A German mental health startup Sympatient is building the first digital anxiety clinic. The startup, co-founded by Julian Angern, started researching VR-based anxiety therapy at the University Medical Centre Schleswig-Holstein. His research is supported by co-founder and brother Christian Angern who has a background in strategy consulting and project management. Founded in 2017 the company aims to provide digital psychotherapy.
Sympatient has transferred therapy content to an app-based cognitive behavioural therapy using virtual reality-based exposure for practice scenarios. The therapy primarily focuses on treating panic disorders, agoraphobia and social phobia. While using a programme called Invitro, it offers personalised treatment tailored to the patient’s needs while promising low costs, hardly any waiting time, high effectiveness and flexibility. Doctors and psychotherapists can prescribe Invirto to patients on a regular basis.
Invirto begins with a consultation or a contact form after diagnosis is completed, equipment is sent to your home which includes VR glasses, headphones and access to the Invirto app. Accredited therapists accompany the therapy process, providing patients with comfort that they need and guidance. Patients can work through therapy at their own pace, while exposing patients to situations that may trigger their disorder. The VR experience allows the patient to witness and develop a strategy through the experience of virtual reality, offering a new way of managing fears with exposure therapy from their own home.
Over 330 million people suffer from serious anxiety disorders and due to Covid-19, the situation has worsened, adding 76 million cases. Sympatient’s approach is to re-define mental health care. With waiting periods prolonging for therapy, the company took this opportunity to develop an accessible programme without any waiting time.
Raising €7.5 million from investors, mainly Verve Ventures and two angel investors which has helped fund the digitalisation of therapy with Invirtos treatment. It has been approved as a medical device with the aid of the University hospital Schleswig-Holstein which conducted the scientific research of the product. The startup has won many awards that helped the company grow and raise recognition, such as ‘Newcomer of the Year’ from the German Start Up Awards.
Sympatients’ achievements have not stopped them from aspiring to be the first digital anxiety clinic that will cover all progression of related treatment. Including an emphasis on digital aftercare, offering a way to keep up mental health for those who struggle with relapsing. Sympatient are analysing reimbursement schemes of different markets other than Germany with the product being sold across Europe, navigating through different national healthcare systems is another challenge for Sympatient left to tackle.
