Ginger and Headspace Merge: CEOs Let Us In On What ’ s Next for Digital Mental Health Super Company

By JESSICA DaMASSA, WTF HEALTH The thinking behind the merger-of-equals between on-demand mental health company, Ginger, and mindfulness and meditation company, Headspace, is revealed in this in-depth chat with Headspace CEO CeCe Morken and Ginger CEO Russell Glass. The combined entity will be known as Headspace Health, with CeCe as its President and Russell as its CEO, and we’re chatting with both of them about go-to-market, strategic direction, and whether or not the next stop is an IPO. “Low-cost, quality mental healthcare” is where these two minds seem to meet – playing on both Ginger’s reputation for being among the lowest cost providers of on-demand coaching and mental health therapy for the employer market, and Headspace’s budget-friendly, tech-first approach to mental wellness education and training for the masses. This is a critical point of differentiation, especially on the clinical side, where the cost of therapy is oftentimes a barrier for access to it. Headspace will be rolled out to Ginger’s enterprise clients immediately (playing what sounds like a preventative medicine / early-detection role), but what might be even more exciting are plans to integrate Ginger’s therapy and coaching services into the direct-to-consumer product that has made Headspace a household name. Is this the move before the BIG MOVE into the public markets? How will the integration work on the data side? And, for you long-time health tech followers and love...
Source: The Health Care Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Tech Health Technology Jessica DaMassa WTF Health CeCe Morken digital mental health Ginger Headspace Headspace Health Russell Glass Source Type: blogs