It could be truthful to say there’s no international answer for immediate 24/7 entry to psychological well being help. Sure, there are a number of ‘marketplaces’ the place you’ll be able to schedule a name with a therapist prematurely.
On-line options now embody Higher Assist, Speak House, and TeenCounselling. Then there are platforms linked with public healthcare resembling Kooth and Togetherwall, usually stuffed with content material and peer help boards.
This, after all doesn’t go well with everybody, particularly when you’re going by way of a disaster and wish to speak by way of stuff with somebody shortly. 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 (World Burden of Illness Examine 2019). And all that was earlier than Covid-19 pandemic.
In the meantime, a brand new technology of customers have grown up with the opportunity of on the spot 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 help.
It provides 24/7 entry to psychological well being help from a cell app, connecting therapists accessible on-demand — nearly like Uber — with shoppers who want help instantly.
As an alternative of reserving therapists, shoppers — the startup is aimed primarily at college students for now – can request a web-based chat with a therapist, and whoever is on the market 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 embody 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 is just not a remedy platform however an identical app between shoppers and therapists.
The shopper has management over what number of therapists they discuss to, when and the way usually they ebook/rebook periods, and for a way lengthy they wish to discuss (15, 30 or 50min). It’s additionally chance to speak to a couple of therapist.
Customers enroll anonymously to see the listing of therapists who’re presently on-line. They will request a chat with a therapist of selection, and have 5 minutes to substantiate. As soon as confirmed, they pay and the app opens a non-public chat between the shopper and the therapist.
Therapists have a easy app on their telephones, which they use to go surfing at any time when they’re accessible. 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) advised me: “During the last 20 years I’ve had many such conditions and noticed folks near me struggling, particularly younger adults and youngsters. The reality is that with each 4th particular person having severe psychological well being points today, all of us skilled related points amongst folks near us. I at all times 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 folks near me.”
All very effectively, 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 enormous potential in utilizing the AI to help 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 shoppers to decide on between an ‘AI bot’ and a human. Being an actual time connection platform we will supply 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 help college students.