Headspace was co-founded in 2010 by Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk, and Rich Pierson. The app made meditation approachable for mainstream audiences with friendly animations, short sessions, and Andy’s calm narration. It quickly became one of the top meditation apps worldwide with over 70 million downloads.
In 2021, Headspace merged with Ginger, an on-demand mental health company that provided therapy, psychiatry, and coaching through its own app. The combined entity, Headspace Health, created a full spectrum of mental health support — from self-guided meditation and mindfulness on one end to licensed therapy and psychiatric care on the other.
The merger gave Headspace a strong enterprise play. Employers can now offer their workforce everything from stress-reduction content to clinical mental health services through a single platform. The company serves over 4,000 enterprise clients. Headspace has also invested in clinical research, publishing studies on the effectiveness of its meditation programs for stress, focus, and sleep. It’s evolved well beyond a simple meditation app into a proper mental health company.
