Rephobia, founded by Computer Science student Liam Harte, took 3rd place at this year’s QUB Dragons’ Den with a bold vision: to reinvent how we face our deepest fears. The platform creates realistic scenarios to support exposure therapy for phobias like fear of flying, spiders, or heights – used alongside trained mental health professionals.

But Rephobia didn’t start in a lab or a lecture theatre. It started with Liam – a student who’s lived with OCD and who knows what it’s like to feel trapped by fear. Instead of running from it, he decided to build something for it. Drawing on cutting-edge psychology, accessible tech, and raw personal experience, Rephobia is on a mission to make fear less isolating – and more manageable.

With support from mental health professionals and recognition at events like Dragons’ Den, the startup is gaining traction fast. Rephobia is currently building its MVP and is set to begin gathering user feedback later this year. Mental health deserves innovation – and Rephobia is just getting started.