Mental illness impacts millions of people worldwide, yet mental healthcare has lagged behind other areas of medicine and health services. With outdated approaches still commonplace, innovative startups aiming to transform this industry have emerged as beacons of hope.
From virtual therapy to mood-tracking apps, exciting new companies are leveraging technology and creative solutions to expand access to care. This list highlights the top startups poised to disrupt the mental health sector with much-needed innovation.
Best Mental Health Startups to Follow
Every year, new startups pull to the forefront of their industry through exciting innovation, tech, and industry-disrupting business models. We’ve rounded up the top mental health startups of 2024 that startup-lovers, investors, and aspiring entrepreneurs should follow.
Disclaimer: With so many exciting startups launching and growing worldwide, we aren’t able to cover them all. Furthermore, the startups that are listed below are not officially ranked and are listed in no particular order.
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Get Started1. Meru Health
- Location: Silicon Valley (San Mateo, California)
- Founders: Kristian Ranta, Riku Lindholm
- Founded In: 2016
- Funding: Grant, $53.3 Million
- Investors Include: National Institute of Mental Health, JP Morgan, Industry Ventures, Foundry Group
Telemedicine has seen a huge boom since the pandemic, and Meru Health is no exception. Meru Health knows that to truly get your mental health to a good place, several factors must be addressed, including your emotional and physical environment. In addition to talk therapy, Meru provides users with a state-of-the-art wearable device that tracks their stress response and heart rate to pave a road toward healing.
2. Nue Life
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Founders: Christina Getty, Demian Bellumio, Juan Cappello, Katie Kiernan, Kazi Hassan
- Founded In: 2020
- Funding: Venture, $28.2 Million
- Investors Include: Magic Venture Capital, Palm Drive Capital, Edward Lando
Nue Life is a revolutionary service that brings ketamine therapy to a person’s mental health recovery. Their ketamine doses can be delivered to their home and are dissolvable tablets. They are legal and FDA-approved and, when combined with mood journals and other features offered by Nue Life, can help improve a person’s symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and much more.
3. Kintsugi
- Location: Berkeley, California
- Founders: Grace Chang, Rima Seiilova-Olson
- Founded In: 2019
- Funding: Series A, $30.9 Million
- Investors Include: MassChallenge, Insight Partners, Alpha Edison, Primetime Partners
Sometimes combating mental health issues means looking forward to the future. Kintsugi does this through a voice-controlled app designed to bring you self-care whenever you need it. Talking aloud helps mitigate stress, and Kintsugi offers a smart, new way to work through any mental health needs that may arise, from goal planning to community support.
4. Meditopia
- Location: Berlin, Germany
- Founders: Fatih Celebi, Berk Yilmaz, Ali Murat Ceylan
- Founded In: 2015
- Funding: Series A, $18.3 Million
- Investors Include: Vela Partners, Atlantic Labs, Teknasyon, Sinan Guler
Meditopia is a platform that’s designed to help you facilitate transformation. Their unique library of meditations, sleep hacks, and mindfulness techniques are aimed to break you from destructive and critical thinking patterns. The opportunities for self-reflection offered in Meditopia are not only great for your mental health but provide improved wellness in everyday life as well.
5. Oliva
- Location: London, United Kingdom
- Founders: Javier Suarez, Sançar Sahin
- Founded In: 2020
- Funding: Seed, $13.3 Million
- Investors Include: Moonfire Ventures, Stride.VC, Start Capital
Our relationship with work and mental health are changing, and no one knows that better than Oliva. Designed to give companies and managers better insights into their employees’ mental health, Oliva’s zero-fuss platform makes it easy to create a space where employees feel heard and respected. Their unique business model ensures that all users will receive quality care from only the best mental health professionals.
6. Sööma
- Location: Montreal, Quebec
- Founders: Annyck Besso, MS, RD
- Founded In: 2022
- Funding: Not listed
- Investors Include: N/A
Those who have struggled with disordered eating understand the toll it takes on your well-being. With its “gentle nutrition” approach, Sööma users will be equipped with the tools to move forward and better understand and treat their eating disorders. Ultimately, Sööma attempts to help users heal and achieve long-term wellness.
7. Mightier
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Founders: Craig Lund, Jason Kahn
- Founded In: 2016
- Funding: Series B, $29.3 Million
- Investors Include: DigiTx Partners, FoxKiser, Modern Times Group
Kids’ mental health is just as important as their adult counterparts. Mightier takes a fun, colorful approach to helping kids understand their big emotions through interactive gaming. Using clinically-backed research, the games mirror real challenges found in everyday life so that kids of all ages can practice conquering whatever life may throw at them.
8. Mantra Health
- Location: New York, New York
- Founders: Ed Gaussen, Matt Kennedy, Dr. Ravi Shah
- Founded In: 2018
- Funding: Series A, $34.2 Million
- Investors Include: VGM Partners, Global Founders Capital, City Light Capital
College can be a particularly stressful time for students, and more often than not, therapy resources are scarce. Mantra Health aims to change that with the first digital mental health clinic for university students. The integrated platform is customizable for each student’s campus, making it easier to assess their needs and get quicker access to professionals.
9. Intellect
- Location: Singapore
- Founders: Anurag Chutani, Theodoric Chew
- Founded In: 2019
- Funding: Corporate Round, $32.7 Million
- Investors Include: Insignia Ventures Partners, HOF Capital, JJ Chai
Intellect is a new mental health startup offering easy access to mental health for employees in the workforce. They utilize a single app that gives employees access to skill-building, self-care, and certified behavioral coaches. Intellect also offers 24/7 access to instant care, which is essential for people that need access during a mental health crisis. The company is also unique in that it offers global coverage and is available in 12 languages, offering comprehensive care no matter someone’s background.
10. Spring Health
- Location: New York, New York
- Founders: April Koh, Adam Chekroud
- Founded In: 2016
- Funding: Venture, $366.5 Million
- Investors Include: Kinnevik, Able Partners, RRE Ventures
When it comes to mental health care, no two strategies are ever the same. That’s why Spring Health offers customized mental health care plans for people that need treatment. Spring Health utilizes data from previous people that have received treatment, which helps mental health professionals determine the best treatment for a person. This can include treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy, EAP, and one-on-one counseling.
11. Brightline
- Location: Palo Alto, California
- Founders: Giovanni Colella, Naomi Allen
- Founded In: 2019
- Funding: Series C, $212 Million
- Investors Include: Oak HC/FT, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Threshold
Unfortunately, no one is immune to mental health issues, including small children, teens, and their families. For younger children and teens struggling with mental health, Brightline is here to offer customized mental health plans just for them. Their goal is to offer mental health treatment to people of all ages, as well as involve families in the process.
12. Lyra Health
- Location: Burlingame, California
- Founders: David Ebersman, Bob Kocher, Bryan Roberts
- Founded In: 2015
- Funding: Series F, $910.1 Million
- Investors Include: Greylock, Venrock, Tenaya Capital
Lyra Health is leading the way as a top-notch Employee Assistance Program provider. They offer 24/7 access to an in-house concierge help team that can help employees get started on their journey toward mental health recovery. Lyra Health offers a wide range of mental health treatment services, including help for couples, families, adults, teens, and children as young as two years old.
13. Unmind
- Location: London, United Kingdom
- Founders: Nick Taylor, Nick Tong, Ry Morgan, Steve Peralta
- Founded In: 2016
- Funding: Series B, $63.2 Million
- Investors Include: True, Felix Capital, Michael Whitfield
Unmind is an app that takes a whole-person approach to mental health treatment and is also at the forefront of changing perceptions of mental health at work. There are various programs within a single app, which makes it easy for employees to get access to self-help tools, participate in discussions on mental health, and also sign up a loved one for services. In addition, Unmind also offers mental health training seminars for managers and leaders to help break the stigma of mental health in the workplace.
14. Modern Health
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Founders: Alyson Watson, Erica Johnson
- Founded In: 2017
- Funding: Series D, $167.4 Million
- Investors Include: Kleiner Perkins, Afore Capital, Founders Fund
Modern Health offers various treatment programs and modalities to help create a customized care plan for patients. An assessment will determine the best and most effective tools to help someone recover from their mental health struggles, and get the best treatment possible. In addition, patients can receive recommendations for a one-on-one care plan, support groups, group learning, and digital programs. Modern Health is a one-stop shop for all things mental health.
15. Uwill
- Location: Natick, Massachusetts
- Founders: Michael London
- Founded In: 2019
- Funding: Series A, $35.3 Million
- Investors Include: Education Growth Partners, Stephen Kramer
Built for students and partnered with colleges, Uwill connects licensed therapists with college students to provide mental health and wellness services with no obstacles. Used by educational institutions such as the University of Maryland and Western Michigan University, Uwill provides a valuable addition to collegiate health services.
16. SonderMind
- Location: Denver, Colorado
- Founders: Mark Frank, Sean Boyd
- Founded In: 2014
- Funding: Series C, $183 Million
- Investors Include: Kickstart, General Catalyst, Jonathan Bush
Getting paired with the right therapist can be extremely difficult without the right resources. With referrals, availability, insurance, and other factors, it can be a hassle to find the right therapist for you. That’s where SonderMind comes into play. SonderMind is designed to help people find the right therapist for them. By answering a questionnaire and doing a quick assessment, people can get matched with a therapist to help in their mental health recovery right away with SonderMind.
17. Circles
- Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
- Founders: Dan Landa, Irad Eichler
- Founded In: 2020
- Funding: Series A, $24.5 Million
- Investors Include: NFX, Ronald Cohen, Lior Ron
Have you ever wanted to have access to a group of people that are going through exactly what you’re going through at a moment’s notice? That’s exactly what Circles provides. Through Circles, people can get matched with a support group, whether for mental health, grief, or other issues. Facilitators are also available to help provide a safe and welcoming environment on Circles.
18. Iris Telehealth
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Founders: Tarik Shaheen
- Founded In: 2013
- Funding: Series B, $40 Million
- Investors Include: Concord Health Partners, Columbia Pacific Advisors
Iris Telehealth is a telepsychiatry services startup providing behavioral health solutions to community mental health centers, hospitals, and other organizations. Since 2013, Iris Telehealth has been working to provide comprehensive virtual mental health care and improve programs within organizations.
19. Woebot
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Founders: Alison Darcy
- Founded In: 2017
- Funding: Venture, $123.3 Million
- Investors Include: Gaingels, New Enterprise Associates, AI Fund
Woebot is revolutionizing the way people talk about mental health and get help. Woebot is an app that uses AI technology to listen to a user’s concerns, provide feedback based on science and psychology, and help a person feel better. There are no wait times or appointment times, simply speak into the app and listen to the response in order to get the care you need. Studies have shown that people trust Woebot in as little as 3 to 5 days.
20. Arise
- Location: New York, New York
- Founders: Amanda D’Ambra, Joan Zhan
- Founded In: 2022
- Funding: Seed, $4 Million
- Investors Include: BBG Venture, Greycroft, Iyah Romm
Arise is a mental health startup that specializes in getting people partnered with the right treatment plan for ongoing care after an eating disorder. Because eating disorders need long-term care, people can turn to Arise for extended support and care, get help from a registered dietician and counselor, and much more.
21. moka.care
- Location: Paris, France
- Founders: Pierre Etienne Bidon
- Founded In: 2019
- Funding: Series A, $18.9 Million
- Investors Include: Singular, Origins Fund, Come Fouques
moka.care is a great company for people that want to take care of their employee’s mental health. Now, more than ever, it’s important to let your employees have access to care through companies such as moka. moka offers one-on-one counseling sessions, which can be scheduled easily and are available in-person or virtually for your employee. moka.care also helps train managers to understand the importance of mental health, provide feedback, and promote mental health inclusivity in the workplace.
22. Zeera (Previously Real)
- Location: New York, New York
- Founders: Ariela Safira
- Founded In: 2019
- Funding: Series B, $53 Million
- Investors Include: Female Founders Fund, BBG Ventures, Forerunner Ventures
Zeera is available on a membership basis to give people access to resources to improve their mental health. Zeera is designed to be easy to use, and offers short clips for self-improvement, tools to track your mental health journey, and also members-only events. These events are designed to help people speak up about their mental health journey, as well as make it easier to break down barriers to mental health and normalize the conversation surrounding it.
23. Eleanor Health
- Location: Waltham, Massachusetts
- Founders: Corbin Petro, David Whelan, Nzinga Harrison, Srishti Mirchandani, Trevor Price
- Founded In: 2019
- Funding: Series C, $82 Million
- Investors Include: Town Hall Ventures, Mosaic Health Solutions, Warburg Pincus
Eleanor Health provides help for people with substance use and alcohol use disorders. They offer a full range of treatment options, including telehealth and therapy services for those with a co-occurring mental illness. In addition, Eleanor Health also offers people help with medication-assisted treatment to ease the symptoms of withdrawal, as well as medication management. Combined, Eleanor Health offers all the right tools to help people recover, maintain sobriety, and also get help for other mental illnesses.
24. Little Otter
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Founders: Helen Egger, Rebecca Egger
- Founded In: 2020
- Funding: Series A, $26.2 Million
- Investors Include: Torch Capital, Springbank Collective, CRV
Little Otter offers digital mental health services for children ages 0 to 14. With the app, parents are able to view their upcoming therapy appointments, get their children to interact with their therapist virtually, and also stay up-to-date on all aspects of their child’s mental health treatment. You can also measure your progress as your child moves forward in treatment and address any concerns with your child’s therapist.
25. Wondermind
- Location: New York, New York
- Founders: Daniella Pierson, Mandy Teefey, Selena Gomez
- Founded In: 2021
- Funding: Seed, $5 Million
- Investors Include: Serena Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital
Co-founded by Selena Gomez, Wondermind is a platform that makes it easy to prioritize your mental wellness. The startup aims to destigmatize mental health by offering a variety of tools and resources, including daily content, journal exercises, a podcast, and a newsletter. Ultimately, Wondermind serves as a reminder that you’re not alone.
26. Bicycle Health
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Founders: Ankit Gupta
- Founded In: 2017
- Funding: Series B, $87.3 Million
- Investors Include: Questa Capital Management, Signal Fire, City Light Capital
Bicycle Health offers treatment for opioid use disorder through medication-assisted treatment, access to support groups, and access to clinical support specialists. People have the ability to schedule an appointment online to pick up their medication for opioid withdrawal, which can help alleviate symptoms and improve their overall chances of recovery from opioid use disorder. They have a high success rate, and utilize an empathetic care model so that no one ever feels like they don’t have access to the care they need.
27. MentalHappy
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Founders: Kwame Ampem, Tamar Blue
- Founded In: 2016
- Funding: Venture, $1.2 Million
- Investors Include: Social Impact Capital, Y Combinator, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, Bryan Mahoney
Support groups are some of the most powerful resources and tools to help people in a mental health crisis. With support groups, people are able to experience the help of others and also express themselves. MentalHappy offers support groups for as little as $10 a month, which cover a wide range of topics and mental health issues. Screenshots are disabled, and people can participate anonymously on MentalHappy, so it’s easy for a person to keep their anonymity if desired.
28. Workit Health
- Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Founders: Robin McIntosh, Lisa McLaughlin
- Founded In: 2015
- Funding: Series C, $138.2 Million
- Investors Include: BlueCross BlueShield, First Mark, Lux Capital
It is incredibly difficult to recover from substance use disorder and alcohol use disorder. During the recovery process, people need the help of experts and therapists, as well as medication, to help them sustain sobriety. Workit Health offers people the opportunity to recover in the comfort of their own homes. Workit Health offers medication, community connection, and expert support for people in recovery. This support is available through their app, and can be accessed virtually. Workit Health is an excellent tool for people that cannot attend traditional rehab or need extended outpatient care.
29. MindLabs
- Location: London, United Kingdom
- Founders: Adnan Ebrahim, Gabor Szedla
- Founded In: 2020
- Funding: Seed, $4.8 Million
- Investors Include: Seedcamp, Passion Capital, Jack Tang
For many people, their phone is their lifeline, and it is used to help complete business, research online, and even for entertainment. MindLabs has taken advantage of the essential role of phones in people’s lives, and has created an app that helps people feel happier, less stressed, and even sleep better. This app has tons of audio clips and classes for self-improvement, as well as audio to help people relax and unwind before going to bed. The goal of the MindLabs app is to give people access to de-stress and relaxation resources at their fingertips.
30. Grow Therapy
- Location: New York, New York
- Founders: Manoj Kanagaraj, Jake Cooper, Alan Ni
- Founded In: 2020
- Funding: Series C, $178 Million
- Investors Include: SignalFire, Village Global, Airbnb, Nurx, PatientPing, Blackstone
One of the most important aspects of healing and mental health treatment is choosing the right therapist. Grow Therapy is designed to help pair people with the best therapist of their choosing. Best of all, unlike traditional insurance providers where you need a referral and must wait a couple of weeks to be seen, Grow Therapy allows people to book their therapy appointments relatively quickly, usually within 2 days. These therapists have an average of 12 years of experience, are highly vetted, and offer their services all around the country. People also have the option of seeing their therapist in person or virtually.
FAQs
What is a mental health startup?
A mental health startup is a business dedicated to improving mental health for community members. They can be business to business, meaning they can offer their services to employers, or they can provide services directly to customers. Mental health startups can offer services for people in crisis that need support groups, one-on-one therapy, and more.
What does the future of the mental health care industry look like?
The global mental health market is estimated to reach an astonishing $537.97 billion by 2030. Although this is good news for investors in mental health startups and entrepreneurs, it also points to the bigger picture and the need for more mental health services. The COVID-19 pandemic and mounting levels of stress and anxiety make it necessary to develop more and more mental health startups.
How do you start a mental health startup?
To start a mental health startup, make sure to speak with experts in the field of startups. Develop a business plan to help determine which market you want to provide services for, and get the help of a mental health expert as well. In addition, check with local authorities and medical boards for the proper licensing requirements (if any) you might need for your mental health startups.
What are some helpful resources for mental health startups?
To find out more about which resources to use for your startup, check out these resources below: