In today’s fast-paced and often stressful world, mental health has become a top priority for many. A new wave of startups is addressing this growing need by offering accessible, innovative, and compassionate mental health solutions. These platforms are breaking barriers by providing therapy, counseling, and wellness support tailored to diverse communities. Whether it’s through virtual counseling, wellness apps, or specialized care for marginalized groups, these startups are reshaping the mental health landscape. Here are five such mental health startups that are making a meaningful impact on well-being worldwide.
- Emoneeds
Dr. Neerja Aggarwal, Co-Founder & CEO, leads a platform dedicated to enhancing mental and emotional health. The initiative focuses on optimising individuals’ performance, happiness, and overall quality of life. With a team of expert psychiatrists and clinical psychologists, the platform provides holistic, evidence-based, and scientifically-approved compassionate care to teens, adults, and families. By integrating medication management with personalised psychotherapies, it empowers patients and families to overcome challenges and achieve their goals, promoting productivity and well-being.
2. Lissun
Launched on August 15th, 2021, and headquartered in Gurugram, this innovative platform is dedicated to addressing the growing concern of mental health issues in society. Its primary goal is to provide individuals with the guidance, therapies, and solutions needed to enhance their emotional and mental well-being. Founded by experienced professionals Krishna Veer Singh and Tarun Gupta, the platform aims to tackle mental health challenges on a broad scale, especially for those who may not fully recognize their mental health needs. It offers comprehensive mental health care services, utilising technological tools for self-assessment and delivering holistic treatments. Through its unique “phygital” approach, the platform addresses a range of mental health needs, including psychiatry, rehabilitation, infertility/maternity, child, and education.
3. AUMHUM
AUMHUM, founded in December 2020 by Anumeha and Aviral Pandey, is a Bengaluru-based mental wellness startup that focuses on helping working professionals manage stress, enhance focus, and navigate the uncertainties of their work lives. With more than half of its user base located outside India, the startup offers an app available on both Android and iOS platforms. The app is accessible in 30 languages, including Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Russian, and Spanish, and has helped working professionals worldwide cope with the anxieties of remote work. AUMHUM collaborates with doctors, psychiatrists, therapists, and mentors, including meditation institutes and yoga schools, to provide holistic mental wellness solutions.
4. TheMindClan
Founded in 2018, Mumbai-based TheMindClan aggregates therapists, mental health support groups, and helplines to ensure an inclusive mental healthcare ecosystem. The platform was born out of a personal experience: a friend of Shweta Srinivasan, who identifies as queer, struggled to find a therapist with whom they could openly discuss their identity and its impact on their mental well-being. This inspired TheMindClan to create a space where individuals from diverse backgrounds and identities could access affirming, non-judgmental mental health support. By offering a range of services, TheMindClan works to bridge gaps in mental healthcare, ensuring that everyone has access to the resources they need to thrive.
5. The Alternative Story
Founded by Paras and Rashi, The Alternative Story aims to provide affordable, accessible, and politically informed counseling services, with a particular focus on socio-economically marginalized individuals. The platform offers a range of services, including one-on-one counseling, group therapy, training sessions, courses, and webinars. A dedicated team of therapists and researchers works to ensure that these services are inclusive and cater to the unique needs of underserved communities, making mental health support more accessible and relevant to all.
