<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-08-10</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001598646</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>Minerva Neurosciences, Inc.</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NERV</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001601521</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>De Rubertis Francesco</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MINERVA NEUROSCIENCES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1601 TRAPELO ROAD, SUITE 284</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WALTHAM</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02451</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-08-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1000000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>10.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4488272</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Index Venture Associates III Limited is the general partner of Index Ventures III (Jersey), L.P., Index Ventures III (Delaware), L.P., and Index Ventures III Parallel Entrepreneur Fund (Jersey) L.P. Yucca (Jersey) SLP is the Administrator of the Index Co-Investment Scheme acting through Elian Employee Benefit Services Limited. Index Venture Associates IV Limited is the general partner of Index Ventures IV (Jersey) L.P. and Index Ventures IV Parallel Entrepreneur Fund (Jersey) L.P. Index Venture Associates V Limited is the general partner of Index Ventures V Parallel Entrepreneur Fund (Jersey), L.P. and Index Ventures V (Jersey), L.P.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Composed of 173,278 common shares disposed by Index Ventures III (Jersey), L.P., 351,995 common shares disposed by Index Ventures III (Delaware), L.P., 6,270 common shares disposed by Index Ventures III Parallel Entrepreneur Fund (Jersey), L.P., 240,780 common shares disposed by Index Ventures IV (Jersey), L.P., 22,855 common shares disposed by Index Ventures IV Parallel Entrepreneur Fund (Jersey), L.P., 190,411 common shares disposed d by Index Ventures V (Jersey), L.P., 1,543 common shares disposed by Index Ventures V Parallel Entrepreneur Fund (Jersey), L.P., and 12,868 common shares disposed by Yucca (Jersey) SLP.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Composed of 777,719 shares held by Index Ventures III (Jersey), L.P., 1,579,852 shares held by Index Ventures III (Delaware), L.P., 28,144 shares held by Index Ventures III Parallel Entrepreneur Fund (Jersey), L.P., 1,080,684 shares held by Index Ventures IV (Jersey), L.P., 102,579 shares held by Index Ventures IV Parallel Entrepreneur Fund (Jersey), L.P., 854,615 shares held by Index Ventures V (Jersey), L.P., 6,925 shares held by Index Ventures V Parallel Entrepreneur Fund (Jersey), L.P., and 57,754 shares held by Yucca (Jersey) SLP.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Michele Ollier, Director of the Issuer, is a partner of Medicxi Ventures (Jersey) Limited Succursale de Geneve which provides sub-advisory services to the foregoing funds and Dr. Ollier disclaims beneficial ownership of all such shares held by the foregoing funds, except to the extent of her proportionate pecuniary interest therein. Francesco De Rubertis, Director of the Issuer, is a partner of Medicxi Ventures (UK) LLP which provides sub-advisory services to the foregoing funds and Dr. De Rubertis disclaims beneficial ownership of all such shares held by the foregoing funds, except to the extent of his proportionate pecuniary interest therein. Index Venture Associates III Limited, Index Venture Associates IV Limited, Index Venture Associates V Limited and Yucca (Jersey) SLP (collectively, the &quot;Index Entities&quot;) are members of a &quot;group&quot; for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Francesco De Rubertis</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-08-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
