We’re thrilled to invest in Spill, the London-based startup that offers a message-based therapy app to help improve workplace wellbeing as part of their £650,000 seed round alongside Passion Capital and a number of angel investors, including Made.com founder Julian
Founded just over a year ago, Spill was borne out of the co-founders’ frustrations with barriers to both public- and private-sector mental well-being offers. For anyone going through a tricky time, or simply looking for support and coaching, the only historical choices have been either a months’ long NHS waiting list to see a counsellor or paying upwards of £60 per session in order to see a private therapist. Both come with the baggage of a significant and inflexible time commitment as well as social stigma.
Spill enables users to connect with BACP [British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy] – registered or equivalent counsellors and psychotherapists using anonymous written therapeutic communication – offering private, discreet, convenient, accessible and flexible wellbeing support for individuals. Spill works with employers, workplaces or universities to make its app available to employees, individuals and students for free and as a workplace or student benefit.
“Spill is the resource that we wished we had during our own challenging times”, co-founder Calvin Benton explains. “It’s designed to be used more like a consumer app rather than a medical one so that individuals won’t be embarrassed to have it on their home screens helping to reduce any stigma.”
84% of existing Spill users had not previously accessed any mental health guidance or counselling before, thereby demonstrating the benefit and potential reach of an easy-to-use, convenient and non-intimidating service. The app has already been incorporated into progressive organisations of all sizes, from small startups with as few as only ten employees to larger fast-growth companies such as Monzo and Rightmove, as well as corporations including Hargreaves Lansdown. The company’s vision is to make therapy and counselling a default workplace benefit.
On the investment, Seedcamp Venture Partner, Devin Hunt, comments, “We’re incredibly excited to invest in the team at Spill who are creating the modern approach to mental wellbeing at work and at home. Modern businesses know that mental health is as important as physical health and Spill is the perfect solution to support different people’s mental health; wherever they are and on their own terms.”
For more information on Spill and how they can support your team visit spill.chat