Mindset will comprise opportunities over the next 3 years to grow the UK’s nascent immersive digital mental health sector through investment in projects which can deliver digital mental health therapeutics. The programme will also create a supportive ecosystem which will help companies bring these innovations to market.
The programme will provide support for innovators and stakeholders in the immersive technology and mental healthcare sectors. Most interested parties are those that are working, researching or innovating in the immersive mental health sector or have aspirations to do so.
The programme’s objective is to encourage fusion between the immersive technology sector and formal mental health providers. This is so that more people with mental health needs can be treated more quickly through immersive digital mental health therapies.
XR refers to extended reality and covers:
- augmented reality (AR)
- mixed reality (MR)
- virtual reality (VR)
- haptics
- interfaces
- platforms
- software
The above are often referred to as immersive technologies.
In addition to grant funding, the mindset programme will likely include:
- support and thought leadership through a specialist centre of excellence
- advice and signposting on how to access the market
- an alliance with formal mental healthcare providers so that creative technology innovators have a better chance of success
- an investor partnerships scheme
Our first set of grant funded projects will start in spring 2023 and the next funding opportunity will follow later in autumn 2023, supported by a workshop to guide potential applicants.