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Stacy Diachenko
Tech expert
With a Master of Arts in Technology for Translation and Interpreting (yes it’s as cool as it sounds!), I’m 100% a technophile and wordsmith. I love making tech stuff sound human, and I constantly stay on top of the latest trends in technology. My goal is to write fun, insightful articles that are always ahead of the curve.
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Mental health has taken center stage over the last few years. From cutting-edge therapy platforms to groundbreaking diagnostic tools, it has finally shaken off the stigma and is now a rising star for innovation and tech. Whether you’re a mental health professional, tech executives, or someone seeking a personal solution, an exciting future lies ahead!
As TurnKey has long been passionate about mental health advocacy, I was asked to investigate the most innovative startups that have this industry buzzing. After weeks of research and a thorough investigation…drumroll please…I am excited to share my findings on the top mental health startups. These companies are spearheading the next generation of mental healthcare, so read on to discover more about these trailblazers!
The Best 10 Mental Health Startups included in this article are:
Note: The data above is an example only and not based on actual statistics. Actual market size may vary depending on the source of the data.
The mental health apps market has rapidly grown in recent years, with increasing investments and demand for accessible and affordable mental healthcare solutions. In 2022, the global mental health app market was valued at $5.2 billion, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.9% from 2023 to 2030. Many factors are driving this growth, including rising awareness of mental health issues, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the increased availability of technology-based solutions.
One major area of growth within the mental health tech market is telehealth and virtual therapy. The use of telehealth services has grown in the US by over 35% annually between 2018-2023. Research shows that a significant portion of mental health professionals now use teletherapy to connect with clients. Additionally, mental health startups that offer virtual therapy have seen significant growth, such as Teladoc Health, which grew by 98% in Q1 2020.
Another growth area is the increased development of wearable devices for mental health monitoring and management, thanks in part to investment from technology companies such as Apple and Google.
Overall, the mental health tech market is expanding rapidly with increasing demand for technology-based solutions in mental healthcare. As the market continues to grow, it is expected that more investors and entrepreneurs will enter the space, leading to further innovation and advancements in mental healthcare.
As tech enthusiasts in the mental health startup field, Turnkey has witnessed firsthand the tremendous growth of the mental health apps market globally over recent years. As they are literally all over the map, I’ve done the heavy lifting for you and have grouped them by top regions:
North America has been at the forefront of this development, with a 37.4% revenue share in 2022 and continues to dominate the space. This success can be attributed to a number of factors including increased smartphone adoption, improved coverage networks, and increased penetration of internet and social media platforms across the continent. Some of the most well-known mental health startups include Talkspace (raised 06 million), Ginger (raised $220 million), and Woebot, a mental health chatbot.
Asia has seen significant growth in the mental health startup market in recent years, with a projected CAGR of 25.7% from 2021 to 2028. The increasing adoption of technology, along with growing awareness of mental health issues, presents significant opportunities for mental health startups in the region. A notable Asian mental health startup is Wysa, a mental health chatbot based in India.
The European mental healthcare market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.4% from 2019 to 2027. The telepsychiatry market in Europe is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.5% from 2021 to 2028, with Germany being the largest market in the region. Some of the most prominent mental health startups in the EU include Huma, a digital health platform focused on chronic care management, and SilverCloud Health, a digital mental health service that has raised over $77 million.
Brazil has been experiencing a mental health crisis due to a lack of access to mental healthcare services. Mental health startups in Brazil are addressing this issue by offering affordable and accessible solutions via digital and mobile technologies. The digital mental health market in Brazil is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.7% from 2019 to 2027. Notable Brazilian startups include Vittude, an online platform that connects individuals with licensed mental health professionals, and Moodar, an AI-powered app that helps users monitor their moods and emotions.
Overall, the mental health startup market is growing globally, with startups in each region addressing unique challenges. The industry is projected to continue to grow and transform in the coming years as mental health awareness and access to care remains a critical global issue. I’m guessing if you have read this far, you must be as passionate about this sector as we are, so here’s a little networking nugget for you, we’ve pulled together a list of the top 5 healthcare tech conferences in 2023.
Need To Scale Your Mental Health Startup? We Custom Recruit The Top 3% of Talent Across All The Key Engineering Positions.
And if your brain is currently screaming, “No, not another top list”, let me assure you that this list is not just another pretty face. To compile this list, I analyzed a vast number of various reports, stats, and Crunchbase data and sifted through a multitude of startups. It took weeks of pouring over reports, comparing data points and reading through various online resources to finally arrive at this top ten list.
Through this research, I discovered a wealth of innovative startups that are leveraging modern technology to improve mental health outcomes for individuals and communities. These startups are using a range of approaches, from chatbots and telemedicine to algorithm-based matching systems and personalized therapy plans.
Disclaimer: Due to the abundance of startups launching and expanding globally, it’s impossible to cover every single one of them. Additionally, the startups mentioned below are not ranked in any particular order and are merely listed for informational purposes.
Founded in: 2010
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Funding: 66.7 million
Headspace is a popular tech startup that offers a meditation app to help users achieve mindfulness and relaxation. The company was founded in 2010 by Andy Puddicombe and Rich Pierson in Santa Monica, California. Headspace has since become one of the leading meditation apps on the market, with over 65 million users in over 190 countries. Moreover, Headspace is a TurnKey client for which we’ve built an R&D innovation center of excellence.
Founded in: 2012
Location: San Francisco, CA
Funding: 43 million
Calm has quickly become a top-ranking app in the Health & Fitness category in over 100 countries, and its popularity continues to grow. The app offers guided meditations, sleep stories narrated by calming voices, relaxing music, and breathing exercises to help users manage their stress levels and improve their overall well-being.
The app was founded in 2012 by Michael Acton Smith and Alex Tew in San Francisco, California. Since its inception, Calm has become one of the most successful mindfulness apps on the market.
Calm has raised a total of 43 million in funding from prominent investors, including TPG Growth, Insight Venture Partners, and Lightspeed Venture Partners. In 2019, the company raised a $88 million Series B round of funding, which pushed its valuation to billion. The company’s headquarters are located in San Francisco, California, but it also has offices in London and Dublin.
Founded in: 2020
Funding: $84.6 million (Series B)
Spirituality can play a significant role in mental health wellness. Glorify is a Christian worship app that helps users grow their faith with daily devotionals and Christian meditations.
The company was founded in 2020 by a team of Christian entrepreneurs devoted to making the Bible more accessible to people worldwide. Glorify is headquartered in San Francisco, California and is a TurnKey Yourshore partner that has hired offshore developers.
Founded in: 2017
Location: Foster City, CA
Funding: $3 million
MiResource is an online platform for mental health and wellness resources. The company’s online platform offers a user-friendly interface, making it easy for clients to access mental health and wellness resources. The platform provides clients with virtual counseling, self-assessments, and other programs through a network of licensed therapists and wellness professionals.
The company partners with businesses to offer employee assistance programs, and it offers services to individuals on a direct-to-consumer basis.
As a venture-backed startup, MiResource needed to build and scale its engineering team. They were looking for guidance to structure the team for maximum productivity and effectiveness, including seamless integration between their onshore and offshore teams. Thus, TurnKey hired 14 perfect-fit developers for MiResource.
Founded in: 2015
Location: Burlingame, CA
5-year search growth: +555%
Funding: $910.1M (Series F)
Lyra Health is widely considered a successful startup due to its innovative approach to providing personalized mental healthcare solutions to individuals. By leveraging a variety of programming languages and tools, including React Native, Django, PostgreSQL, and AWS, Lyra Health has created a unique platform that connects individuals with licensed therapists, coaches and mental health professionals through a single digital platform.
Lyra Health’s focus on streamlining and simplifying the mental healthcare experience has resonated with individuals who are seeking a more convenient and accessible way to improve their mental wellbeing. This has resulted in high demand for the company’s services and a rapidly growing customer base.
Founded in: 2019
Location: Berkeley, CA
5-year search growth: 312%
Funding: $29.5M (Series A)
Kintsugi is a successful startup that provides mental health support and coaching services to individuals, organizations and schools. The company’s success stems from its innovative approach to mental health support, which focuses on mindfulness and emotional intelligence skills. By offering a unique blend of technology and human expertise, Kintsugi has garnered a loyal customer base.
Kintsugi’s tech stack comprises various tools and frameworks, including React Native, Node.js, MongoDB, AWS and Elasticsearch, among others. This tech stack allows the company to build a scalable platform that accommodates its growing customer base. Furthermore, Kintsugi’s use of data analytics and machine learning helps its team of experts develop personalized support plans for each individual, making the platform even more attractive to users.
Founded in: 2016
Location: New York, NY
5-year search growth: 85%
Funding: $295.5M (Series C)
Spring Health provides innovative mental health solutions to employers and their workforce. The company’s success is largely attributed to its ability to match employees with the right mental health resources using proprietary AI algorithms. By offering a data-driven approach to mental health, Spring Health streamlines the process of matching employees with the right mental health resources.
It leverages technology in its day-to-day operations, with a tech stack that includes Java, JS, SQL, and AWS, among others. This tech stack has allowed Spring Health to build a scalable platform that can handle the company’s growing customer base.
Location: San Mateo, CA
5-year search growth: 200%
Funding: $53.3M (Grant)
Meru Health is a startup that provides evidence-based, digital mental health services to individuals and employers. Meru Health has a unique approach to mental health treatment, which prioritizes accessibility, affordability, and convenience.
Meru Health’s tech stack is built on top of a combination of programming languages and tools including React Native, Node.js, MongoDB, AWS, and Elasticsearch. This stack provides a platform that is both scalable and secure, ensuring that Meru Health can provide its services to a large number of individuals and employers with confidence.
Location: Miami, FL
5-year search growth: 1000%
Funding: $26.3M (Series A)
Nue Life Health is a startup that provides personalized health coaching services to help individuals achieve their wellness goals. They take a holistic and data-driven approach to wellness, integrating technology, nutrition, and fitness to create tailored wellness plans for their clients.
The startup provides health coaching services in areas such as diet and nutrition, exercise and fitness, stress management, sleep, and overall well being. They start by gathering data through various means, including detailed health assessments, genetic testing, and wearables that track health metrics.
Using this data, Nue Life Health creates personalized wellness plans that target specific health goals such as weight loss, improved fitness, and better sleep quality. Their coaches provide ongoing support, motivation, and guidance to maintain client accountability and monitor progress.
Location: Waltham, MA
5-year search growth: 212%
Funding: $82M (Series C)
Eleanor Health is a startup that provides comprehensive addiction treatment for those struggling with substance use disorder. They take a patient-centered approach and believe that addiction is a disease that requires compassionate care and evidence-based treatment. In addition to their in-person services, Eleanor Health also offers telehealth services that allow patients to receive care remotely. This allows patients to access care from the comfort of their own homes and eliminates barriers to treatment such as transportation.
Core tech stack is SQL, GoLang, Python, Ruby, and MySQL. In addition, the startup utilizes data analytics and machine learning to improve patient outcomes and personalize treatment plans. By analyzing patient health data, Eleanor Health is able to identify trends, predict relapses, and develop targeted treatment plans.
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
5-year search growth: 1900%
Funding: 138.2M (Series C)
Workit Health offers a variety of evidence-based treatment options, including medication-assisted treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, and recovery coaching.
One of Workit Health’s unique features is their digital platform, which allows individuals to access care from anywhere at any time. This includes video and phone appointments with licensed healthcare providers, online support groups, and a variety of self-paced digital courses for recovery.
Workit Health’s treatment model is designed to be flexible and personalized, with a focus on meeting the unique needs and goals of each individual. They use a combination of technology, clinical expertise, and peer support to help individuals achieve long-term recovery.
Founded in: 2018
Location: Washington, DC
5-year search growth: 366%
Funding: $5M (Seed)
Hurdle is a startup that provides culturally responsive mental healthcare services to individuals and organizations. The startup’s unique focus on cultural diversity and inclusion sets it apart from traditional mental healthcare providers.
One of Hurdle’s most unique features is their culturally responsive care model, which is designed to meet the unique needs of diverse populations. They have a team of therapists with cultural and linguistic fluency in various communities, including Hispanic, African American, Asian, and LGBTQ+ populations. This allows individuals from diverse backgrounds to access care that is tailored to their specific needs and cultural norms.
In addition to their culturally responsive care, Hurdle also offers a range of digital tools that make mental healthcare more accessible and convenient. This includes teletherapy services, which allow individuals to connect with therapists via videoconferencing or phone, and a digital platform with self-guided therapy resources and personalized self-help plans.
Another unique feature of Hurdle is their focus on addressing mental health issues in the workplace. They offer employee assistance programs (EAP) to organizations, helping them to promote mental wellness and provide support to employees who may be struggling with mental health issues.
5-year search growth: 775%
Funding: $323M (Series B)
Elemy is a startup that provides mental health support and education for K-12 students, parents, and educators. Their unique focus on the mental wellness of students and the education community sets them apart from traditional mental healthcare providers.
One of Elemy’s most unique features is their comprehensive mental health curriculum, which is designed to educate students, parents, and educators on a wide range of mental health topics. The curriculum includes interactive lessons, videos, and activities that cover topics such as stress management, emotional regulation, and building healthy relationships.
In addition to their curriculum, Elemy also offers personalized mental health support for students, either in individual or group settings. This includes individual counseling, interactive workshops, and online peer support.
Just like all the other tech nerds at TurnKey, I’m fascinated by the potential that technology has to offer in this field and identified several emerging trends that will shape the future of mental health startups:
It’s clear that technology is changing the way we approach mental health care. With innovative developments in virtual reality, machine learning, mobile apps, and more, mental health startups are pushing the boundaries of the industry and making quality care more accessible to all.
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Mental health startups are bringing new technologies and innovations to the field of mental healthcare, making services more accessible, affordable, and effective. Startups are leveraging telehealth, digital therapeutics, artificial intelligence, and mobile application technologies to provide everything from virtual counseling to guided meditation to mood tracking and more.
Many mental health startup’s apps are designed to be used in conjunction with traditional therapy or as standalone services. It's worth talking to your therapist about any mental health app you may be interested in using, as they may be able to give advice on whether the tool could benefit your mental health journey.
It's important to do your research and consider your unique needs when determining which mental health app is right for you. Look into the therapies and techniques each app offers, as well as its pricing and user reviews. It may also be helpful to consult with a mental health professional to guide you in selecting an app that complements your existing treatment.
TurnKey Staffing provides information for general guidance only and does not offer legal, tax, or accounting advice. We encourage you to consult with professional advisors before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business or legal rights.
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