Can a video game with a wombat barista fix your mental health? | Making it in Melbourne

Season 2 Episode 1: Michelle Chen, Co-Founder of Mental Jam Michelle Chen was born in Taiwan, grew up in the Philippines and ended up in Melbourne — because the bus ticket was cheaper than a flight. Now she is the co-founder of Mental Jam, a startup building video games that help young people understand and talk about mental health. Her current project - Bobarista - is a game where you play a wombat barista serving boba tea to Australian animals in a forest outside Warburton. It's warm, it's creative, and it's targeting early intervention: reaching young people before crisis hits, not after. In this episode, Michelle talks about turning her PhD research into a startup, applying for hundreds of grants, reading the fine print and why sometimes the best thing you can do is just show up and do it scared. Making it in Melbourne is produced by the City of Melbourne with technical and research assistance from RMIT School of Media and Communication. 🔍 Search 'Making It in Melbourne' on Spotify or Apple Podcasts to listen on the go.