Gothenburg-based mental health startup Meela has successfully raised €2.6 million in seed funding to further develop its patient-therapist matching platform. The funding round was led by Dutch venture capital firm Peak, with participation from The Inner Foundation, Unconventional Ventures, and Calm/Storm Ventures.
Founded by licensed psychologist Tiffany Boswell, Meela focuses on improving the compatibility between patients and therapists, emphasizing personal fit over broad accessibility. Boswell’s personal experiences as a patient inspired her to create the platform, aiming to reduce the risk of mismatched therapeutic relationships. “I know what it feels like to meet the wrong therapist for you,” Boswell stated, underscoring the significance of their mission.
Meela’s platform uses an advanced algorithm that evaluates 43 different clinical metrics to assess compatibility between clients and therapists. This method has proven effective, reducing the dropout rate to just 3% after three sessions, significantly lower than the industry average of 50%.
The startup is also preparing to launch a subscription-based model for therapists, which includes a patient feedback loop designed to enhance the quality of care through continuous data analysis and feedback. Additionally, Meela is expanding into the business-to-business (B2B) market, offering tailored mental health solutions for workplace environments. This expansion responds to the increasing recognition of mental health’s impact on employee productivity and overall corporate costs.
The recent funding will support the further development of Meela’s platform and its expansion efforts, including plans to launch services in the UK and strengthen its market presence across Europe. Nora Bavey, General Partner at Unconventional Ventures, noted that the investment aligns with a broader commitment to improving mental health support and well-being, particularly among women.
With its focused approach on enhancing the precision of therapist-patient matching and expanding its reach into new markets, Meela is making significant strides towards improving the effectiveness and accessibility of mental health care.
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