2026 Mental Health Xperience Competition

Improving the mental well-being in college students nationwide.

Overview

Despite the availability of numerous mental wellness apps, support groups, and professional services, 77% of college students still report struggling with their mental health. Even more concerning, fewer than half engage with the available resources, and some tools have engagement rates as low as 0.5%.

The challenge

Participants will be tasked with developing a solution that improves student mental health on college campuses while retaining engagement. This solution can be based on the scalability of any resource—an app, a product, a service, a social initiative, or even a shared creative expression. The goal is not only to provide support but also to track engagement and outcomes to demonstrate effectiveness.

Get 9 credits toward your degree and exclusive competition resources by applying for Xperiment.
domain
Society
Topic
Mental Health
challenge
Identify a gap in the current mental health landscape for college-age students and develop a solution that effectively addresses it.

Benefits of participation

Career development
Real-world impact
expert support and resources
Funding

Evaluation criteria

Entries will be judged on the following:
  • Innovation: The originality and creativity of the approach.
  • Effectiveness: The potential impact on student mental health.
  • Engagement & longevity: The likelihood of sustained student use over time.
  • Scalability: The feasibility of widespread implementation.
  • Market viability: The potential for sustainable growth and investment.
This competition is more than just an opportunity to develop an idea—it is a chance to reshape how mental health is supported on college campuses. Through creative problem-solving and strategic development, students have the potential to make a lasting impact on the future of student well-being.
19.9 million
college students in the U.S.1
+60%
meet criteria for ≥1 mental health condition2
<15%
seek help from university counseling services2

A growing industry

The global mental health app market is booming, with projected growth from $5.2 billion in 2023 to $13.3 billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 16.63. This surge is fueled by increasing mental health awareness, smartphone adoption, and the urgent need for accessible support solutions, particularly among college students.

$13.3 B
2028
$5.2 B
2023
  1. American College Health Association. (2018). National College Health Assessment II: Spring 2018 Reference Group Data Report. Retrieved from https://www.acha.org/ncha
  2. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). (2024). Current Term Enrollment Estimates: Spring 2024. Retrieved from https://nscresearchcenter.org/current-term-enrollment-estimates/
  3. Statista, Global Mental Health Market Analysis, 2023