Nerd HQ
Nerd HQ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects US adults who cannot afford mental health care to free therapy sessions through a registration funnel that hands off to partner TimelyCare, funded by individual donations, stock gifts, and celebrity-driven community fundraising.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Nerd HQ does
Nerd HQ is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit public benefit corporation (Federal Tax ID: 83-1827877) that connects adults in the United States who cannot afford mental health care with free therapy services. Its flagship offering is a registration funnel on nerdhq.org that redirects eligible users to TimelyCare, which provides a free year of access to licensed therapists, a 24-hour crisis line, an anonymous community board, and self-help resources. The organization was founded in 2011 by actor Zac Levi originally as a fan-activation event series near San Diego Comic Con and pivoted in 2017 to its current mental-health mission following Levi's personal experience with therapy.
The underlying technology stack is intentionally light: a WordPress-based website handles donor and beneficiary registration, with no proprietary platform or AI components. Service delivery is outsourced to TimelyCare under a single core partnership. The operating model is layered — donation intake flows through Venmo, StockDonator, and Givebutter-powered auctions, while community engagement is organized around 14+ fandom-specific sub-brands (Anime Nerds, Star Wars Nerds, Cosmere Nerds, Plant Nerds, etc.) and a celebrity/influencer ambassador program that includes Stephen Amell, Michael Rosenbaum, Sonequa Martin-Green, Tara Strong, and a roster of YouTube creators.
The business model is donation-driven, not commercial. Nerd HQ does not charge users; instead, individual and corporate donations — including stock donations and recurring "Mental Health Hero" commitments — fund approximately $180 per therapy session, with a stated goal of 500 sessions annually funded by 100 recurring donors. Adjacent revenue-adjacent streams include branded merchandise (Nerch) and charity auctions. Geographic scope is explicitly US-only, and headcount is in the 1–10 range, with a small core team and advisory board.
Nerd HQ firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nerd HQ
- Legal name
- Nerd HQ
- Website
- https://nerdhq.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Nerd HQ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects US adults who cannot afford mental health care to free therapy sessions through a registration funnel that hands off to partner TimelyCare, funded by individual donations, stock gifts, and celebrity-driven community fundraising.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nerd HQ industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mental Health Services
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Mental Health Therapy Platforms (Talk Therapy) (HLALAEAA)
Keywords
Where Nerd HQ is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Nerd HQ business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: Individual and corporate donations fund free therapy sessions. The organization states that every $25 of stock donated provides a year of mental health services to someone in need, and every $180 provides a therapy session. Donations are accepted via Venmo and stock donations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free therapy access for those who cannot afford it |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Nerd HQ product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nerd HQ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects US adults who cannot afford mental health services to free therapy by routing them through a website registration to its partner TimelyCare, which provides a free year of access to licensed therapists, a 24-hour crisis line, an anonymous community board, and self-help resources. Donations (Venmo, stock, recurring Mental Health Hero commitments) and Nerch merchandise sales fund each therapy session at roughly $180 per session, with fandom-based community fundraising pages and celebrity ambassadors amplifying reach.
Product overview
Nerd HQ is a 501c3 nonprofit platform providing free mental health services to those who cannot afford therapy. The core offering is the Free Therapy Program, which connects users to TimelyCare's platform for free year-long access to licensed therapists. Supporting products include community engagement features (Chatroom beta, Ambassador Program, Find Your Nerd community pages), charitable giving infrastructure (Donation Program, Wall of Heroes recognition, Bid for Mental Health Auction), educational resources (Mental Health Resources Hub), and branded merchandise (Nerch Store). The platform uses an interest-based community model where fandoms like Star Wars, Anime, and Fantasy Books each have dedicated fundraising pages featuring celebrity ambassadors, with proceeds pooled to fund therapy sessions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Nerch: Merchandise brand for Nerd HQ, featuring branded apparel and accessories available at nerdhq.store
- Find Your Nerd Communities
Products and services
- Free Therapy Program
Companies that use Nerd HQ
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Nerd HQ technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Nerd HQ partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- TimelyCarecoreTimelyCare is Nerd HQ's primary mental health services partner providing free therapy access to users who register through the Nerd HQ platform. Once users complete the Nerd HQ registration questionnaire, they are redirected to TimelyCare where they receive free registration for a year of services including access to licensed therapists, 24-hour help line, anonymous community board, and self-help resources. This is Nerd HQ's flagship partnership enabling the delivery of free mental health services.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Nerd HQ competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Open Path Collective: Nonprofit network that connects individuals to affordable mental-health therapy sessions, often at $30–$80 per session. Highly comparable to Nerd HQ's donation-funded free therapy model and shared focus on cost-barrier removal.
- Give an Hour: Nonprofit that mobilizes mental-health professionals to donate therapy hours to underserved populations. Directly comparable mission of providing no-cost mental-health access through a partner-provider model.
- The Loveland Foundation: Nonprofit focused on expanding access to mental-health therapy for communities of color via therapy fellowships and partnered providers. Comparable nonprofit therapy-funding model with a different beneficiary focus.
- Crisis Text Line: Nonprofit providing free, 24/7 text-based mental-health crisis support. Comparable donation-funded free mental-health service delivery, though crisis-focused rather than ongoing therapy.
- The Trevor Project: Large nonprofit providing crisis intervention and mental-health support for LGBTQ+ youth. Comparable celebrity-ambassador-driven, donation-funded mental-health nonprofit operating a free service helpline.
- Born This Way Foundation: Celebrity-founded mental-health nonprofit (Lady Gaga) focused on youth mental wellness, kindness, and resources. Comparable celebrity-anchored nonprofit brand driving mental-health awareness and resource access.
- Active Minds: Nonprofit dedicated to mental-health awareness and education, primarily among students and young adults. Comparable donation-funded mission of destigmatizing mental health and connecting people to resources.
Emerging players
- TimelyCare: Nerd HQ's flagship clinical partner providing virtual mental-health services to registered users. Same telehealth therapy access category as Nerd HQ's funded offering, but serves as the upstream provider rather than a like-for-like nonprofit competitor.
- 7 Cups: Online platform offering free peer-to-peer emotional support chat plus affordable professional therapy. Comparable hybrid free-plus-paid mental-health support model and free-registration entry point.
Broad incumbents
- BetterHelp: Largest direct-to-consumer online therapy platform offering subscription-based virtual counseling. Operates in the same online-mental-health-access category as Nerd HQ but as a large for-profit incumbent rather than a free nonprofit.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Nerd HQ social profiles
Digital presenceNerd HQ financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nerd HQ leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Nerd HQ funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nerd HQ M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nerd HQ
What does Nerd HQ do?
Nerd HQ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects US adults who cannot afford mental health services to free therapy by routing them through a website registration to its partner TimelyCare, which provides a free year of access to licensed therapists, a 24-hour crisis line, an anonymous community board, and self-help resources. Donations (Venmo, stock, recurring Mental Health Hero commitments) and Nerch merchandise sales fund each therapy session at roughly $180 per session, with fandom-based community fundraising pages and celebrity ambassadors amplifying reach.
Is Nerd HQ a public or private company?
Nerd HQ is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Nerd HQ founded?
Nerd HQ was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Nerd HQ based?
Nerd HQ is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Nerd HQ make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations.
Who are Nerd HQ's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Open Path Collective, Give an Hour, The Loveland Foundation, Crisis Text Line, The Trevor Project, Born This Way Foundation and Active Minds. Emerging players are TimelyCare and 7 Cups. BetterHelp is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Nerd HQ have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nerd HQ.
What industry is Nerd HQ in?
Nerd HQ's product category is Mental Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLALAEAA, General Mental Health Therapy Platforms (Talk Therapy). Its NAICS code is 813212 and its SIC code is 8300.