Toledo entrepreneurs create AI-powered, real-time support for mental health issues

Toledo’s Inner Peak AI is on the forefront of delivering real-time access to mental health services for school- and college-age with its revolutionary AI model. The platform uses artificial intelligence to provide students with on-demand resources created by licensed therapists at a fraction of the cost of traditional in-person therapy sessions.

In September, the company was accepted into the prestigious Economic Mobility Techstars program based in New York City. With an acceptance rate of less than 1%, Techstar’s intensive accelerator program is designed to rapidly advance promising startups.

This recognition validates Inner Peak AI’s innovative approach and growth potential, positioning the company to scale its impact on mental health care while highlighting Ohio as a hub for groundbreaking startups making a global difference.

“About 60% of college students meet the diagnosable criteria for having a mental illness,” says Inner Peak AI Co-Founder Sean Wheelock. “The best option today is therapy. But, what do you do when your therapist isn’t available? Or worse, what if you can’t afford a therapist?” 

Ben Anandappa, who co-founded the company alongside Wheelock, adds, “After all, your anxiety doesn’t conveniently peak at 10 a.m. on Tuesday when your therapy session is scheduled.”

Inner Peak AI’s technology provides young adults with on-demand support anytime, anywhere. Users choose an AI mental wellness coach and then talk to the AI chatbot, sharing details about their current situation. The generative AI responds with tailored questions to better understand the issue. Afterward, the AI coach shares relevant content created by a licensed mental health care provider.

Leveraging this type of AI-powered mental health support increases accessibility to mental health care for adolescents and adults. While not a substitute for mental health treatment plans provided by clinicians and mental health professionals, this use of AI technology expands its reach to help people’s mental well-being in the times between talking with a human therapist (or when psychotherapy isn’t an option).

Since the pandemic, student mental health has continued to decrease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Mental health conditions like anxiety and depression have become increasingly prevalent, posing a growing challenge for mental and behavioral health care providers to provide accessible patient care. This demand for mental health services underscores the urgent need for effective interventions to bridge the gap between treatment providers and patient outcomes.

What This Means for Ohio

The launch of Inner Peak AI positions Ohio as a leader in innovative AI-driven technology and mental health systems while strengthening the state’s reputation as a hub for machine learning, natural language processing, and healthcare innovation. 

By integrating how AI tools work in tandem with mental health services, Inner Peak AI addresses a significant disparity in mental health support for students and young adults. This approach is particularly valuable in areas with limited access to traditional therapy, offering a scalable and timely solution for those in need. The outcomes mean better overall well-being, better self care, and access to evidence-based resources for mental health disorders.