About Level One
Overview
When Sam Glassenberg’s daughter was diagnosed at age five, life suddenly revolved around insulin doses, carb counts, and constant worry. Determined to make life easier for other families, he led the team at Level Ex to create a mobile game that trains your brain to manage the disease. For hundreds of thousands of years, humans have learned through play – and videogames have proven to be the most effective way to quickly understand complex systems.
The Founding Story
“I'm a Stanford-trained computer scientist. My wife is a primary care pediatrician. We should have been the diabetes-management dream team. Instead, we were totally overwhelmed. After 9 months of learning through trial-and-error on our own kid, we finally understood how all this worked and how to manage it. It was at that point I realized - this is stupid. We need to fix this.”
Rather than relying on trial-and-error in the real world, Level One compresses months of learning into a few hours of simple gameplay. It transforms the daunting tasks of insulin dosing, carb counting, and preventing highs or lows into a visually intuitive experience, powered by simple taps. The whole game can be played with your thumb.
Level Ex Background
Founded by veteran game developers, Level Ex has spent years creating medical games to train doctors (and astronauts) to manage complex patient scenarios. Now, for the first time, they’re bringing that same level of gaming expertise… to patients.
The result?A free app designed to help anyone newly-navigating T1D build confidence, reduce stress, and understand the “why” behind every dose.
Our Vision
We believe that gaming isn't just the most fun way to train your brain - it's also the most effective
By making Level One free, we ensure everyone can benefit—no in-app purchases
We’re teaming up with leading diabetes nonprofits, hospitals, and industry partners to continually refine and expand the game
Quick Facts
Newly diagnosed T1Ds of all ages, plus caregivers, teachers, camp counselors, school nurses, and friends — anyone wanting to learn
Free, thanks to sponsorships and grants
iOS and Android
April 8, 2025
Ready to Learn More?
Jump over to our Features Page to see the game’s mechanics in action.
Or head to Partners & Press to explore how we’re collaborating with diabetes advocacy groups.