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With the news cycle churning out updates on the latest COVID-19 developments, the uncertainty about how long the pandemic will last and inevitable economic effects, some people are turning to meditation apps to clear their head. And in turn, some popular apps are making the services free or curating them for certain groups.

Los Angeles-based meditation app is offering free services and guides to help people and specific groups cope with stress by introducing Headspace for Healthcare Professionals, Headspace for Work and Headspace for Educators.

Headspace for Professionals, for example, gives all health care workers in a public health setting in the U.S. free access to Headspace Plus through the rest of the year, according to a blog post from the company. The workers will be able to access the subscription with their National Provider Identifier (a 10-digit identification number) and email address.

Headspace for Workers and Headspace for Educators offer free access to collections of meditations for teachers and other members of the workforce.

Headspace last raised $53 million in February for its Series C round, which was led by . The startup’s other backers include and , according to Crunchbase data.

Other players

The meditation apps Calm and Simple Habit also are introducing free services. Calm, which is backed by investors including and , has put together a curated selection of free resources. Users can pick from sleep meditations, meditations for kids, practices to find ease and more.

Simple Habit is introducing new meditation collections specifically geared toward coronavirus–topics including self-care, mindfulness for kids at home, mindful communication with family and easing fear, according to the company.

“We recognize that many people are now being required to stay home, resulting in loss of income and financial uncertainty,” Simple Habit CEO Yunha Kim wrote in a . “As a response to this macro change, starting today until the end of April 2020, we’ll offer free Simple Habit premium memberships to all people who are financially impacted by this difficult time and can no longer afford to pay. If you’re struggling or in need, we’ll take care of you.”

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’ Kia Kokalitcheva.

led the equity financing, which included participation from new investors and (the global investments and partnerships arm of The Times Group of India). Existing backers , and also pitched in.

The Series C round brings Santa Monica, Calif.-based Headspace’s since its inception in 2010 (was it really founded a decade ago?!) to $168.2 million, according to Crunchbase data. The company declined to disclose at what valuation the latest round was raised. It closed on a $36.7 million in June 2017.

To rise above the hype around meditation, Headspace claims to be “the most science-backed digital mindfulness product in the market.” As an example of that, the company says it’s currently in progress on over 70 clinical research studies with institutions such as and .

Over the years, it’s branched out from its consumer app into different product lines including “Headspace for Work,” its B2B segment that counts , , and among its 600 enterprise customers. It’s also offering “Headspace Health,” an effort to integrate mindfulness into health care. In general, the company says its goal is to help its users apply mindfulness to improve their health via content around stress, anxiety, sleep and focus, among other things.

Growth

Since its founding, Headspace said it has experienced over 62 million downloads in 190 countries and has more than 2 million paid subscribers.

In addition to growing its direct-to-consumer business,Headspace says it will continue to invest in its Headspace for Work segment, which has seen its revenue double year over year from 2017 to 2018 and most recently in 2019. It also plans to continue putting money into its health care segment. I’ve reached out for more specifics regarding its financials and will update this piece if I get them.

In 2019, the company launched localized versions of the app in French and German, and appointed former executive as head of its European division to lead expansion in that region. Also last year, Headspace launched in Latin American Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese. It expanded into Asia through strategic relationships with partners such as The Times of India. The company plans to use its new capital in part to continue expanding internationally.

Investors talk

, founding partner of blisce/ said, Headspace’s aim with its offerings “resonates deeply with blisce/’s core belief that it is possible to both ‘Do Good’ while also building a strong business with sustainable growth.”

, CEO of of India, notes that Headspace co-founder began his mindfulness journey as a monk in India, and as such, he is “excited to bring things full circle through” a strategic partnership.

Of course, Headspace is not alone in the meditation app space. Last February, announced the close of an $88 million Series B round that propelled it into unicorn status with a $1 billion valuation. In July, it announced a $27 million extension to that round.

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