Founded by Mark Cox, an NHS A&E Doctor, Orli is on a mission to improve accessibility to mental health services for children and their families, leveraging game mechanics and AI through its flagship interactive platform.

With over a quarter of a million children in England still waiting for mental health support, Orli provides vital easy-to-access mental health services. This equity investment demonstrates growing confidence in Orli’s novel approach to digital-first solutions for children that addresses the stigma around mental health.

Children using the app interact with an AI-powered companion, or ‘Orli’, allowing them to externalise their feelings by mirroring their emotional journey. Through exciting, game-like exercises and challenges for their Orli, users develop emotional awareness and self-regulation skills, empowering children to take ownership of their mental health. Orli’s parent or guardian-facing app syncs with their child’s activities, providing real-time insights into their progress, tracking improvements, and providing access to at-home techniques to support their journey.

Mark Cox, Founder & CEO Orli said: “This funding is a pivotal milestone in Orli’s growth, and we are delighted to have the recognition and support of Bethnal Green Ventures. It’s obvious to anyone working in the NHS that more needs to be done to support the mental health of children in the UK. Working in A&E services in recent years I have seen the devastating effects of neglecting children’s mental health, and I wanted to do something to change that. For children who are struggling, Orli is an easy to access and engaging way to experience mental health support. With this VC backing, we are one step closer to helping children across the country without them having to join a waiting list.”

Paul Miller, CEO at Bethnal Green Ventures, said: “We’re excited to support Orli as part of BGV’s Spring 2025 Tech for Good programme, as they align with our investment focus – using technology to address pressing social problems with the potential to help millions of people. Mark has built a promising team and product around this mission to reduce inequalities in children’s mental health services. We look forward to working with the team as they scale.”

Orli integrates proven behavioural science, sensory tools like haptics or breathing techniques, and progressive reward loops to keep users engaged. Future plans include the integration of wearable technology, allowing Orli to better track users’ responsiveness and the effectiveness of its services.

Orli will use the new funding to expand its development team, improve its user experience, grow its online parent community, and accelerate clinical validation of the Orli platform in collaboration with UK healthcare partners. The team are also partnering with schools nationwide offering workshops and pilot programmes that integrate Orli’s tools into classroom settings.