Combining Shape-change and Biofeedback to Improve Mental Health Delivery

Mental health conditions are set to become the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide by 2030 (at a projected cost of €14.8 trillion), surpassing other major health concerns. The most effective path to lasting recovery involves Mental Health Professionals (MHPs), but despite significant efforts, they currently can only help around one in three patients recover during treatment. MHPs lack adequate tools and remain ill-equipped to support the 970 million people in need of mental health care. Typical treatment cycles involve only one hour per week to rewire maladaptive responses, while digital alternatives suffer from a low two-week retention rate of 3.9%.Ankor is a unique and scalable solution designed to help MHPs deliver faster, more effective treatments, aiming to double recovery rates and extend support to over 100 million additional patients; for whom existing solutions have failed. By integrating biosensing, AI, and real-time shape-changing mechanisms, Ankor enables both patients and MHPs to interact with and modify physiological and psychological responses, making mental health care more tangible, accessible, and easy.The primary objective of this project is to explore and validate the innovation potential of our technology, with a focus on building customer traction and identifying viable market pathways. Specifically, we aim to: (1) construct functional demonstrators to advance the capabilities and reach of our technology; (2) engage with potential customers and establish relationships with key stakeholders, gain insights into market needs, and assess the commercial viability of Ankor; (3) create a market validation report that quantifies the demand for our technology and outlines a market entry strategy with measurable milestones.Through this project, we will set the groundwork for launching a spin-out company to commercialise the Ankor concept and product with the long-term goal of radically improving the delivery of mental health support.