Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults

What Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults does

MIEA is an evidence-based mindfulness education company that develops and distributes a mindfulness curriculum purpose-built for the 18-30 emerging-adult demographic. It was founded in 2013 at Duke University and operates a multi-tier product ecosystem including self-guided courses (Steady Minds, $34.95), instructor-led Fundamentals courses ($295), professional teacher certification ($1,595-$1,895 one-time plus $225 annual renewal), institutional partnerships ($2,000-$5,000 per year), a recently launched workplace program (Steady at Work), and a Train-the-Trainer instructor-scaling program. The technology stack consists of a teacher dashboard for course and progress management and a mobile app delivering guided meditations, daily practice reminders, and progress tracking — a conventional, non-AI platform.

The company sells primarily to higher-education institutions through direct enterprise sales (with named implementations at Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, Duke, and a University of Wisconsin system-wide partnership) while also selling individual courses and certification directly to consumers via its website. To date it has trained 1,000+ certified teachers serving 75,000+ students across 300+ institutions in 14-15 countries. Its revenue model combines one-time course fees, recurring annual teacher-certification renewals, institutional subscription partnerships, and direct-to-consumer course sales; the company is privately held and founder-owned with no external funding disclosed.

The company's competitive positioning rests on its randomized controlled trial validation (published in the Journal of American College Health, the most-downloaded article in 2014), its Duke University provenance, APA-approved CE credits for certification, and a March 2026 rebrand from Center for Koru Mindfulness to Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults that sharpens its demographic positioning.

Name

Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults

Legal name

Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults

Website

https://miea.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults develops an evidence-based, Duke-originated mindfulness curriculum specifically for the 18-30 demographic, serving higher-education institutions, workplaces, and individuals through teacher certification, self-guided courses, and institutional partnerships across 14+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mindfulness Education and Teacher Training

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Services (61), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Meditation Apps, Digital Courses & Online Communities (HSADAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mindfulness, Meditation & Stress Management Education (EDAAAHAD), Mindfulness-Based Coaching & Training (MBSR/MBCT-style) (HSADAJAB)

Keywords

• Evidence-based mindfulness
• Teacher certification program
• Student wellness training
• Workplace mindfulness program
• Higher education wellbeing

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Teacher Certification Tuition: One-time certification program tuition ranging from $1,595 to $1,895 for the full 6-12 month program including workshop, mentorship, and portfolio review
2. Annual Teacher Certification Fee: Annual fee of $225/year for certified teachers covering curriculum license, trademark usage, technology platform access, and ongoing support
3. Fundamentals Course: 5-week prerequisite course for teacher certification at $295, taught by senior MIEA trainers with live sessions and mobile app access
4. Steady Minds Self-Guided Course: 4-week self-paced course at $34.95 (previously $49.95) including app access and practice book for individual learners
5. Teaching Mindful Moments Workshop: 5 virtual sessions or 2-day workshop at $295 for learning to lead brief mindfulness practices
6. Institutional Partnership Program: Annual partnership covering teacher fees, unlimited student apps, and one free certification tuition - tiered pricing from $2,000 to $5,000 based on teacher count

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MIEA sells an evidence-based mindfulness curriculum developed at Duke University, designed specifically for emerging adults aged 18–30. Its core offerings include the 4-week Intro to Mindfulness course, a Mindfulness Teacher Certification program, self-guided Steady Minds course, Steady at Work workplace program, and institutional partnership packages delivered through live workshops, online modules, and a proprietary mobile app and teacher dashboard.

Product overview

MIEA offers a multi-tiered mindfulness education ecosystem designed specifically for emerging adults (ages 18-30). The core curriculum includes Intro to Mindfulness (4-week foundational course), Intro to Mindfulness 2.0 (continuation), and Mindfulness Retreat (half-day immersive). Learning pathways range from self-guided (Steady Minds at $34.95) to instructor-led courses (MIEA Fundamentals at $295) to full professional certification ($1,595-$1,895). The platform provides technology tools including a Teacher Dashboard and Mobile App for course management and student engagement. Institutional offerings include campus-wide support programs, institutional partnerships, and workplace programs (Steady at Work). Two published books supplement the curriculum: The Mindful Twenty-Something and Mindfulness for the Next Generation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Intro to Mindfulness: Core 4-week mindfulness course for emerging adults; formerly known as Koru Basic.
• Intro to Mindfulness 2.0
• Mindfulness Retreat
• Steady at Work
• Steady Minds

Products and services

• Steady Minds

Quantifiable outcome

• Students report increased calmness, improved restfulness, enhanced self-compassion, and greater mindfulness (randomized controlled trial)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers14 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Dartmouth CollegeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDartmouth partnered with MIEA to build a campus-wide mindfulness culture. Started as pilot and grew into comprehensive initiative training faculty, empowering students, and creating connection spaces. Case study demonstrating how short-format, research-backed programming helped students and staff regulate stress.
• Harvard UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarvard University is listed as a Partner institution implementing MIEA mindfulness curriculum for students.
• Johns Hopkins UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohns Hopkins University is listed as a Partner institution with certified MIEA mindfulness teachers.
• Universities of WisconsinflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSystem-wide partnership with Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults (MIEA) creating a scalable, evidence-based model transforming student well-being across UW campuses.
• Duke UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal development location - MIEA curriculum developed at Duke University's student counseling center by co-founders Holly Rogers and Libby Webb during their 20+ years at the university.
• Appalachian State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as Partner institution implementing MIEA mindfulness programs.
• University of RichmondcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution with MIEA certified teachers including Roger Mancastroppa serving in Weinstein Learning Center.
• University of LouisvillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as Partner institution. Karen Newton directed Health Promotion and Wellbeing at UofL Student Health Services from 2007-2018 and began teaching MIEA courses at UofL in 2015.
• Wake Forest UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution where Tim Auman serves as University Chaplain and created MindfulWake program using MIEA curriculum.
• University of Arkansas for Medical SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution implementing MIEA mindfulness curriculum.
• Indiana University-Purdue University IndianapoliscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as Partner institution for MIEA programs.
• Kent State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as Partner institution for MIEA mindfulness programs.
• University of IowacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as Partner institution implementing MIEA curriculum.
• University of KentuckycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution for MIEA mindfulness programs.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• UMass Center for Mindfulness: Academic center that originated Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), training thousands of certified MBSR/MBCT teachers globally. Comparable to MIEA's teacher training and certification program and evidence-based positioning, though it focuses on clinical adult populations rather than the emerging adult segment and operates as a university research center.

Direct peers

• Insight Timer: Free meditation app with largest free library of guided meditations, courses, and a large teacher community. Comparable because it overlaps on consumer mindfulness content, mobile app distribution, and a community-driven teacher ecosystem, though it lacks MIEA's higher-ed institutional channel and clinical trial validation.
• Ten Percent Happier: Meditation app and online courses platform with structured courses and teacher-led content from notable instructors. Highly comparable as a direct competitor offering evidence-based mindfulness courses with structured curricula, online community, and a teacher/expert-led model that mirrors MIEA's approach.
• Healthy Minds Program: University-developed (University of Wisconsin–Madison) meditation program with free app, podcast, and structured curriculum backed by neuroscience research. Direct comparable to MIEA given shared higher-ed institutional channel, evidence-based positioning, and similar 18-30 emerging adult focus, though it operates as a nonprofit without a teacher certification model.
• Smiling Mind: Australian nonprofit mindfulness app with explicit focus on young people and education-sector deployment through schools and universities. Directly comparable to MIEA's higher-ed focus and emerging-adult target, and similarly offers educator training and institutional partnerships.

Emerging players

• Waking Up: Subscription meditation app offering structured courses led by author Sam Harris with emphasis on philosophical and contemplative depth. Comparable to MIEA's online courses and teacher-led approach, but lacks the institutional/higher-ed channel, teacher certification program, and clinical research positioning.

Broad incumbents

• BetterUp: Enterprise coaching and mental wellness platform serving large employers. Comparable to MIEA's Steady at Work workplace offering, though BetterUp's primary modality is 1:1 coaching rather than structured mindfulness curriculum, and it does not focus on the 18-30 emerging adult segment.
• Modern Health: Mental health platform combining therapy, coaching, and self-guided content for global employers. Overlaps with MIEA's workplace wellness go-to-market and competes for the same employer budget, though its offering is broader mental health rather than evidence-based mindfulness specifically.
• Calm: Leading consumer mindfulness and mental wellness app with strong brand, content partnerships, and Calm Business for employers. Competes with MIEA's consumer self-guided course and workplace program, but lacks MIEA's higher-ed focus, teacher certification model, and clinical evidence base for emerging adults.
• Headspace: Major consumer meditation and mindfulness app with broad content library, B2B offerings through Headspace for Work, and large employer partnerships. Comparable because it overlaps with MIEA on both consumer mindfulness (Steady Minds) and workplace wellness (Steady at Work), though Headspace does not focus on the 18-30 emerging adult segment or teacher certification.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MIEAdotcom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mieadotcom

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Mindfulness Institute for Emerging Adults