Peak Mind Virtual Reality (VR) Helps Destress Police

Peak Mind Transforms Data Analytics + AI/VR; Announces Expansion
Plans as Recipient of Indiana Innovation Grant

State of Indiana invests in budding, Black-owned, tech company to progress social emotional intelligence and community health.

Ind. (February 22, 2023)—Announced today, Indiana-based, technology company, Peak Mind has received the Indiana Innovation Grant. The grant, totaling $48,000, will enable Dr. Alicia E. Mckoy, Founder and CEO of Peak Mind, and her team to scale their efforts to provide the community with real-time social-emotional intelligence and ultimately, better community health. Alongside the grant, Peak Mind has announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) and their first testing lab location.

“Being a Black woman-owned, technology company in the state of Indiana has been both challenging and rewarding,” Mckoy said. “To date, Indiana’s reputation has not been favorable for Black business owners—all too often, we’re excluded from accessing resources and critical partnerships to scale our impact. However, that is changing for the better. Indiana is consistently showing me and my company that diverse businesses are not just welcome here, we now have a seat at the innovation table.”

The Indiana Innovation Grant will allow Peak Mind to expand its innovation and capabilities within the state. Today, Peak Mind partners with vendors like HP to enhance its social-emotional software with cutting-edge integration via the Omnicept Reverb G2 HMD model. This empowers squads, and citizens, to move beyond awareness of well-being challenges and move into action the moment it’s needed.

The Cost of Well-Being

Peak Mind is on a mission to empower safer workplaces by utilizing cutting-edge innovation—innovation that will save the State of Indiana money. Today, the state loses nearly $49 billion annually due to mentally unhealthy and unproductive citizens. These unbudgeted and unpredictable expenses can be seen in smaller instances, through characteristics like unexpected time off of work, increasing insurance claims, or lack of productivity; however, in larger and more dire instances, costs can incur when communities have to address situations of racial unrest or workplace violence. However, the expense isn’t just monetary. Safer workplaces play an undeniable role in a state’s reputation which is often measured in economic impact. Unsafe workplaces can lead to greater community crime, fewer community investments—at the individual and enterprise level, and less sense of place. For the state of Indiana, this could result in less business and talent attraction and retention—which would have dire impacts on our state’s revenue.

A Local Partnership

Through Peak Mind, companies have access to real-time, biometric data to observe and calculate the risk of stress. Not only are the data points helpful in cultivating positive health and community well-being, but this data has become critical for industries like law enforcement.

Through the partnership, 100 IMPD officers will visit the Peak Mind Lab located at the Emerging Manufacturing Collaboration Center (EMC2) 15 minutes prior to and following their shift. Through a series of simulations, many conducted through virtual reality headsets, Peak Mind scientists lead data analysis. Within minutes, IMPD can access a wealth of biometric and social-emotional data to support officer well-being. Furthermore, officers recognized to be in an emotional state of high stress have immediate access to the proper stress management tools using Peak Mind’s unique AI-powered
interventions.

“We are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to assist officers in staying emotionally healthy and flourishing in all areas of their lives, despite the effects of cumulative and acute trauma they are exposed to while serving our community,” said Jonathan Baker, Lieutenant, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. “We are excited to partner with Peak Mind and look forward to the positive effects our officers, and by extension, their families, and the community they serve will experience.”

Peak Mind’s partnership with IMPD is one example of an industry already benefiting from this product. And while Peak Mind has had strong investment support to date, contributions like the Indiana Innovation Grant demonstrates the State of Indiana’s commitment to innovation and the companies leading the way.

To schedule an interview or a lab tour request, please contact Dr. Alicia E. Mckoy at
[email protected] or 317-499-6879.

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About Peak Mind

Peak Mind is empowering safer workplaces through cutting-edge innovation. Peak Mind
is equipping you and your teams for today’s mental well-being crisis with the help of
software and hardware integrations loaded with social-emotional learning tools, experts,
and simulations. More information about Peak Mind is available at
www.JoinPeakMind.com. Peak Mind is a 2023 TechPoint Mira Award nominee in the
Product Innovation of the Year category.