Mental Health Innovations

What Mental Health Innovations does

Mental Health Innovations (MHI) is a UK-registered charity (charity number 1175670) founded in 2017 with a grant from The Royal Foundation, headquartered in London. The organisation operates the UK's only free, confidential, 24/7 text-based mental health crisis support service, Shout (85258), alongside The Mix — an anonymous digital platform serving young people under 25 — and PeerChat, the UK's only open access one-to-one peer webchat service for ages 16-25. Following its 2024-2025 merger with youth mental health charity The Mix, MHI became the largest provider of free digital mental health support for children, young people and adults in the UK, with a combined staff of 200 people and a network of nearly 17,000 trained volunteers.

The technology platform combines text-based crisis intervention, webchat, online resources, and AI-powered tools including the Shout Conversation Simulator (a generative AI training system built with Slingshot AI on 2M+ anonymised conversations), MixBot (a knowledge-retrieval chatbot covering 300+ topics), and NLP-driven feedback analysis for quality assurance. The organisation is ISO 27001 certified, GDPR-compliant, and partners with Imperial College London's Institute of Global Health Innovation for ongoing data science and mental health research. As of 2025, MHI's cumulative impact includes 3 million conversations, 1 million texters supported, and 104 million text messages exchanged.

MHI's business model is charity-funded: all services are free at point of use, with revenue derived from charitable donations, grants from foundations (BBC Children in Need, National Lottery Community Fund, Google.org), corporate partnerships (Zurich Community Trust, Aviva, Bloomberg, Next, Wagamama), and service delivery contracts including a prison mental health partnership with Serco Justice and Immigration Unit. The organisation is also developing commercial training revenue via a Digital Training Platform launching May 2026. Customer segments are primarily individuals (adults in mental health crisis, young people under 25), with secondary B2B/B2G segments including corporate employers and the justice system.

Name

Mental Health Innovations

Legal name

Mental Health Innovations

Website

https://mentalhealthinnovations.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Mental Health Innovations is a UK charity operating Shout (the UK's only free 24/7 text crisis line), The Mix (youth mental health platform), and PeerChat, providing free digital mental health support to over 1 million people through volunteer-powered and AI-augmented services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Mental Health Support

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Crisis Support, Suicide Prevention & Acute Behavioral Triage Platforms (HLALAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health Teletherapy Platforms (HLALAEAF), General Mental Health Therapy Platforms (Talk Therapy) (HLALAEAA), Behavioral Health Crisis Services Management (988/Hotlines/Mobile Crisis Coordination) (HLAEAHAK), Student Support Hotlines & Digital Wellbeing Tools (EDAJAIAL)

Keywords

• Digital mental health support
• Crisis text services
• Youth mental health
• Online peer support
• Mental health charity

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations and Grants: MHI operates as a registered charity (number 1175670) primarily funded through donations from individuals, charitable foundations, and trusts. Major funders include Aviva, BBC Children in Need, Bloomberg, National Lottery Community Fund, and numerous other trusts and foundations. The organization also receives funding from corporate partners and philanthropic grants for specific programs and research.
2. Corporate Partnerships: MHI generates support through corporate partnerships where companies provide funding, employee giving programs, or cause-related marketing. Corporate partners include major brands like Zurich, Next, Wagamama, and others who align with MHI's mission and values.
3. Service Delivery Contracts: MHI provides crisis support services to organizations including corporate employee wellness programs, prisons (partnership with Serco), and potentially NHS/government contracts. Services may be commissioned to provide Shout or other digital mental health support to specific populations.
4. Volunteer Program: Nearly 17,000 volunteers have completed training and support text conversations. While volunteers provide services free of charge, they represent a significant 'in-kind' contribution model that enables service delivery at scale without equivalent staffing costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mental Health Innovations operates the UK's only free, confidential, 24/7 text message crisis support service (Shout 85258) and The Mix, an anonymous online resource for young people under 25. The organization also delivers PeerChat (one-to-one peer webchat for ages 16-25), a Digital Training Platform for volunteer learning, and proprietary AI tools including the Shout Conversation Simulator and MixBot. All services are free to end users and funded by donations, grants and corporate partnerships.

Product overview

Mental Health Innovations operates a platform-plus-services architecture offering digital mental health support across multiple products. The core offerings are Shout (the UK's only free, confidential, 24/7 text message crisis support service) and The Mix (an anonymous online resource for young people). These are complemented by PeerChat (one-to-one peer support for 16-25 year olds), the Youth Voice Programme (co-designing services with young people), and the Service User Voice Group (research partnership with Imperial College London). AI-powered features include MixBot (an AI chatbot on The Mix website using a curated database) and the Shout Conversation Simulator (a generative AI training tool). The Digital Training Platform delivers structured learning content. All services are supported by clinical expertise, data insights, and machine learning, unified under the mission to transform mental health through digital innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shout: The UK's first and only free, confidential, 24/7 text message support service for anyone struggling to cope with their mental health. Powered by trained volunteers and clinical oversight.
• The Mix
• PeerChat

Products and services

• Shout (85258) UK's first and only free, confidential, 24/7 text message support service for anyone struggling to cope with their mental health. Connects people in mental health crisis with trained volunteers and clinical oversight. Has supported over one million texters through more than three million conversations.
• The Mix Anonymous online resource for young people under 25, providing self-paced learning tools, information, advice, community support, and counselling on mental health, money, jobs, and relationships. Serves as a digital safety net for under-25s.
• PeerChat UK's only open access, one-to-one webchat service offering free, confidential peer support for young people aged 16-25. Co-designed with young people and delivered by trained peers who understand what users are going through.
• Digital Training Platform Training platform for delivering structured courses to volunteers and staff. Collects account information, learning data, course progress, activity history, and issues completion certificates. Payments processed via Stripe.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 million people supported through 3 million conversations with 104 million text messages exchanged
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Imperial College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Long-standing research partnership with the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI), led by Professor the Lord Ara Darzi. Collaborates on using cutting edge data science, Natural Language Processing and machine learning to gain insights from Shout's anonymized dataset. Extended in 2024 for a two-year project to produce four observatory reports guiding policy and practice.
• Slingshot AIcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Partnership to build the Shout Conversation Simulator (SCS), a generative AI system fine-tuned on two million anonymized and aggregated Shout conversations. Enables volunteers to practice skills before taking their first conversation.
• Serco Justice and Immigration UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting prisoners with their mental health across the UK. MHI provides mental health support services integrated into the prison service environment.
• The MixcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompleted merger with youth mental health charity The Mix, creating the largest provider of free, digital mental health support for children, young people and adults in the UK. Combines Shout crisis text service with The Mix's online resources for under-25s.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)supportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology infrastructure provider supporting MHI's digital platform operations.
• Crisis Text LinesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a Friend of Mental Health Innovations, indicating collaborative relationship in the crisis support sector.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• 7 Cups: Global digital platform offering free emotional support through trained listeners and online therapy. Closely comparable to PeerChat and Shout as volunteer-powered, text-based peer support for mental wellbeing.
• YoungMinds: UK charity focused on children and young people's mental health, providing information, support, and a parent helpline. Comparable as a UK youth mental health nonprofit, though focused more on information/advocacy than crisis text intervention.
• The Trevor Project: US-based nonprofit providing 24/7 crisis support for LGBTQ+ young people via text, chat, and phone. Closely comparable operating model (trained volunteers, text/chat crisis support, digital-first delivery) to MHI's Shout and PeerChat.
• Crisis Text Line: US-based 24/7 text-based crisis intervention service operating an identical model to MHI's Shout (85258). Listed as a 'Friend' of Mental Health Innovations, indicating active collaboration in the crisis text support sector.
• Samaritans: UK's leading suicide and emotional distress helpline charity, operating a phone and email service. Directly comparable as a UK-based crisis support charity, though operating through voice rather than text.
• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): UK charity providing crisis support for men, including a helpline and webchat. A James Scroggs (MHI Trustee) is also a CALM trustee, evidencing close ties. Comparable as a UK crisis support charity with text/chat delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Mind: Largest UK mental health charity, providing information, support, and advocacy across a much broader portfolio (local services, helplines, policy). Comparable as a UK mental health nonprofit but operates through traditional rather than digital-first delivery.
• BetterHelp: Largest online therapy platform globally, connecting users to licensed therapists via text, chat, phone, and video. Comparable as a digital mental health delivery platform but commercial and clinician-led rather than volunteer-led and free.
• Headspace: Major digital mental wellness platform offering meditation, mindfulness, and therapy services via subscription. Operates in overlapping mental health digital space but commercial subscription model targeting self-help rather than crisis intervention.

Regional players

• Anna Freud Centre: UK-based charity providing mental health support and research for children and families. Trustee Professor Peter Fonagy is Chief Executive of the Anna Freud Centre, evidencing close ties. Comparable as a UK youth mental health charity with research and clinical focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mental Health Innovations