InnerGize, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) mental health technology startup, has recently secured an additional ₹4.5 crore in its pre-seed funding round, spearheaded by global venture capital firm Antler. This latest investment brings the startup’s total pre-seed funding to ₹6.5 crore.
Notable participants in this funding round include prominent investors such as Arjun Vaidya of V3 Ventures, financial influencer Sharan Hegde, Aman Gupta from boAt, OYO founder Ritesh Agarwal, and Azhar Iqubal of Inshorts.
Founded by Dr. Siddhant Bhargava, Shalmali Kadu, and Mitansh Khurana, InnerGize focuses on addressing India’s escalating mental health challenges through technology.
Their primary innovation is a wearable device, InnerGize Gen 1, priced at Rs 8,000, which utilizes Neuroacoustic Vagal Modulation.
This is a neuromodulation technique designed to gently stimulate the vagus nerve—the body’s natural relaxation trigger. This stimulation aims to send calming signals directly to the brain, reducing stress and anxiety effectively, according to the startup.
According to a pivotal study published in The Lancet Psychiatry, approximately one in seven individuals in India suffered from mental disorders of varying severity as of 2017, constituting nearly 15% of the global mental health burden (Sagar et al., 2020). This alarming statistic underscores an urgent need for accessible, effective, and scalable mental health solutions.
InnerGize’s approach aligns closely with contemporary research highlighting the promising role of wearable technologies in managing mental health conditions. A systematic review by Hickey et al. (2021) indicates that smart wearable devices significantly improve mental health outcomes by effectively monitoring physiological indicators of stress and delivering timely interventions.
With the newly secured funding, InnerGize plans to accelerate product development and broaden its market reach, reinforcing its commitment to providing innovative mental health solutions. This initiative not only holds promise for addressing India’s mental health challenges but also positions InnerGize as a growing player in the country’s mental health technology sector.
Banner image credit: Innergize
