dreamwell is built around condition-based audio — sound designed to target specific sleep barriers like insomnia and anxiety Barchart. The app's mindfulness content was curated by Nkechi Njaka, a neuroscientist and Chief Mindfulness Officer. Njaka's stated mission is to "help all dreamers everywhere discover and practice mindfulness" to support deep rest.
This approach sets Dreamwell apart from older sleep apps that focused on tracking data. Experts warn that data-heavy dashboards can cause "orthosomnia" — anxiety about achieving perfect sleep scores. Dreamwell skips the dashboard entirely and puts audio and calm visuals front and center The Whig.
Goji Labs' Growth Trajectory Behind the Win
Goji Labs was founded in 2014 by David Barlev and Adam Sumner. The firm grew fast — ranking #3022 on the Inc. 5000 with 166% revenue growth over three years Owen Sound Sun Times. Its reported annual recurring revenue reached $2 million in 2024, with a $6 million valuation before the Dreamwell recognition.
CEO David Barlev has said the agency's goal is to "help founders launch the right product, the right way," with a focus on outcomes over aesthetics. Lead designers Dylan Stephenson and Phil Davies handled the specific UI and UX work on Dreamwell that earned the award Stratford Beacon Herald.
Critics Question Whether Design Awards Signal Real Merit
Not everyone sees the win as purely merit-based. Some designers argue that B2B award directories like DesignRush can act as "vanity awards" tied to agency membership fees and SEO benefits rather than independent review Fort McMurray Today. This debate is common on design forums where agencies pay to be listed and then get "handpicked" for recognition.
There is also a broader concern from clinical experts. Consumer wellness apps collect sensitive sleep and behavioral data, but most fall outside HIPAA protections. That means user data often carries only the same privacy rights as regular marketing data — a gap regulators may move to close as apps like Dreamwell gain more users Paris Star.
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