Wysa

Wysa operates an AI-powered mental health application available on Android, iOS and the web for self-help and self-monitoring of emotional wellbeing. Its conversational agent combines rule-based algorithms with large language models to respond to users' expressed thoughts and emotions, and directs them to a library of evidence-based exercises drawn from cognitive behavioural therapy, solution-focused therapy and mindfulness, including breathing exercises, meditation, sleep sounds and thought-reframing tools. The app is intended for users aged 13 and over (11+ where agreed with an institutional partner), is not positioned as a substitute for professional medical advice, and is not recommended for crisis situations or for people with severe and enduring mental health problems.

Beyond the self-help app, Wysa offers a tiered model: free AI chat; structured human support from coaches, counsellors and therapists on staff; and clinical programmes. Coaches hold a master's degree in psychology or social work plus a coaching certification and deliver text-based or audio-video sessions with asynchronous messaging between sessions. Institutional versions of the product are deployed by employers, schools, universities and insurers, and the company markets modules for healthcare settings including children and young people, collaborative care (CoCM), physical therapy and NHS Talking Therapies, plus insurer-facing offerings and product lines branded Gateway, Navigator, Copilot and AI Self-Help.

Wysa's stack runs on AWS with MongoDB Atlas, Cloudflare and Firebase/Google Analytics, uses Private AI to screen personal details from conversation data, and provisions generative AI features through OpenAI, Anthropic and Google Gemini models alongside Wysa's own proprietary AI, with US or UK data residency depending on the client. Translation services (Microsoft Azure Translator, Google Translate, DeepL) support multilingual conversation modules, and Twilio and Turn.io enable delivery of the conversation space over WhatsApp.

Founding story

Wysa was conceptualized in 2016 after co-founder and CEO Jo Aggarwal experienced a period of deep depression; the company was started with a mission to provide low-cost emotional wellness support globally, addressing the gap between demand for mental health care and the limited supply of trained professionals. Aggarwal previously served as founding director for technology and innovation at a UN-backed foundation and as managing director of Pearson Learning Solutions in the UK.

Business model

Wysa sells through both consumer and institutional channels. The core AI chat and in-conversation tools are free, with a paid premium tier that unlocks a wider tool library and one-on-one coaching sessions, offered in weekly, monthly and quarterly subscription packs. Institutional partners — employers, schools, universities, insurers and health systems — license versions of Wysa and provide premium access to their populations at no cost to the end user, sometimes including human coaching. As of 2022, about 80% of Wysa's business came from enterprise customers, with the B2C model having historically driven most of its reach.

Freemium consumer subscriptions for premium tools and coaching, plus enterprise and institutional licensing to employers (via employee assistance programmes), insurers, healthcare providers and government health authorities. Premium human coaching is offered at additional cost in some locations. Grant funding also supports specific programmes.

Traction

Company figures cite over 6 million users, 11 million lives covered, 105 countries, 1 billion AI conversations, 45+ peer-reviewed publications, 91% of users finding Wysa helpful, 10x access to mental health support and a 33% reduction in lost-time days. At the time of its 2022 Series B, Wysa reported 4.5 million users across 65 countries and more than 400 million conversations. A 2023 profile cited 550 million conversations with 6.5 million users in 95 countries. A peer-reviewed JMIR study of 1,213 Wysa users found those with app access between coaching sessions averaged 6.57 sessions versus 0.55 for coaching alone, making them nearly three times more likely to complete their coaching programme.

Latest developments

Wellcome has awarded Wysa a £5.3 million grant for a scale-up study adapting a clinically validated digital mental health intervention for adolescent girls in rural India. Wysa launched Dreamkit in Maharashtra, a combined physical-workbook and digital programme delivered in Marathi for adolescent girls in low-resource settings, and released multilingual capabilities. It was named a Top 10 winner in the AI for All: Global Impact Challenge at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, selected from more than 1,350 applications across 60 countries, and was cited by Senior Minister of State for Health Dr Poh-Koon Koh in Singapore's Parliament for powering mindline.sg. Kins is now part of Wysa, extending the platform into virtual physical therapy, and Wysa has partnered with April Health to deliver collaborative care in primary care practices. A peer-reviewed JMIR study reported that AI support between coaching sessions nearly tripled coaching programme completion.