OpenUp has raised €20m to expand its workplace mental health platform in Europe and bring in new expertise.
The Amsterdam-based employee mental health startup has secured the funding from venture capital firms Smartfin and Rubio Impact Ventures.
Founded in 2020 by Gijs Coppens, OpenUp provides direct support aimed at helping employers build and retain resilient and engaged teams.
Its service includes personal sessions with psychologists, physical health experts such as nutritionists or sleep specialists, and financial experts, as well as interactive group sessions and online courses.
Gijs Coppens, registered healthcare psychologist and founder of OpenUp, said: “Low-barrier access to professional support for employees? That should be the most normal thing in the world at every company.
“Although interest is growing strongly, the mental well-being market in Europe is still relatively small and fragmented.
“At the same time, mental health is one of the most important challenges of the 21st century. As a European player, we know this market and its solutions well.
“With this investment, we want to become an even more important partner for organisations that want to invest in the mental support of their employees.”
The company says it focuses on direct, preventive support for mental health issues, unlike traditional employee assistance programmes and occupational health services.
Support is anonymous, there are no waiting lists, and it is available in more than 35 languages. The platform also offers support for lifestyle improvement and workplace effectiveness.
OpenUp says employers cannot see which individuals are using the service and receive only information on the number of employees using the platform.
The company also says its experts are not allowed to share users’ information with employers or third parties.
The company says more than 1.6m Dutch employees, or 20 per cent, suffer from burnout symptoms, with the rate reaching 30 per cent across Europe.
It says factors such as advances in AI and geopolitical tensions could push those numbers higher in the coming years.
Coppens said: “Unless we actively anticipate this and properly support employees.
“Employers are taking on an ever-greater responsibility in this area, and if policymakers have their way, even a duty of care.
“At the same time, technology such as AI is fundamentally changing the way we work. That is precisely why organisations need to think about how they support their people through that transition, which is exactly what we do at OpenUp.”
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