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 With outdated approaches still commonplace, innovative startups aiming to transform this industry have emerged as beacons of hope.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 2026 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. The startups listed below are not officially ranked and appear in no particular order. Total funding figures reflect cumulative disclosed equity financing as of June 2026. Figures exclude debt facilities, credit lines, and AUM.
1. Meru Health
- Location: San Mateo, California
- Founders: Kristian Ranta, Riku Lindholm
- Founded In: 2016
- Total Funding: ~$45 Million
- Latest Round: Series B, $30 Million
- Investors Include: Industry Ventures, Bold Capital Partners, Freestyle VC, FMZ Ventures
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. Meditopia
- Location: Istanbul, Turkey, and Berlin, Germany
- Founders: Fatih Celebi, Berk Yilmaz, Ali Murat Ceylan
- Founded In: 2015
- Total Funding: ~$18.3 Million
- Latest Round: Series A, $15 Million
- Investors Include: Creandum, Highland Europe, Atlantic Labs, Vela Partners
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. The app stands out for its focus on non-English-speaking markets, with content in multiple languages.
3. Oli (formerly Oliva)
- Location: London, United Kingdom
- Founders: Javier Suarez, Sançar Sahin
- Founded In: 2020
- Total Funding: ~$14.2 Million
- Latest Round: Seed, $5.4 Million
- Investors Include: Moonfire Ventures, Stride.VC, Molten Ventures
Our relationship with work and mental health is changing, and no one knows that better than Oli, the workplace platform formerly known as Oliva. Designed to give companies and managers better insights into their teams, Oli pairs full-spectrum therapy with professional coaching and manager training in a single platform. Its model connects employees to qualified mental health professionals while helping HR teams turn anonymized insights into concrete actions, with a focus on prevention and sustainable performance.
4. Mightier
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Founders: Craig Lund, Jason Kahn, Trevor Stricker
- Founded In: 2016
- Total Funding: ~$29 Million
- Latest Round: Series B, $17 Million
- Investors Include: DigiTx Partners, Sony Innovation Fund, PBJ Capital
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. Developed by clinicians at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, the games pair with a wearable heart rate monitor so that kids ages 6 to 14 can practice staying calm and build emotional regulation skills they can use in everyday life.
5. Mantra Health
- Location: New York, New York
- Founders: Ed Gaussen, Matt Kennedy, Dr. Ravi Shah
- Founded In: 2018
- Total Funding: ~$32.2 Million
- Latest Round: Series A Extension, $5 Million
- Investors Include: Canaan Partners, VMG Partners, 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 a digital mental health clinic built 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. Mantra partners with campuses including MIT and Cornell.
6. Intellect
- Location: Singapore
- Founders: Anurag Chutani, Theodoric Chew
- Founded In: 2019
- Total Funding: ~$22.2 Million
- Latest Round: Series A, $10 Million
- Investors Include: HOF Capital, Insignia Ventures Partners, Headline, East Ventures
Intellect is a 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 120-plus languages across 100-plus countries, offering comprehensive care no matter someone’s background.
7. Spring Health
- Location: New York, New York
- Founders: April Koh, Adam Chekroud
- Founded In: 2016
- Total Funding: ~$466 Million
- Latest Round: Series E, $100 Million
- Investors Include: Generation Investment Management, Kinnevik, RRE Ventures, Northzone
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. The company reached a $3.3 billion valuation with its 2024 Series E round.
8. Brightline
- Location: Palo Alto, California
- Founders: Giovanni Colella, Naomi Allen
- Founded In: 2019
- Total Funding: ~$212 Million
- Latest Round: Series C, $115 Million
- Investors Include: KKR, Oak HC/FT, GV, Blue Cross Blue Shield
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. After restructuring its model in 2024, the company now blends virtual care with in-person clinics, including its flagship clinic in Brooklyn, which opened in early 2025, followed by locations on Long Island and near Columbus Circle in Manhattan. Its goal is to offer mental health treatment to people of all ages, as well as involve families in the process.
9. Lyra Health
- Location: Burlingame, California
- Founders: David Ebersman, Dena Bravata
- Founded In: 2015
- Total Funding: ~$915 Million
- Latest Round: Series F, $235 Million
- Investors Include: Dragoneer Investment Group, Salesforce Ventures, Coatue, Addition
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. The company reached a $5.58 billion valuation and has expanded through acquisitions, including ICAS World and Bend Health.
10. Unmind
- Location: London, United Kingdom
- Founders: Nick Taylor, Steve Peralta
- Founded In: 2016
- Total Funding: ~$82 Million
- Latest Round: Series C, $35 Million
- Investors Include: TELUS Global Ventures, Project A, Felix Capital, Sapphire Ventures
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. The company acquired Frankie Health in 2023 and continues to expand in the United States.
11. Modern Health
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Founders: Alyson Watson, Erica Johnson
- Founded In: 2017
- Total Funding: ~$170 Million
- Latest Round: Series D, $74 Million
- Investors Include: Founders Fund, Kleiner Perkins, Battery Ventures, Felicis Ventures
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. In 2025, founder Alyson Watson moved to executive chair, with Matt Levin stepping in as CEO.
12. Uwill
- Location: Natick, Massachusetts
- Founders: Michael London
- Founded In: 2020
- Total Funding: ~$30 Million
- Latest Round: Series A, $30 Million
- Investors Include: Education Growth Partners
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 and now serves more than 4 million students across 500-plus colleges and K12 districts worldwide.
13. SonderMind
- Location: Denver, Colorado
- Founders: Mark Frank, Sean Boyd
- Founded In: 2014
- Total Funding: ~$276 Million
- Latest Round: Series C, $150 Million
- Investors Include: Drive Capital, Premji Invest, General Catalyst, Kickstart
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.
Read our interview with the co-founder of Sondermind.
14. moka.care
- Location: Paris, France
- Founders: Pierre-Étienne Bidon, Guillaume d’Ayguesvives
- Founded In: 2020
- Total Funding: ~$19 Million
- Latest Round: Series A, $16 Million
- Investors Include: Left Lane Capital, Singular, Origins Fund
moka.care is a great company for businesses that want to take care of their employees’ 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. The company now supports more than 320 companies and over 200,000 employees across more than 20 countries.
15. Eleanor Health
- Location: Waltham, Massachusetts
- Founders: Corbin Petro, David Whelan, Nzinga Harrison, Srishti Mirchandani, Trevor Price
- Founded In: 2019
- Total Funding: ~$137 Million
- Latest Round: Series D, $30 Million
- Investors Include: General Catalyst, Town Hall Ventures, Warburg Pincus, Echo Health Ventures
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.
16. Little Otter
- Location: Durham, North Carolina
- Founders: Helen Egger, Rebecca Egger
- Founded In: 2020
- Total Funding: ~$36 Million
- Latest Round: Strategic Round, $9.5 Million
- Investors Include: CRV, Torch Capital, Springbank Collective, Pivotal Ventures
Little Otter offers digital mental health services for children ages 0 to 18 and their families. 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. The mother-daughter team behind Little Otter has continued to expand the platform’s reach nationwide.
17. Bicycle Health
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Founders: Ankit Gupta
- Founded In: 2017
- Total Funding: ~$100 Million
- Latest Round: Series B, $16.5 Million
- Investors Include: Questa Capital, SignalFire, City Light Capital, Frist Cressey Ventures
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. The company reached operating profitability in 2024 and utilizes an empathetic care model so that no one ever feels like they don’t have access to the care they need.
18. MentalHappy
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Founders: Tamar Blue
- Founded In: 2016
- Total Funding: ~$1.7 Million
- Latest Round: Seed, $500K
- Investors Include: Social Impact Capital, Y Combinator, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, Index Ventures
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 expert-led support groups that 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.
19. Workit Health
- Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Founders: Robin McIntosh, Lisa McLaughlin
- Founded In: 2015
- Total Funding: ~$132 Million
- Latest Round: Series C, $118 Million
- Investors Include: BlueCross BlueShield Venture Partners, FirstMark Capital, Lux Capital, GingerBread 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.
20. Grow Therapy
- Location: New York, New York
- Founders: Manoj Kanagaraj, Jake Cooper, Alan Ni
- Founded In: 2020
- Total Funding: ~$328 Million
- Latest Round: Series D, $150 Million
- Investors Include: TCV, Goldman Sachs Growth, Transformation Capital, SignalFire, Menlo Ventures
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. These therapists 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.
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:
