Kansas City-based startup Raise Health Innovations is making waves in the mental health space with two major partnerships — one with UMKC and another with national teletherapy leader Talkspace.
The company, co-founded by Craig Mason, is using AI to detect mental health concerns in real time by integrating into everyday communication tools like email, chat and video calls. That technology is now at the center of a research study at UMKC involving over 1,000 students, designed to compare Raise Health’s early detection system with traditional survey-based mental health screenings. The results aim to demonstrate the platform’s effectiveness and could be key to opening doors with more universities and healthcare systems.
Raise Health is also collaborating with Talkspace, which will use the technology to help expand access to therapy on college campuses through secure, message-based and live video counseling. The partnership came from a cold LinkedIn message after a webinar and has since become a powerful validation of Raise Health’s innovation.
Craig Mason, a 2023 Pure Pitch Rally alum, says these partnerships are just the beginning. As Raise Health continues growing its early-adopter network, the team is exploring ways to extend its platform beyond mental health, addressing broader student needs like housing, financial aid and food insecurity.
