July University of Galway spin-out Lua launches employee wellbeing platform

University of Galway spin-out Lua Health has officially launched its next-generation, AI-powered, workforce wellbeing intelligence platform.

Founded in 2023, Lua has pioneered proprietary AI algorithms capable of accurately detecting early indicators of declining wellbeing based on how a person writes.

Lua is fully GDPR-compliant and 100% anonymised, integrating seamlessly with enterprise communication tools like Microsoft Teams and deploying in under a week. Designed for enterprise scale, Lua delivers a real-time, evidence-based solution for organisations ready to move from reactive care to proactive, precision-led wellbeing.

By discreetly analysing written language across workplace communication platforms, Lua identifies early signs of stress, burnout, and disengagement - without accessing private messages or individual identities. Employees may receive personalised, opt-in prompts to support self-awareness, while leaders gain aggregated insights at the team, department, or location level. The result is timely, data-driven intervention that improves outcomes and prevents issues before they escalate.

A spin-out of University of Galway’s Business Innovation Centre and Insight, the Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics, Lua was founded by University alumnus Dr Mihael Arcan.

Dr Mihael Arcan, founder and chief executive of Lua, said: “While it is about identifying issues as early as possible, it is also about creating a workplace that is appealing and placing a priority on attracting and retaining talent.”

Lua has been backed by Enterprise Ireland’s commercialisation fund and private investment company Growing Capital.

Gianni Matera, Founder of Growing Capital, said: “With Lua, organisations can move from reactive care to precision wellbeing - building healthier, higher-performing teams. We are proud to support Lua’s mission to help individuals better understand and manage their wellbeing before issues become crises.”

Lua’s technology is research-driven, interdisciplinary innovation at the intersection of AI and psychology - designed to deliver measurable wellbeing outcomes, reduce attrition, and demonstrate clear return on investment.

Lua combines behavioural science, data analytics and enterprise technology to deliver a disruptive approach to organisational wellbeing. By passively analysing written language and interaction patterns within enterprise communication platforms like Microsoft Teams, Lua detects early indicators of stress, burnout and disengagement. These insights enable precisely targeted, personalised interventions, improving outcomes while reducing the burden on internal teams.

Lua is helping forward-thinking companies deliver personalised, data-informed support at scale. One such partnership is with the CPL Group, a consultancy business that explores, questions and designs future work solutions.

Maria Souza, Future of Work Institute, CPL Group, said: “Lua presents a highly impressive and insightful approach. What stood out most is the significant value it can deliver through its methodology alone.”

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