We’re on a mission to end childhood anxiety

Gheorg is the friendly robot designed to help children improve their resilience, emotional intelligence and wellbeing.

Gentle to Humans, Emotion & thought Organisation & Resilience Guide

Gheorg and Gheorg-e want to support children with diagnosable anxiety.

Our goal is to empower children with skills to improve their mental resilience, emotional awareness and social literacy skills. Gheorg makes it fun for kids to learn the skills and knowledge they need to understand their emotions and calm themselves when they’re feeling stressed.

Co-designed with kids, schools and experts

After a year of Beta Testing with schools, parents and kids, the Gheorg app launched in the second half of 2020.

During the Beta Testing period, 1,000+ children shared valuable feedback with us so we could make key improvements to the app.

These children helped the team to design our unique and loveable characters, and they showed us the importance of choosing your favourite outfit!

Find out more about our partnerships here.

Rates of Childhood Anxiety around the World

We know the rates of anxiety across the world have steadily been increasing, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Below we share some key stats from research showing the rates of anxiety in some countries around the world.

We’re on a mission to reduce childhood anxiety everywhere.

Rates of Children’s Anxiety in Australia

According to a range of studies:

One in five children in Australia have high levels of anxiety.
At least 7% of children aged 8-12 years will receive a diagnosis of anxiety each year.
Children with anxiety are up to 8 times LESS likely to succeed in school and less likely to develop satisfying personal relationships with peers.
Children with anxiety are 50% less likely to complete high school.

Rates of Children’s Anxiety in the US

According to The State of Pediatric Mental Health in America 2023 Report:

16% of youth surveyed reported having at least one major depressive episode in the past year.
More than 2.7 million children and adolescents are living with severe major depression.
60% of youth with major depression receive no mental health treatment.
In 2023, there was just one available mental health provider for every 350 people.

Rates of Children’s Anxiety in the United Kingdom

According to the NHS Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2023 report:

20.3% of eight to 16-year-olds had a probable mental disorder in 2023.

Key Gheorg milestones while on a mission to reduce childhood anxiety around the world

2015

Dr Louise Metcalf has the idea for a talking robot that helps kids feel calm and safe - which would later become Gheorg!

2019

Selected for SheStarts 3 accelerator program for female founded startups

2020

Pitched at PauseFest Startup Expo in Melbourne
Selected for Future Minds Accelerator for EdTech startups
Selected for Expara Virtech Singapore program
Awarded Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Grant from NSW Government Treasury
First Beta Release of Gheorg app in May
Launch of Gheorg app on Apple App Store and Google Play Store in September
Dr Louise featured on Life Skills 4 Kids podcast
Dr Louise featured on Chatabout Children podcast
Gheorg featured in Daily Telegraph - Sunday Telegraph

2021

Gheorg reaches +1,000 downloads
Selected for SBE by Springboard Enterprises Life Science Program and the ANDHealth Digital Health Accelerator
Dr Louise featured on HealthTechX podcast, Talking HealthTech podcast, the Parenthood podcast (formerly Mum Life Podcast) and Beanstalk Mums podcast
Dr Louise published article in e27 and was interviewed by Balance the Grind
Dr Louise guest speaker on panel during Talking HealthTech Spring Summit - Coalface Creators: Allied Health Tech Founders
Gheorg launches Hope Ninja Parents Podcast
Dr Louise featured on Talking HealthTech ep 203 with advice for healthtech founders

2022

Gheorg reaches +4,000 downloads in Q2
Dr Louise featured on Talking HealthTech Winter Summitt
Dr Louise featured on Talking HealthTech Podcast ep 313
Gheorg awarded funding from WA Government
Dr Louise featured on Startup Daily TV and SUDS podcast
Gheorg reaches +6,000 downloads in Q4

2023

Gheorg reaches +8,000 downloads
Dr Louise featured at Child & Adolescent Mental Health Conference discussing how to Progress Mental Health Care for all Young People

2024

Gheorg reaches +10,000 downloads expanding to over 1,260 cities globally
Gheorg USA office opened in Florida
Gheorg won the mentl Most Innovative Award in Dubai
Gheorg acknowledged as a Quarterfinalist in the The Digital Health Hub Foundation - Digital Health Awards
Gheorg was accepted into EdTech Estonia, opening doors to European markets
Gheorg accepted into Techstars Founder Catalyst Ignite Program on Childhood Development (top 1% of global applicants)
Gheorg accepted into the NVIDIA Innovation Program.

2025

Version 2 of Gheorg coming soon!

Meet the team

Meet Gheorg’s Co-Founders:

Dr Louise Metcalf, Co-Founder & CEO - Sydney, Australia

Dr Louise Metcalf has over 30 years of experience as a psychologist where she has worked with both adults and children across multiple sectors. Louise has a keen interest in positive psychological change and values the way one individual person can make a difference.

Louise has multiple Master degrees across multiple disciplines, and a PhD, she is a senior psychologist and a consultant for multiple health tech organisations and technologies. She has also worked with the United Nations on psychological health and natural environment.

Louise is also a proud Mum and a regular volunteer in her local community.

Dana L. Klein, Co-Founder - Florida, America

Dana L. Klein is the Co-Founder of Gheorg as well as the current Honorary Consul of the Republic of North Macedonia in Florida.

Dana has 30+ years of Go to Market Experience specializing in New Market Development, Marketing, and Effective Project and Yield Management. Her accolades include, but are not limited to:

Keiser University Advisory Board Member of the Year,
Global Trade Chamber's 100 Successful Women in Business,
Key to Broward County, Florida,
American Business Women’s Association Spirit of Excellence Award,
Broward County Crime Stoppers Award for Creative Programming,
International Crime Stoppers First Place Video Production Winner,
US Marine Corps Certificate of Appreciation,
Jaycees Entrepreneur of the Year in the State of Florida, among others.

She's also held numerous board and advisory board positions for non-profit and community groups. Dana Klein has a Master’s Degree from Emerson College in Media Management and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications in Radio, Television, and Film Production.