It could be honest to say there’s no international resolution for immediate 24/7 entry to psychological well being assist. Sure, there are a number of ‘marketplaces’ the place you’ll be able to schedule a name with a therapist upfront.
On-line options now embrace Higher Assist, Discuss Area, and TeenCounselling. Then there are platforms related with public healthcare akin to Kooth and Togetherwall, typically full of content material and peer assist boards.
This, in fact doesn’t go well with everybody, particularly when you’re going by a disaster and want to speak by stuff with somebody rapidly. In the meantime, the issue of psychological well being grows ever bigger.
In 2010 the worldwide financial burden of psychological well being points was at $2.1 trillion and was anticipated to be at $6T by 2030. However in 2019 it had already achieved $5T (International Burden of Illness Examine 2019). And all that was earlier than Covid-19 pandemic.
In the meantime, a brand new era of customers have grown up with the potential of prompt gratification by way of cell apps. So why not create one thing that fits this market?
That is the purpose of UK startup Wangie, which is aiming to create what it calls is a brand new class between medical remedy apps and peer assist.
It presents 24/7 entry to psychological well being assist from a cell app, connecting therapists obtainable on-demand — virtually like Uber — with purchasers who want assist instantly.
As a substitute of reserving therapists, purchasers — the startup is aimed primarily at college students for now – can request an internet chat with a therapist, and whoever is out there takes the reserving.
Wangie has now closed an undisclosed pre-seed spherical led by Angel investor Raj Kulasingham and Marc Cohen (of unbundled vc).
Different Angels embrace Maya Ghosn, The Internal Foudation, Johan Hedewag, Malin Wallin, Mauro Bagnato (4Scale Ventures), and Ada Ventures Scout program.
So how does it work? Wangie itself shouldn’t be a remedy platform however an identical app between purchasers and therapists.
The consumer has management over what number of therapists they discuss to, when and the way typically they e book/rebook classes, and for a way lengthy they wish to discuss (15, 30 or 50min). It’s additionally risk to speak to multiple therapist.
Customers join anonymously to see the checklist of therapists who’re at present on-line. They’ll request a chat with a therapist of alternative, and have 5 minutes to verify. As soon as confirmed, they pay and the app opens a personal chat between the consumer and the therapist.
Therapists have a easy app on their telephones, which they use to go surfing at any time when they’re obtainable. Wangie makes cash by way of a fee from every session.
Over an e mail interview, Solo Founder Monika Holod (who previously labored in key roles at OYO, Ankorstore and BlaBlaCar) informed me: “During the last 20 years I’ve had many such conditions and noticed individuals near me struggling, particularly younger adults and youngsters. The reality is that with each 4th individual having critical psychological well being points lately, all of us skilled comparable points amongst individuals near us. I all the time needed to have an area the place you’ll be able to anonymously ask therapists something with out making a dedication to remedy – to get recommendation about personal considerations or worries about individuals near me.”
All very nicely, however how is the corporate going to take care of the rise of AI-driven remedy?
She says that AI is extra prone to act as a therapist ‘co-pilot’: “There’s a large potential in utilizing the AI to assist therapists of their work. We will enhance their capability and create constant actual time reference to individuals who need assistance right here & now, with out forcing the purchasers to decide on between an ‘AI bot’ and a human. Being an actual time connection platform we are able to provide one of the best of each.”
She says she constructed the primary model of the app App throughout Covid and launched December 2022.
Holod added that the startup is now in dialog with couple of Universities that are contemplating implementing the app as a pilot to assist college students.