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How can a mental health startup (non-profit or not) create revenue, reach a lot of people and not charge people too much money? From what I've seen, paid-for a

by jasfi 4y ago

How can a mental health startup (non-profit or not) create revenue, reach a lot of people and not charge people too much money? From what I've seen, paid-for apps/SaaS is basically the only way to go. Unless you depend on donations, which seems like wishful thinking. There's B2B as well, but I think people without work need help the most.

prewett 4y ago
I don't think a mental health startup would be effective, revenue or no. Individual problems require customized help. Some things can only be addressed one person at a time.
- popularonion 4y ago
  “If you're not a part of the solution, there's good money to be made in prolonging the problem."
- nradov 4y ago
  There are several mental health startups which connect individual patients to therapists. They provide the technology platform for finding a compatible therapist, online therapy sessions, and billing.
tmpz22 4y ago
> How can a mental health startup (non-profit or not) create revenue, reach a lot of people and not charge people too much money? By not taking VC money such that they exist to pay back their initial investors.
bobkazamakis 4y ago
>How can a mental health startup (non-profit or not) create revenue, reach a lot of people and not charge people too much money? How can the United States continue to pay more per capita for healthcare than any other nation in the world? hmmmmmm... maybe healthcare has direct consequences on our economic health.
autoexec 4y ago
As a consumer, there's no way in hell I'd do anything involving mental healthcare using an app or a start up. With every service handing our data over to 3rd parties, and failed companies selling off customer data to help offset their losses the last thing someone needs is having "struggles with mental health issues" ending up in their permanent record. You can't even call a crisis hotline without your wireless carrier selling that info to anyone willing to pay for it. If someone is struggling with their mental health they should speak with their doctor in person.
- jasfi 4y ago
  There are indeed privacy problems for an app, unless it provides very basic games/tracking only that don't require invasive data. Web pages and books are probably better, even that's not 100% privacy safe, not much is.

by jasfi 4y ago

prewett 4y ago

I don't think a mental health startup would be effective, revenue or no. Individual problems require customized help. Some things can only be addressed one person at a time.

popularonion 4y ago
“If you're not a part of the solution, there's good money to be made in prolonging the problem."
nradov 4y ago
There are several mental health startups which connect individual patients to therapists. They provide the technology platform for finding a compatible therapist, online therapy sessions, and billing.

tmpz22 4y ago

> How can a mental health startup (non-profit or not) create revenue, reach a lot of people and not charge people too much money? By not taking VC money such that they exist to pay back their initial investors.

bobkazamakis 4y ago

>How can a mental health startup (non-profit or not) create revenue, reach a lot of people and not charge people too much money? How can the United States continue to pay more per capita for healthcare than any other nation in the world? hmmmmmm... maybe healthcare has direct consequences on our economic health.

autoexec 4y ago

As a consumer, there's no way in hell I'd do anything involving mental healthcare using an app or a start up. With every service handing our data over to 3rd parties, and failed companies selling off customer data to help offset their losses the last thing someone needs is having "struggles with mental health issues" ending up in their permanent record. You can't even call a crisis hotline without your wireless carrier selling that info to anyone willing to pay for it. If someone is struggling with their mental health they should speak with their doctor in person.

jasfi 4y ago
There are indeed privacy problems for an app, unless it provides very basic games/tracking only that don't require invasive data. Web pages and books are probably better, even that's not 100% privacy safe, not much is.