50 Free Mental Health Therapy Grants Now Available for Techstars Founders
May 12, 2026
Building a company is hard. Doing it while struggling with your mental health is harder.
This May, Techstars is partnering once again with the Kabila Founder Mental Health Fund to offer free therapy grants to 50 U.S.-based Techstars founders.
The first 50 founders to apply will receive a grant.
Why This Matters
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the numbers tell the story: 72% of founders say the entrepreneurial journey has negatively affected their mental health, and 81% don't talk about it.
We've shared mental health grant opportunities with our founders before, and we're proud to keep that work going in 2026.
How the Grants Work
Eligible Techstars founders can receive four free therapy sessions through BetterHelp, or up to $300 reimbursed if you already have a therapist you trust. No complicated process. Just support, when you need it.
To apply, fill out this short form.
A Community Effort
The Kabila Founder Mental Health Fund was started by James Oliver Jr. to get founders into therapy when they can't afford it themselves. To date, the fund has helped 50+ founders access care.
Brad Feld, a co-founder of Techstars, helped support the fund with $25K several years ago, and the Techstars Foundation has also been a partner.
This month, Brad is matching every dollar donated to the fund, up to another $25,000, through May 31.
In his recent post, Burn Bright, Not Out, Brad writes:
"I'm backing James because I've been there. Mental health is not a weakness. It's a part of being human. If you're a founder struggling right now — you're not broken. Get help."
You can donate to the Kabila Founder Mental Health Fund here. Every $150 becomes $300, providing four therapy sessions for a founder who needs them.
Going Deeper
James Oliver Jr. and Django Degree have also published a new book, "Burn Bright, Not Out: Shattering the Silence Around Mental Health in Tech Startups," with a foreword by Techstars Founder & CEO David Cohen and a chapter from Brad sharing his own mental health story. 90% of net book profits go directly to the fund.
Brad is also giving away his chapter for free.
If you're a Techstars founder and you need support, please don't wait and apply now.