5 mental health start-ups transforming healthcare

Transformative mental health start-ups supported by EIT Health

While our increasing reliance on technology has been tenuously linked to rising stress, anxiety and social disconnection, could new technologies also hold the key to improving mental well-being?

EIT Health is proud to support numerous mental health start-ups developing innovative solutions which leverage emerging technology to meet unmet mental health needs. Here are five such promising start-ups and how their technology has the potential to transform mental health care:

Medea Mind

How Medea Mind is transforming mental health care

A lack of biopsychosocial clinical data currently affects the decision-making of mental health professionals. To address this challenge, Medea Mind’s innovative Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) standardises and automates the collection of biopsychosocial clinical data using cutting-edge science and technology. This enables professionals to make data-driven decisions without the burden of managing the data.

Medea Mind’s solution acts as a digital co-pilot for professionals and patients throughout the entire intervention process. It saves time for professionals and improves patient adherence and the effectiveness of interventions. And because it’s a modular system that is easily integrated with third-party digital infrastructures through APIs, it ensures interoperability, making Medea Mind’s technology easy to adopt.

How EIT Health has supported Medea Mind

EIT Health has supported Medea Mind throughout their first three years of growth. Medea Mind initially participated in an accelerator programme where they received guidance from international expert mentors, which was key to them identifying and developing a scalable and sustainable business model.

Additionally, thanks to EIT Health, they gained visibility by participating in roundtables, such as South Summit, and giving presentations to investors and potential strategic partners, and were always backed by the knowledge and expertise of industry professionals.

Finally, being part of the EIT Health alumni network has allowed Medea Mind to strengthen their international relations and connect with a community of entrepreneurs and innovators, from whom they continuously learn and collaborate with.

moonbird

How moonbird is transforming mental health

Despite the demand for mental health solutions, many individuals either lack access to therapy or find it difficult to implement self-care routines. moonbird addresses this unmet need by offering a science-backed, easy-to-use breathing device that helps users regulate their stress response and improve sleep. Breathing exercises are proven to reduce anxiety, calm the mind, and induce relaxation. By making these exercises more accessible and user-friendly, moonbird enables people to manage their mental well-being daily without requiring professional assistance.

How EIT Health has supported moonbird

EIT Health has played a crucial role in moonbird’s development by offering financial support for user tests and expert mentorship. The partnership has helped moonbird accelerate product development, making sure the products answer to the needs of end users, and therefore improve product-market fit. The collaborative environment also connected moonbird with key industry stakeholders and health experts, giving them the confidence and resources needed to bring their innovation to the forefront of mental health care.

XRHealth

How XRHealth is transforming mental health

XRHealth is revolutionising healthcare by addressing critical unmet needs in mental health, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and pain management through its immersive virtual reality (VR) platform. The platform provides interactive, evidence-based treatments that patients can access from the comfort of their own homes. This immersive experience enhances engagement, and improves patient motivation and outcomes, and makes therapy more effective and accessible.

By combining mental health, physical therapy, and pain management into one cohesive platform, XRHealth provides a holistic solution that is scalable, personalised, and designed to meet the diverse healthcare needs of patients today.

The solution is in high demand, and today, XRHealth have offices on four continents and clinics in three countries, which showcases the effectiveness of the platform and highlights its potential to help people across the globe.

How EIT Health has supported XRHealth

XRHealth have participated in many EIT Health programmes where they consistently achieved outstanding results and built strong, lasting connections. Collaborating with EIT Health has significantly contributed to establishing a strong and widely recognised brand. Through EIT Health’s mentorship, funding, and exposure to European healthcare markets, XRHealth have been able to refine their innovation and expand their reach, ensuring that their cutting-edge VR treatments reach those who most need them.

Myndgard

How Myndgard is transforming mental health

Myndgard, a Trinity College Dublin spinout, founded by Dr. Sean Kelley, Dr. Edel Crehan, and Pat Flynn, seeks to identify the early signs of depression and anxiety in young people, enabling swifter, more effective interventions. It uses AI and app technology to measure mental health wellness and provide real-time feedback to clients and therapists.

Myndgard is changing how help seeking patients access mental health support. Waiting to see a therapist or mental health professional is now transformed into a time of accurately assessing and better understanding and supporting patients. This promises to double the patient numbers being supported without hiring extra staff. Before the first in person session, Myndgard produces patient assessment and support reports so that clinicians receive a detailed pre-therapy report to enhance their decision making. These personalised, detailed reports highlight patterns on daily sleep, movement, socialisation, productivity and how these are impacting on mood. While a patient waits, they receive personalised support to maintain hope, enhance understanding and harness their courage and strengths.

How EIT Health has supported Myndgard

In 2023, Myndgard was supported through an open innovation competition run by EIT Health which invited health innovators from across Europe to develop solutions to solve pressing health challenges. The 2023 challenge sought to tackle areas of children’s health and saw selected start-ups receive expert mentoring to help them build game-changing life sciences companies.

INUKA Coaching

How INUKA Coaching is transforming mental health

Many mental health challenges can be addressed with just one meaningful conversation – connecting with a trained, empathetic person can be all it takes. INUKA have taken this concept globally, because they believe everyone deserves the right help, exactly when they need it. Their digital platform offers effective, evidence-based affordable mental health support whenever and wherever it’s needed by letting anyone connect with a trained INUKA Coach – for almost any challenge a person faces (physical, mental, purpose, energy), at a fraction of the cost of traditional therapists and coaches, and with top-notch quality.

How EIT Health has supported INUKA Coaching

EIT Health supported INUKA to launch in Germany through a programme which brought together health entrepreneurs wanting to grow their business in the European market, with top incubators and accelerators with the expertise and resources to make it happen.

Read more