Times Bridge

Success stories · Consumers

Headspace

Membership up more than 50 per cent since entry, and India’s top-grossing Health and Fitness app for two years running.

Health · Since 2020

Headspace entered India in 2020, the ancient home of meditation and where its co-founder trained as a monk. Subscriptions for IIT and IIM students, free access for healthcare workers through the pandemic, a meeting with the Prime Minister, a Times Prime partnership and, in 2022, the company’s first brand campaign anywhere.

Times Bridge’s work: ecosystem influence, government engagement, brand building, strategic partnerships and market intelligence.

In 2020 Headspace entered India, the ancient home of meditation and where co-founder Andy Puddicombe got his start as a Buddhist monk. Making a mark on India’s competitive university environment, Headspace provided subscriptions for students at selected IITs and IIMs, and leaned further into India during the pandemic with free access for healthcare professionals to offset stress and burnout.

Headspace’s India story has included a meeting between its co-founders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a partnership with the premium membership programme Times Prime, which hosted Headspace’s first meditation event for the Indian market. In 2022 Headspace ran a brand campaign in India, a first for the company globally, and added Neerja Birla as the first Indian representative on its International Advisory Board. Its Indian membership has grown more than 50 per cent since entry and, for two years, the app has been India’s top-grossing Health and Fitness app across app stores.

Headspace raised 215.9 million dollars over ten rounds to its Series C in June 2020 and merged with Ginger in August 2021 to form Headspace Health. Times Bridge has supported Headspace’s ecosystem influence, government engagements, brand building, strategic partnerships and market intelligence.

  1. 01Subscriptions for students at selected IITs and IIMs
  2. 02Free access for healthcare professionals through the pandemic
  3. 03The co-founders meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi
  4. 04A partnership with Times Prime, and Headspace’s first meditation event in India
  5. 05The 2022 brand campaign, a first for the company anywhere
  6. 06Neerja Birla joins the International Advisory Board
“Be kind to your mind”: Headspace on the front page of The Times of India
“Be kind to your mind”: Headspace on the front page of The Times of India
IIM Calcutta partners with Headspace: six months of free subscriptions for students
IIM Calcutta partners with Headspace: six months of free subscriptions for students
Supporting healthcare workers in India through the pandemic
Supporting healthcare workers in India through the pandemic
Headspace on stage at The Economic Times Global Business Summit
Headspace on stage at The Economic Times Global Business Summit

While the scale and diversity of India is widely known, our opportunity to make a significant impact in the ancient home of meditation is unique. We are delighted to partner with Times Bridge and The Times Group to expand Headspace’s reach in the Indian market.

Richard Pierson, Co-founder and CEO, Headspace

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