Rowena Gates, a former tech entrepreneur with a doctorate focused on the power of collaboration, has spent the last two decades at the vanguard of wellness technology. As a principal at Eng3, she is leading the charge in a field so fundamentally unique that it sidesteps standard interventions altogether by focusing on the most abundant molecule in the human body: water.
From Tech Entrepreneurship to Wellness Innovation
Gates’ professional path began far from the health and wellness space, rooted in the fast-paced world of tech and international business. “I was a tech entrepreneur,” Gates shared. “I had previously founded three companies that were internet-based, business-to-business models.”
The first of these ventures launched in 1995, and following the sale of her last company, she decided to take a break. However, this planned hiatus was interrupted by an agreement to help her future business partner, German engineer Hans Eng. He was already working in the health and wellness arena, and Gates found herself drawn to the profound difference it offered compared with her previous sectors.
She described the shift as a profound one. After years in international logistics—a field that, as she put it, “didn’t really change someone’s life”—she found health and wellness offered a chance to make a genuine difference. That realization proved pivotal, and more than two decades later, she’s still devoted to helping others thrive.
This spirit of collective uplift is not just a recent development for Gates; it is a principle that has defined her entire professional and academic life. Holding a doctorate, she explained, “Everything in my career and education has centered on collaboration.” Her academic work centered on this very idea: creating business scenarios that “make it better for everybody, rather than a win-lose situation.”
“That was the topic of my PhD, which was the first doctoral dissertation on strategic alliances,” she noted. Today, that foundational belief in collaboration is a cornerstone of Eng3’s philosophy, as it develops technology designed to work with the body, not override it.
The Core of Health: Water and Protein Folding
The fundamental science behind Eng3’s work is one of the most distinctive aspects of the company’s mission. Rather than introducing chemical compounds into the body, Eng3’s team focuses on purely biophysical interactions. “What we do is influence the body in a way that supports proteins,” Gates explained.
Specifically, their focus is on protein folding, which she said is the last step before a protein becomes functional. The protein needs to fold correctly to do its job, and it derives the necessary energy from the surrounding water in the body, specifically, the cellular water. The NanoVi device, the core technology of Eng3, targets this interaction.
“We created a medical device that influences the cellular water in a way that supports protein folding,” she said, stressing the fundamental nature of this work: “The reason you need DNA is because it provides the blueprint for proteins.”
Given that protein functions are essentially what drive all life processes, the company’s technology simply aims to create optimal conditions for them. “All we do is create a better environment to help the proteins do their jobs,” she summarized.
The approach is so unique that it stands in a category of its own. “It’s a completely unique approach. It’s patented and rooted in biophysics and water science,” Gates explained and emphasized the distinction: “There are no substances involved; it’s very fundamental.” This focus on proteins and the essential role of water is what sets the NanoVi device apart from other wellness products on the market.
The NanoVi Device: A Deeper Dive into the Technology
Eng3 currently offers three models of the NanoVi device, which differ primarily in power and, for the top-tier model, in an additional level of technology. However, all three operate on the same core principle of inhalation. The device is used through simple inhalation, either via a nasal cannula or a tube attached to the unit. The vital delivery element? Humidity.
“The humidity is critical, because it’s the water droplet in the airflow that’s influenced by the NanoVi device,” Gates explained. “The device generates humidity, which then passes through excitation chambers that alter the nature of the water droplets.”
This process results in the water molecules shifting to a more “coherent” or “ordered” structure within the droplets. This ordered (low entropy) water then transfers its state to the body. When the water droplet contacts the mucous membrane, the energy is transferred to the body’s own water, which, numerically, makes up over 99% of the molecules in the body. The result is energy transfer across the water and throughout the entire system.
“The water molecules bump one to the next, allowing energy transfers across the water and throughout the whole body,” she described, though the point of entry is simply breathing it in through the nose or mouth. The ultimate impact of this biophysics intervention is an improvement in the body’s essential functions. While the technology itself is not biochemistry, “it influences the existing biochemistry in the body when you improve the protein functions,” Gates said.
Performance, Prevention, and Chronic Care
The technology is foundational, and its benefits are broad, reaching individuals dealing with chronic illness, as well as those seeking healthy aging or peak performance.
Gates explained that some of the individuals who benefit the most are the ones with chronic illnesses. When the device supports protein function, it boosts the proteins that repair damage caused by free radicals. Because oxidative stress is a detrimental factor in all chronic illnesses, supporting the body’s repair mechanisms can deliver significant benefits.
However, most current users are those focused on optimization. “The majority of people today would purchase the NanoVi device to use for well-being; to maintain health and perform at a higher level,” she stated. This has made wellness and performance the most significant areas of use. Among high performers, the benefits are particularly noticeable, regardless of whether the individual is challenging their brain or body intensely. “There’s a noticeable benefit, whether it’s cognitive or physical, in your endurance, resilience, and recovery time,” Gates noted.
This desire for optimization is part of a broader trend Gates has observed in the industry: a significant shift in psychology. People are increasingly taking ownership of their health and investing in preventive measures. “The biggest difference is people are investing today, while they’re perfectly healthy, so they don’t become unwell later,” she highlighted. This preventative approach, where people strive to upgrade themselves and perform at a higher level, stands in sharp contrast to just ten years ago, when only a fraction of the population held this mindset.
Unrivaled Efficacy and Compatibility
The NanoVi device’s uniqueness lies not only in its core mechanism, but also in how it interacts with the body and other interventions. A key aspect that distinguishes it from many different devices is that it doesn’t override the body’s processes; it is designed to support the body’s natural functions. Gates noted that this approach can eliminate risk. The technology is also designed to integrate seamlessly with existing health routines.
“Because of the way it works, NanoVi is meant to be fully compatible and complementary with other interventions,” she confirmed. For example, it helps to boost therapies involving stem cells or peptides, which are essentially small proteins. One particularly obvious combination is with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Hyperbaric chambers are designed to deliver more oxygen to the body, and the NanoVi device helps improve oxygen utilization, leading to better overall outcomes for the client or patient.
The device’s effects are not only felt by users, but can also be measured scientifically, often in a single session. “There are numerous studies showing improvement in one session,” she said, citing impressive results:
- A 7.8 percent improvement in VO2 Max in one session.
- An 11% improvement in Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER), which measures oxygen utilization, was also observed in a single session.
“It really stands out. It’s unusual, in the best way, for something to have such a quick and noticeable impact on metabolic health,” she concluded.
Looking Ahead: Accessibility and the Human Element
Gates and the Eng3 team are focused on two primary goals for the immediate future. The first: tackling the high cost of the advanced technology to ensure wider access. “Getting the NanoVi into centers where many individuals can share one device is a goal,” she said. This strategy would see the devices placed in public or semi-public settings, such as gyms or corporate wellness centers, where multiple individuals can use them. This approach aims to make the technology more affordable by increasing access to each device.
The second: to scale up awareness and support. Gates identified that the challenge lies not in manufacturing the company’s products, but in scaling marketing and sales to support them. Furthermore, the company is interested in raising awareness with medical professionals. “We want to get back to our roots and raise awareness with doctors and make sure they know about it and how complementary NanoVi can be. This would motivate doctors to use the technology to complement other treatments, leading to significantly better patient outcomes,” she said.
In discussing broader trends, Gates offered a piece of caution alongside her optimism. She noted that the growth of wearables that allow people to measure their own state can be helpful. However, she warned against over-reliance on technology, even good technology, as a measure of wellness. “I don’t think we should rely too heavily on a watch or ring to tell us about our body. I think we need to keep our own sensitivity,” she argued.
She expressed concern about people delegating their self-awareness to a device, stating, “I hate to see people delegate wellbeing to technology, because I think the body’s designed to self-regulate; it’s brilliant.” This emphasis on personal attention and empowerment is reflected in the advice she offers to anyone looking to improve their health: “Own it. Don’t be afraid to be the expert on your own body,” Gates advised.
While she encourages listening to health professionals, she stressed that individuals should feel confident in understanding their own bodies. “Take on the role as expert of your own body,” she concluded.
To learn more about Eng3 and explore their innovative health technologies, visit eng3.com. Take charge of your well-being today.
