# Hopelab

> Hopelab is a San Francisco social innovation lab and impact investor founded in 2001 by Pam Omidyar. It works at the intersection of technology and adolescent mental health, combining behavioral science, youth co-design, and research to advance the well-being of young people ages 10-25, with a focus on BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth. Best known for the cancer video game Re-Mission, Hopelab now runs research programs, youth fellowships, and Hopelab Ventures, which has invested more than $12 million across roughly 20 youth mental health startups.

- **Founded:** 2001
- **Headquarters:** San Francisco, California, United States
- **Founders:** Pam Omidyar (Founder & Board Member)
- **Team size:** ~65 employees
- **Products:** Hopelab Ventures, Research & Youth-Engaged Studies, Re-Mission, Re-Mission 2, Nod
- **Notable:** Created Re-Mission, distributed to 200,000+ young cancer patients across 81 countries., Published a randomized controlled trial in Pediatrics (2008) showing Re-Mission improved treatment adherence and cancer knowledge., Built Hopelab Ventures, deploying $12M+ across roughly 20 youth mental health startups.

## Products & services

- **Hopelab Ventures** — Impact investing arm that backs early-stage (Seed to Series A) startups improving adolescent mental health, with a focus on BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and Medicaid-covered youth. Over $12M invested across ~20 companies.
- **Research & Youth-Engaged Studies** — Behavioral science and health-equity research on youth mental health, digital well-being, and topics like financial strain and youth debt, conducted with young people as partners.
- **Re-Mission** — 2006 third-person shooter video game that helped young cancer patients (ages 13-29) adhere to treatment; distributed to 200,000+ users in 81 countries.
- **Re-Mission 2** — 2013 collection of free online and mobile games extending the original Re-Mission concept for young people with cancer.
- **Nod** — App developed to help college students build social connection and combat loneliness using behavioral science.
- **Vivibot** — A chatbot designed to support the emotional well-being of young cancer survivors.
- **Fellowships & Grants** — Programs including the HBCU Translational Science Fellowship, Young Innovators in Behavioral Health, Early Career Research Grants, the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund, and an Artist-in-Residence program.

## Achievements

- Created Re-Mission, distributed to 200,000+ young cancer patients across 81 countries.
- Published a randomized controlled trial in Pediatrics (2008) showing Re-Mission improved treatment adherence and cancer knowledge.
- Built Hopelab Ventures, deploying $12M+ across roughly 20 youth mental health startups.
- Portfolio companies reported outcomes including a 60% reduction in suicide risk and a 66% reduction in eating disorder symptoms.
- Zamzee activity study showed a 59% increase in physical activity among middle-schoolers (103% among girls).

## Latest updates

- **2026-01** — Jaspal Sandhu, Ph.D. became President & CEO of Hopelab, succeeding Margaret Laws, who moved to an Executive-in-Residence role after a decade leading the organization.
- **2025-03** — Refreshed brand and website emphasizing research on digital well-being, youth financial strain, and economic well-being.
- **2022-12** — Hopelab highlighted its collaboration-and-creation model, working with teens to co-build startups, and expanded Ventures investments in BIPOC- and LGBTQ+-focused mental health companies.

## Links

- Website: https://hopelab.org
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hopelaborg
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/hopelab
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopelab_org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HopeLab

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/hopelab
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-05