Key Investor Signals
Received EXIST Founder Grant support in 2024
The federal EXIST grant supported ImmuniFriend as it developed through ESCP's Berlin-based MSEI entrepreneurship program and moved toward company formation.
Won the 2025 Digital Rheumatology Start-up Award
The Digital Rheumatology Network named ImmuniFriend the 2025 Start-up Award winner for integrating emotional support into rheumatology care.
Launched psychologist-led pilot support groups
ImmuniFriend is running limited free pilot sessions with small, stable online groups moderated by accredited psychologists.
Other Positive Signals
- Joined Blue Factory Berlin's SEED Accelerator community for early-stage venture support and mentorship.
- Selected for Zukunft Gründer*innen support and prepared for its first Demo Day in Berlin.
- Won the jury vote at ESCP's Green Innovation Shark Tank while still developing the venture concept.
Team
Olivia Rimek
CEO and Co-founder
- Brings direct patient insight after her own autoimmune diagnosis, shaping ImmuniFriend around a firsthand emotional-care gap.
- Studied at ESCP Business School from 2022 to 2024, where ImmuniFriend emerged from the school's MSEI program.
- Won an ESCP Green Innovation Shark Tank jury vote with Philipp Möhringer while developing the original venture concept.
Philipp Möhringer
COO and Co-founder
- Studied at ESCP Business School from 2022 to 2024, with training in sustainability entrepreneurship and business modelling.
- Previously co-founded a B2B sustainability startup developed with the UN Environment Programme around food-and-beverage challenges.
- Co-founded and hosted ESCP's theNEXTstep podcast, interviewing young professionals about careers, setbacks and leadership.
Elsa Fernanda
CTO and Co-founder
- Leads development of ImmuniFriend's digital platform, with responsibility for reliability, intuitive use and user-sensitive design.
Product
ImmuniFriend combines psychologist-led online group counselling with psychoeducational resources for people living with autoimmune diseases. Its current model uses small, stable groups and a structured curriculum focused on emotional wellbeing alongside physical care.
Psychologist-led weekly groups
Users join a small, stable online group for weekly 90-minute sessions moderated by accredited psychologists and focused on emotional challenges linked to autoimmune disease.
Structured support curriculum
Sessions follow a curriculum built for autoimmune conditions, covering self-compassion, self-efficacy, mindfulness, stress and the connection between physical and mental wellbeing.
Peer connection plus learning
ImmuniFriend combines moderated peer support with psychoeducational resources and daily tools so users can learn between sessions and apply techniques in everyday life.
Market Overview
Autoimmune diseases are chronic conditions in which the immune system attacks healthy tissue, spanning more than 80 recognized disorders and often bringing pain, fatigue and unpredictable symptoms. Their burden extends beyond physical disease: rheumatic conditions are consistently associated with elevated depression and anxiety.
Depression in rheumatoid arthritis is associated with pain, disability and poorer quality of life, while research suggests optimal RA care may include detecting and managing depression. This supports demand for condition-aware emotional support that complements medical treatment.
Nineteen common autoimmune disorders affected about one in ten people in a 22 million-person UK study.
A GBD 2021 analysis estimated 17.9 million people were living with rheumatoid arthritis worldwide in 2021.
A 2025 meta-analysis estimated current depressive disorders in 17.9% of people with rheumatoid arthritis.
AOK reported rheumatoid arthritis in 1.22% of Germany's population on a one-year prevalence basis in 2024.
Comparable Outcomes
LifeStance Health
Provided outpatient mental healthcare through clinics and telehealth for therapy and psychiatric care. LifeStance went public in June 2021, reaching a market valuation of about $7.5 billion in its Nasdaq debut.
Luscii
Built a remote-care platform connecting home measurements with care teams across more than 150 conditions. OMRON Healthcare acquired Luscii in April 2024 to expand its remote patient-monitoring and digital-health services.
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Sources
This profile was built from public company materials, ecosystem sources, market references, and professional profiles.