10 Startups that are focusing on mental wellbeing

by Startacus Admin

It’s Stress Awareness Month and aside from the general challenges life can throw at us, the fact that we’re slowly starting to emerge from a global pandemic, means it’s more important than ever that we become more conscious of our stress levels and the need to keep our mental wellbeing forefront at all times. With that in mind, we have put together a list of 10 innovative startups that are aiming to help us on our journeys towards positive mental health.

So, in no particular order…

MindLabs
Founders of MindLabs Adnan Ebrahim and Gabor Szedlak are on a mission to make the world a happier place. Founded in 2020, their startup offers video classes for your mind, that are led by experts and rooted in neuroscience. The MindLabs app includes hundreds of live and on-demand classes to help you stress less, sleep more and feel happier. The live classes are streamed from a studio in London and focus on a whole host of topics that may be affecting you - from stress and anxiety to sleep and relaxation. The app also allows you to track your progress and see the improvements in your mood as you complete classes. It’s all about building healthy new habits!

Maslife
Maslife is a startup that we have previously featured, highlighting its dual aims to help you
improve your health, relax your mind, all whilst taking control of your finances. Founded by Kash Amini in 2018, this innovative app allows you to take control of your finances while also improving your state of mind and body via an array of wellbeing programmes. Its financial features include; budgeting tools, multi-currency accounts, debit cards, currency exchange and transfers. In relation to mental wellbeing, it features a step tracker, calorie counter, meditation regimes and yoga practices. There are also rewards for in-app achievements which ensures you are keeping on track with your finances. A worthy inclusion on our list for being the first finance app that also keeps you healthy!

Olivia
European startup Olivia was founded in Sweden 2020 by Amy Aanen and Hannah Lindstrom who share the belief that all women should be in control of their own hormonal journeys, and not be restricted by them. With its focus on menopause, the Olivia app provides users with research-based knowledge, tailored individual guidance, and a range of tools to support them through this phase in their lives. It also includes a tracking feature to help users monitor symptoms, moods and daily habits and a dedicated space for daily self-reflection where users can record their feelings and thoughts and learn to develop more understanding and caring for themselves.

Tethr
Founded by Matt Zerker in 2019, Canadian startup Tethr is “the world’s first peer enabled emotional fitness and wellbeing app for men”. It’s a community where men can connect, learn, build new support structures and ultimately have healthier and more positive lives.
The app enables men to connect and engage on all issues that may be affecting them via forums or one on one. Users can also join accountability pods and participate in a virtual program to help them be inspired and bring about real change in their lives.

Betwixt
Betwixt is a choose your own adventure app, aiming to help you find clarity, courage and self insight! Co Founders Elista Dermendzhiyska and Hazel Gale have created an app to provide users with the opportunity to enjoy a fantasy escape which also has a real-life impact. Inspired by Myst and Lord of the Rings and having been developed with a range of useful wellness tools from positive psychology through to cognitive therapy, the Betwixt app enables you to have an immersive experience in a dream-like world that responds to your emotions. The app’s ultimate goal is to complete the mission and escape, however in order to do so, you must actively connect with yourself. If you fancy becoming the author of your own brave new story, this is for you!

MindMoose
Mental wellbeing isn’t only something that adults should focus on, hence why MindMoose founder Zoe Ross has created a fun, digital platform that teaches children how to keep their minds healthy! The app sees character MindMoose and his friends take children on a fun, interactive journey to learn about mental wellbeing. It also features parent and teacher guides to help encourage conversations on mental wellbeing between children and supportive adults which in turn helps to identify any issues or prevent them occurring in the first place. MindMoose has been created to help children understand how their mind works, develop a healthy sense of self-awareness and self worth, understand how to manage their emotions, stay calm when feeling anxious and also learn how to solve problems, preserve and build resilience.

Patchwork
Patchwork is a startup with a focus on the healthcare sector, aiming to address the staffing crisis and also improve the headspace of workers. Co-Founders Dr Anas Nader and Dr Jing Ouyang have experienced the pressures of temporary staffing first hand and the mental effects this can have on a person. Therefore, they have developed a solution to help fill hundreds of thousands vacant work shifts in a much faster, easier and economical way than before. Through the use of online rostering, Patchwork empowers clinicians to work flexibly and enables employers to manage safe staffing more effectively, thereby giving them back more time, headspace and the improved work-life balance that they deserve. The app also enables workers to monitor and track their shifts and features automatic tracking to show them what they have worked vs what they've been paid! It is currently available on both iOS and Android 8.

HeChangedIt
He. is a Canadian startup aimed at men’s mental health and wellness, with a “Balance before burnout” strapline. Having worked with experts to determine the top pain points that create tension, stress, anxiety and depression for men, the app has been developed to focus on five core pillars, namely, Mental Fitness, Physical Fitness, Emotional Fitness, Social Fitness and Soul Fitness. With an inbuilt chat function, it aims to be a safe space for men to connect; both those who have lived experiences and those seeking help. It’s available on both iOS and Android and there is also a complementary podcast which addresses all the key pillars of men’s health and wellness.

Silatha
Amsterdam-based startup, Silatha was created by female founder Veroniek Vermeulen and is known to be the only meditation app focused on women’s emotional well-being, through the unique technique of Anchor Meditation.
The app, which is available on both iOS and Android, features a range of meditations to support a range of female topics - from pregnancy and motherhood through to menopause and female leadership. The core ethos of all though is to support and empower women of all ages, whenever and wherever they may need it most!

Space to Be You
Space is a startup which has been created by Mrigaen Kapadia, with a core mission to help users find their phone / life balance. It’s a personalised behaviour change programme designed to help you think about how you use your phone and question how and if it is affecting your life. It allows you to set goals, manage your screen time and track your daily progress to manage your habits. The app also features info, research, tips and motivational quotes to help you achieve that all-important balance. Download this and hopefully you'll spend less time on the screen and more time in your own space!

 

Subscribe to our newsletter

If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.

• #stress awareness month
• #mental wellness startups
• #mental health startups

Published on: 14th April 2022