This Revolutionary Technology is Transforming Mental Health Diagnosis—Are You Missing Out?

In the complex landscape of mental health care, a staggering reality lurks beneath the surface: more than half of mental health diagnoses are incorrect, a fact supported by research from the National Institute of Mental Health. These errors frequently arise not from negligence but from the limited psychiatric training of primary care clinicians, coupled with overwhelming time and systemic constraints. The implications are profound—delayed or ineffective treatment, deteriorating patient outcomes, clinician burnout, and an estimated loss of tens of billions of dollars each year due to trial-and-error approaches to diagnosis.

For Maria T. Carmona, MBA ’25, this issue was not just a statistic; it was a personal crisis. A close family member endured an incorrect mental health diagnosis for over a decade. Despite frequent interactions with the healthcare system, the true underlying issue remained hidden, leading to years of ineffective treatment. When the accurate diagnosis finally emerged, the transformation in her family member's life was immediate and significant. “I saw how much their life changed once it was correct,” Carmona recounted. “It completely changed how I thought about mental health care.”

This experience ignited a critical question in Carmona’s mind: Why, in a data-driven healthcare system, do mental health diagnoses remain so inconsistent and frequently erroneous? This question led to the creation of Kivira, a clinician-first company designed to enhance the accuracy of mental health diagnoses.

Before founding Kivira, Carmona was an accomplished entrepreneur, having launched her first company at 19 in Venezuela and subsequently building multiple technology startups, some backed by Y Combinator. However, the healthcare sector intimidated her. “The more you understand healthcare, the more intimidating it becomes,” she said, citing its complexity and regulation. Nevertheless, she entered the University of Chicago Booth School of Business determined to tackle the mental health misdiagnosis crisis. Her application essay focused on this pressing issue.

At Booth, the Polsky Center played a pivotal role in Kivira’s evolution. Carmona began conducting interviews with over 300 primary care providers, leveraging her Booth affiliation to connect with UChicago Medicine physicians, faculty advisors, and legal experts. “That access mattered,” she noted. “People were willing to engage because I was a Booth student trying to solve a real problem.” Through these discussions, Kivira shifted from a consumer-oriented concept to a B2B company centered on improving diagnostic accuracy.

Kivira’s approach is unique. Rather than asking clinicians to change their established practices, the company integrates directly into existing healthcare systems. When a mental health concern is detected during a primary care visit, Kivira’s platform automatically initiates a structured assessment, employing validated methodologies and machine learning models trained on clinical data. This process generates a diagnostic report delivered seamlessly within the clinician’s existing workflow, prioritizing precision while minimizing disruption. “We didn’t want to create an AI system that just confuses users,” Carmona explained. “This is grounded in decades of psychiatric research.”

The benefits of Kivira’s method are manifold. Patients receive more accurate diagnoses sooner, clinicians gain clarity and confidence in their assessments, and payers can reduce costly trial-and-error treatments. By the time Carmona applied to the Polsky Center’s Global New Venture Challenge (GNVC), Kivira had already begun to take shape, with early code developed and a strong conviction around the problem she aimed to solve. GNVC provided the necessary structure to transform this conviction into a marketable company.

"Things were moving so fast,” Carmona remarked. “Having the structure that GNVC provides—through the classes, deadlines, and feedback—was incredibly grounding.” The program required them to continually pressure-test their assumptions with faculty and coaches experienced in building successful companies. This guidance was instrumental in refining Kivira’s focus.

Kivira ultimately secured first place in the 18th Annual GNVC, winning $50,000 along with invaluable mentorship. While Carmona insists she would have pursued Kivira regardless, she acknowledges that GNVC’s framework prevented the company from becoming stuck in theoretical concepts. “It helped take something that lived in my head and turn it into a company that could exist in the world,” she said.

Since its inception, Kivira has achieved several significant milestones. The company recently completed the development of its medication recommendation model and initiated a pilot program with UChicago Medicine, expanding its reach among patients and care providers. Additionally, Kivira closed a $1.8 million pre-seed funding round led by Wellstar Health System, a major integrated health system comprising 11 hospitals and over 450 outpatient sites. For Carmona, this partnership offers more than capital; it aligns with Kivira's mission to deploy scalable solutions to pressing problems in mental health diagnosis.

Looking ahead, Kivira aims to build comprehensive diagnostic infrastructure for mental health across various care settings, from hospitals to private practices and government systems. “The infrastructure already exists,” Carmona stated, “but what’s missing are the tools to make diagnosis more accurate.” As Kivira continues to grow, Carmona remains motivated by her personal experience, which ignited her journey into mental health care. “Seeing the impact that the right diagnosis has on someone is extraordinary,” she emphasized. “That’s what keeps us going. If we can help people get to the right help sooner, the ripple effects—for patients, families, and the entire system—are enormous.”