Woebot Health

Woebot is a psychotherapy chatbot designed to help people cope with mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, and substance abuse through cognitive behavioral therapy exercises. It first debuted as a Facebook Messenger app in 2017, and later developed as a standalone app. Around 4.7 million messages are exchanged with the bot per week. The system leverages AI and natural language processing to evaluate a user’s emotional state and deliver the appropriate, clinically validated interventions. Woebot is designed to be used frequently, with brief one- to two-minute check-ins that can be done anytime. The chatbot tailors its interactions based on user responses, providing personalized support and psychoeducation.

The company received FDA Breakthrough Device designation for its WB001 digital therapeutic solution in May 2021, which combines cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy together with its chatbot intended to help individuals manage postpartum depression. The company also published a large-scale study that showed Woebot could help reduce substance use.

Key customers and partnerships

The app has been used by over 1.5 million people since its launch.

Woebot Health has partnered with several healthcare providers and institutions to expand access to its mental health tools. In 2023, Akron Children's Hospital signed an agreement to make Woebot available to adolescent patients ages 13–17 through clinician referral. Additionally, Woebot Health partnered with PayrollPlans and Curai Health in 2023 to offer mental health and primary care solutions to employees of small and medium-sized businesses. In November 2021, Woebot Health partnered with Bayer Pharmaceuticals under the G4A Digital Health Partnerships Program to receive an investment of USD 9.5 million from Bayer AG's investment arm Leaps by Bayer.