16 Oct mexb.ai, the startup providing 24/7 mental health support
Brought together by out-of-war lived experiences, co-founders Meri and Kseniia joined forces to help individuals find support faster.
To celebrate World Mental Health Day, we’re highlighting our cohort team mexb.ai which is combining AI technology, community engagement, and professional support to deliver a holistic and accessible approach to mental healthcare. We spoke with co-founders Kseniia Teslenko and Meri Khazaradze who just released their AI chatbot Ora, which provides real-time support to individuals, where and whenever they need it the most.
The story so far
In Germany, the average waiting time for an initial conversation with a psychologist is a staggering three months. This is far too long for people with early symptoms of mental health conditions or simply an urgent need to talk to someone – especially when we know that early detection and prevention have enormous life and cost-saving potential.
Kseniia Teslenko, founder of mexb.ai, discovered this alarming problem after she became a volunteer translator for refugees following the outbreak of the unprovoked Russian war in Ukraine. “I started to translate for Ukrainian refugees at a gynaecologist and also a psychologist’s office where I found out just how many people struggle with mental health issues. Because of the war and the fact that my parents are living in Ukraine, I decided to search for a psychotherapist myself… However, I quickly realized just how difficult it is to find one.”
As Kseniia was looking for a co-founder, she thought of Meri Khazaradze whom she had known for years. She was familiar with the depth of Meri’s experience and the magnitude of the challenges she faced seeking professional help. “I have a long history with psychotherapy and mental health issues influenced by the war in Georgia.”, Meri says. “Everything began to come back after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The experience of war kind of left its footprint. That’s when I started to look for a psychotherapist here in Germany.” Despite the urgent need, it took Meri about a year to find the next appointment. And as she points out, the problem lies not only in how hard it is to find someone, but also in the “process of looking for, calling, and talking to many different people, telling them your story and what you’ve gone through, again and again. Every time they told me I needed support as soon as possible, but that they simply had no capacity for that.”
Ever since Meri and Kseniia started mexb.ai, they’ve heard plenty of similar stories from therapy seekers, many of them concluding that it’s better to deal with it themselves, that they’re somehow going to manage it alone. But as Meri says, “I’ve been to that point myself, and trying to just cope with it actually makes it worse…” These personal experiences inspired the co-founders to develop their solution, which seamlessly integrates the latest advancements in AI with the human touch. Mexb.ai’s chatbot provides real-time support.
While it won’t replace in-person interaction with a licensed therapist, it can support people when they need it the most, even in the middle of the night or when they feel uncomfortable sharing with friends or family. Kseniia attests that “In today’s world, the interaction between artificial intelligence and humans closely mirrors genuine human-to-human engagement. As a primary support mechanism or assistant, it has proven effective, with our users expressing satisfaction.”
Mental health chatbots are becoming increasingly popular, and the Chatbots for Mental Health and Therapy Market is expected to reach an estimated $ 6.51 billion by 2032. Research suggests they show potential to enable effective and practical evidence-based therapies. For the team, it is an extension to already existing, traditional therapy, which people can use in between therapy sessions. “You can use it to understand if you need to go to therapy”, Meri says, “or if maybe you just need someone who can listen, and AI is the perfect solution for that because it’s there for you 24/7, without judgement. We’re making our product personalized, and the more you interact with it, the more it gets to know you and provide specific recommendations to your personal needs.”
Fast-forward five years
In the next 5 years, the team seeks to establish a strong foothold in the German market, targeting a 1% market share. They aim to address many more language markets since AI offers the possibility of adding other languages on the go.“By 2028,” Meri says, “we will also have the platform up and running with professional psychotherapists so we can really offer this holistic solution to mental health issues.” Kseniia adds that they also aspire to educate users on the importance of mental health beyond providing real-time support: “Mental health is important in our everyday life and it’s better to prevent than to treat severe cases. We are extremely motivated to achieve our mission to help people to be happier and live more fulfilling lives.”
Do you want to learn more about mexb.ai and try their MVP on Telegram? Head over here or scan the QR code below 👇
