NHS-Backed Venture Fund Invests in AI Mental Health Startups to Transform Patient Care
In a major move to modernise mental health services, the NHS-backed venture fund Meridian Health Ventures has made its first investments in two AI-driven mental health companies — Affiniti AI and Hologen AI — in partnership with the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM). The initiative marks a significant step forward in harnessing artificial intelligence to improve access, efficiency, and outcomes in mental health care.
The investments will allow both startups to integrate their innovative solutions into NHS settings, bringing cutting-edge technology directly to patients. Affinity AI focuses on AI-assisted therapy, providing hybrid digital and human support that helps patients manage mental health conditions between sessions. Halogen AI applies AI tools to psychiatric drug development, accelerating research into treatments for severe mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and psychosis.
Meridian Health Ventures, launched in 2024, is dedicated to supporting technology-driven mental health solutionsthat can scale across the NHS. By partnering with SLaM — one of the UK’s leading mental health trusts — the fund ensures that these innovations are tested and validated in real-world clinical environments, creating evidence-based solutions for nationwide rollout.
The pilot programmes aim to reduce pressure on overstretched mental health services by offering faster, more accessible care to patients while enabling NHS staff to focus on clinical work rather than administrative tasks. Patients in the trials will benefit from early access to advanced tools designed to enhance treatment, improve monitoring, and personalise care plans.
This strategic investment underlines the NHS’s commitment to digital innovation in healthcare, tackling long-standing challenges such as long waiting times and gaps in mental health service provision. By fostering the growth of AI startups in partnership with NHS providers, the initiative positions the UK at the forefront of AI-powered mental health solutions.
Professor John Smith, Chief Executive of Meridian Health Ventures, said:
“Our first investments represent a new era for mental health care in the UK. By supporting innovative AI technologies like Affinity AI and Halogen AI, we are helping the NHS deliver faster, more personalised treatment to patients and build a model for the future of mental health services.”
The NHS-backed venture fund plans to continue identifying and supporting promising startups, ensuring that AI, digital technology, and evidence-based innovation play a central role in modernising healthcare delivery across the country. Early successes from this programme could pave the way for wider adoption of AI-enabled mental health services throughout the NHS.
