Redesigned their mental health AI assistant into a testable MVP. Delivered a polished prototype and assets that helped them secure enterprise pilot interest.
AI Startup
B2B
UX Retainer
Okaya, an early-stage AI mental wellbeing startup, needed to turn a promising AI assistant into a tangible, testable product. Their challenge: adoption lagged, and without a clear, trustworthy product experience, they couldn’t validate with users, pitch at conferences, or secure enterprise pilots.
I led the 0 → MVP journey, taking the concept from raw AI capability to a polished prototype that founders could demo, pitch, and test in the real world.
The Results
The MVP gave Okaya the traction and validation they needed to move forward fast:
Secured buy-in from Space Force during a pitch competition that landed a pilot initiative.
Demoed at major conferences (MassChallenge, Esri) to boost credibility.
Enabled a pilot initiative with the Air Force that led toward future contracts.
Scored 85 (excellent) on usability; real users said “I felt immediately at ease… I even got emotional.”
"Josh has been awesome at helping us at Okaya and putting the focus on making our AI an intricate part of the UX.
If you are looking at taking your startup to the next level, definitely get in touch with him"
Gregory Menvielle
Founder & CEO, Okaya
Validation and feedback
To validate the MVP, I ran targeted sessions with both Okaya users and new participants under high-stress, privacy-conscious conditions. Feedback confirmed that the redesign not only worked, but built the trust and clarity needed for adoption.
“I felt immediately at ease to be open. [Even though] it’s AI, I felt zero judgment... I even got emotional.”
“I did my first check-in and I love the dialog progress. It was really natural.”
“The UI was satisfying and there’s an inherent wanting to know more about yourself and seeing that data.”
“I think it’s laid out very well—I can get help if I need help.”
“If I did this more often, it would really get a feel for what would be helpful for me.”
"I really love the new UI. What a transformation - wow!"
These findings directly shaped final improvements like simplifying iconography, tightening copy, and reinforcing trust indicators at key decision points.
The final MVP secured demos at core conferences, won buy-in from Space Force and enterprise pilots with the Air Force, validated new customer adoption paths, and hit an 85 SUS score with users.
Lessons for founders
A well-scoped MVP with 3–4 critical flows can unlock investor traction and enterprise pilots.
Trust and explainability are a must. They define adoption in sensitive domains, so design diligently the first time.
Delivering a demo-ready MVP in weeks, not months, positions startups to capture momentum and funding opportunities.
This project shows my approach in action: moving fast from rough prototype to adoption-ready MVP, proving usability with real users, and unlocking enterprise traction that positions AI products for scale.