ACTuWISE seeks $5m to expand AI mental health platform

The startup’s expansion plans include launching the app in Mainland China.

ACTuWISE Ltd. is seeking $3 million to $5 million in funding to scale its artificial intelligence (AI) platform that delivers acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)—a form of counselling that helps build psychological flexibility—to parents and caregivers of children with special needs.

“We are scaling up our ACT services to not only provide a counselling service but also training,” founder and CEO Connie Chong told Hong Kong Business.

She noted that the mental health sector in Hong Kong remains focused on offering solutions to patients, with limited resources to train and empower counsellors. “They don’t have platforms that help brush up their skills.”

ACT is a form of therapy that teaches people to handle difficult thoughts and emotions by increasing psychological flexibility—helping them accept what they cannot control, commit to personal values, and take action toward a healthier mindset.

ACTuwise has conducted training in person. To widen adoption, the year-old startup plans to license its patented technology to nongovernment organisations (NGO). It works with 10 NGOs now.

Chong wants to partner with insurers to offer ACT-based consultation services.

“Mental health is often seen as a risk factor because it can become a long-term condition,” she said via Zoom. “We want to provide support to insurance companies so they can identify clients at risk of mental health issues and offer tailored insurance plans.”

Pai.ACT, the company’s AI app, now serves about 1,500 users. The tool evaluates speech and sentence patterns to identify psychological inflexibilities—a skill that can take therapists years to master. Users can access the app for free.

Pai.ACT also sorts users by risk level: high-risk clients are referred to in-person counselling, while lower-risk users are guided with self-help resources. For counsellors, Pai generates treatment recommendations and highlights focus areas.

Unlike traditional interventions requiring eight to 10 sessions, ACT often takes four to six 60-minute sessions. Chong said her research shows that ACT could lead to significant mental health improvements within six to 12 months.

The Hong Kong startup’s expansion plans include launching the app in Mainland China, focusing on Greater Bay Area cities such as Shenzhen and Guangdong, where the Chinese-language app could gain wider reach.