Celebrating Phase Space: The MedTech Startup Reimagining Teenage Mental Health

 On a buzzing May evening at Bayes Business School, London, the Canopy Demo Night stage belonged to two remarkable founders—Katie and Zillah of Phase Space. As the People’s Choice winners, their medtech innovation captured hearts, sparked conversations, and earned them a well-deserved standing ovation from the Canopy Community and City Ventures audience.

Their mission? Nothing short of tackling one of the most pressing challenges of our time: the teenage mental health crisis.

From Doctor Who to Doctor You

Phase Space isn’t your typical startup. Born out of a creative collaboration on a Doctor Who VR project, Katie and Zillah’s partnership brings together immersive storytelling, evidence-based design, and technical excellence. At the heart of their MVP is a VR-based mental wellness tool that helps young people reduce stress and anxiety in just seven minutes.

“We take people away from their everyday stresses and put them somewhere else,” explains Zillah. “It’s a mini-meditation, supercharged.” The product guides users through calming visuals and audio that promote instant relaxation and boost confidence. And unlike traditional interventions that can take weeks to show results, Phase Space delivers impact in the moment—when students need it most.

A Solution for Schools with “Hair on Fire” Problems

Phase Space’s laser focus is schools—where the burden of adolescent mental health is increasingly falling. With overstretched counselling services and soaring demand for support, teachers are left trying to help students manage distress while preparing them for exams.

That’s where Phase Space steps in. Tested through a rigorous RCT at St George’s, backed by SEIS investment from SFC Capital, and co-designed with students, their MVP is already demonstrating long-lasting results. And it’s not just working for teens—adult testers at the Canopy event reported a visible boost in mood, with one participant smiling just thinking about the experience the next day.

The Startup Journey: Grit, Grants, and Growth

Katie and Zillah represent the modern founder archetype—creative, resilient, and committed to learning by doing. They’ve raised grants, survived the emotional rollercoaster of funding knockbacks, and emerged with a sharper pitch, a focused go-to-market strategy, and a growing network of backers and believers.

Currently raising a new funding round to scale distribution through immersive edtech platforms, Phase Space is already laying the groundwork for digital and remote delivery—essential for wide-scale adoption across the UK and beyond.

As Katie puts it: “We’re in early commercialisation now. Feedback from early adopters is shaping our roadmap, and our priority is to get the finished product into schools through scalable, easy-to-access channels.”

Why Phase Space Won the People's Choice

There’s something special about Phase Space. Yes, it’s the sleek VR visuals. Yes, it’s the science-backed results. But what really resonated with the audience was the humanity behind the headset. The startup embodies the ethos of Canopy Membership: build what matters, test it early, and co-create with your community.

Zillah and Katie's honesty about the startup grind, the power of their co-founder relationship, and their commitment to supporting each other through the highs and lows struck a deep chord. As one investor said after the event, “I saw a company I’d bet on—and people I’d want to work with.”

Join Us for the June Demo Night – London Tech Week Edition

Every Canopy Demo Night is special, but June 2025 is next-level. As part of London Tech Week, this upcoming event is one of Canopy and City Ventures’ signature editions—a celebration of the best and boldest founders from the past year.

Phase Space will return to the stage, joined by other People’s Choice winners for a high-energy, high-impact showcase that promises to be part pitch night, part festival, part founder masterclass. Expect surprises, new formats, and a room full of founders, investors, and future collaborators from across London, Lisbon, Boston, Bangalore, and Singapore.

If you're a founder seeking validation, an investor scouting purpose-driven innovation, or just someone who wants to be inspired—don’t miss this.

🗓️ Wednesday 11th June 2025
📍 Bayes Business School, City St. George’s University of London
🎉 Free to attend. Free food and drink. Maximum vibes.

👉 Register now via City Ventures and join the Canopy Community at www.canopy.community to stay in the loop.

Let’s make London Tech Week unforgettable—and let’s give Katie and Zillah the welcome back they deserve.

Canopy Demo Night: Where Founders Grow and Ideas Take Flight.

Watch the full interview back --> https://www.youtube.com/live/G2xsDv4P4cs?si=FoanrRLOPjM7qon9 

Watch Phase Space at demo night --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyE4OAqxOMI