MARC - UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center

What MARC - UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center does

UCLA Mindful (formerly MARC — Mindful Awareness Research Center) is the official mindfulness education center of UCLA Health, founded in 2000 by Diana Winston within UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and rebranded to UCLA Mindful in 2024. The center operates as a nonprofit program within the University of California system, with a team of 8 employees based on the UCLA campus in Los Angeles, and describes its mission as advancing mindfulness education to promote individual and cultural well-being and resilience "world-wide."

The core product portfolio centers on a freemium content distribution model. Free resources include a mobile app (iOS/Android), studio-recorded guided meditations in English and Spanish, daily drop-in meditations, and weekly live meditation podcasts. Paid offerings comprise evidence-based structured courses — such as the six-week 'Art of Thriving with ADHD' program — currently priced at roughly half their prior levels, registered through the UCLA commerce platform (commerce.cashnet.com/UCLAMINDFUL). An optional Supporter/Benefactor Donation Program was introduced to sustain the free inventory after the elimination of scholarships. The technology layer is conventional: web content delivery, native mobile apps, streaming audio/video infrastructure, social media (Instagram, Facebook), and email newsletter operations.

UCLA Mindful serves two distinct go-to-market motions. Direct-to-consumer motion targets individuals through self-serve app downloads, course registration, and free resource consumption. Enterprise field-sales motion targets institutional buyers — corporate organizations, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, medical/mental health settings, and nonprofits — through dedicated workplace mindfulness programming tailored by sector. Revenue mechanics blend small course registration fees with discretionary donations, while institutional support flows indirectly through UCLA Health.

Name

MARC - UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center

Legal name

UCLA Health - UCLA Mindful

Website

https://marc.ucla.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UCLA Mindful (formerly MARC) is the UCLA Health nonprofit mindfulness education center offering evidence-based programs via free mobile app, guided meditations, paid courses, and workplace mindfulness, serving individuals, corporations, K-12 and higher education, healthcare, and nonprofits globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mindfulness Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Mindfulness-Based Coaching & Training (MBSR/MBCT-style) (HSADAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Meditation Apps, Digital Courses & Online Communities (HSADAJAH), Mindfulness, Meditation & Stress Management Education (EDAAAHAD)

Keywords

• Mindfulness education programs
• Guided meditation app
• Workplace wellness training
• Evidence-based mindfulness
• Mental health programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Registration Fees: Revenue generated from paid mindfulness courses and classes, including specialized programs like 'The Art of Thriving with ADHD' which runs on Saturdays over a 6-week period. Pricing has been reduced by approximately half to improve accessibility.
2. Donations and Supporter Program: Optional Supporter/Benefactor Donation Program where those who can afford to contribute help sustain free resources including the mobile app, daily drop-in meditations, and weekly free meditation classes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UCLA Mindful is the mindfulness education center of UCLA Health, offering evidence-based mindfulness education to individuals and institutions worldwide. It sells structured multi-week mindfulness classes (including specialized programs such as "The Art of Thriving with ADHD"), tailored workplace mindfulness programs for businesses, K-12 schools, higher education, healthcare, and nonprofits, and provides free digital resources including the UCLA Mindful mobile app, studio-recorded guided meditations (English and Spanish), daily drop-in meditation sessions, and weekly live meditation podcasts.

Product overview

UCLA Mindful is a mindfulness education center at UCLA Health offering evidence-based mindfulness programs. The core product portfolio includes the free UCLA Mindful mobile app (available for iOS and Android), free studio-recorded guided meditations (in English and Spanish), weekly live podcasts, daily drop-in meditation sessions, and structured mindfulness classes and programs. Additional offerings include workplace mindfulness programs for medical settings, K-12 schools, businesses, and nonprofits, as well as specialized courses like the ADHD-focused program. The offerings range from free community resources to paid educational programs, with recent pricing reductions making programs more accessible.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UCLA Mindful App Free mobile application for iOS and Android providing on-demand access to guided meditations, daily drop-in meditations, and weekly free meditation classes for users worldwide.
• Free Studio-Recorded Guided Meditations Free studio-recorded guided meditation audio content that can be streamed or downloaded, available in English and Spanish for individual mindfulness practitioners.
• Weekly Live Meditation Podcasts and Talks Live weekly meditation podcasts and talks streamed online for individual learners seeking ongoing guided practice and mindfulness education.
• Free Daily Drop-In Meditations Daily free drop-in meditation sessions offered to support ongoing mindfulness practice for individual learners.
• Mindfulness Classes and Programs Evidence-based paid mindfulness classes for adults, including specialized multi-week courses such as the 6-week 'Art of Thriving with ADHD' program with Manijeh Motaghy, delivered online and in-person.
• Workplace Mindfulness Programs Tailored workplace mindfulness programs delivered to institutions including businesses, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, healthcare and mental health settings, and nonprofit organizations, adapted to each sector's needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants learn scientifically-proven techniques for reducing stress and cultivating well-being

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Insight Timer: Free, community-driven meditation app with thousands of teachers and a large free meditation library. Closely comparable to UCLA Mindful on free guided meditations, app distribution, and community-led engagement.
• Calm: Leading meditation, sleep, and wellness app with a large content library and enterprise (Calm Business) offering. Directly comparable to UCLA Mindful on guided meditations, courses, and workplace mindfulness programs.
• Mindful Schools: Nonprofit focused on bringing mindfulness to K-12 education through curricula, teacher training, and online courses. Comparable to UCLA Mindful's K-12 and higher education segments on content and delivery model.
• Ten Percent Happier: Meditation app and podcast focused on evidence-based, secular mindfulness with structured courses for skeptics and beginners. Comparable on course-based learning, app delivery, and emphasis on research-backed mindfulness content.
• Brown University Mindfulness Center: University-based mindfulness research and education center with similar academic-affiliation positioning, MBSR/MBCT-style programming, and clinical/healthcare provider training. Most structurally analogous peer to UCLA Mindful.
• Headspace: One of the largest commercial meditation and mindfulness apps, offering guided meditations, courses, sleep content, and enterprise wellness programs. Competes with UCLA Mindful across both consumer subscribers and B2B workplace mindfulness channels.
• UMass Memorial Center for Mindfulness: Academic medical center-based mindfulness program where Jon Kabat-Zinn founded MBSR. Operates MBSR teacher training, clinical programs, and research — directly comparable to UCLA Mindful on academic-research identity and teacher-training lineage.

Broad incumbents

• BetterHelp: Large online mental health platform offering therapy and related wellness services, including mindfulness content. Overlaps with UCLA Mindful in serving stress/ADHD populations and partnering with healthcare institutions.

Emerging players

• Waking Up (Sam Harris): Subscription meditation app with structured courses emphasizing secular, philosophy-informed mindfulness. Comparable on premium course-based app delivery model and evidence/teacher-led content positioning.
• Palouse Mindfulness: Online MBSR teacher training and mindfulness education provider offering self-paced and live courses. Comparable on MBSR-style training and digital course delivery, though smaller scale than UCLA Mindful.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/UCLAMindful
• Instagraminstagram.com/uclamindful
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marc---ucla-mindful-awareness-research-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about MARC - UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center