heyy, a mental healthcare app, announced it has raised US$555,000 in a pre-seed round of funding led by Wavemaker Partners, an early-stage institutional investor in Southeast Asia.
Founded in 2021, heyy, operates in the preventative ’emotional first-aid’ space, much before the issues become clinical or severe. heyy, has built a ground network of trained ‘Helpers’ – the first respondents in a conversation, who engage with aid-seekers for as many times as required, before recommending expert guidance, the statement said.
Commenting on the development, Ankit Malhotra, Founder of heyy, said, “heyy,’s vision is to keep mental health care deeply human and personal while making it accessible for millions. It’s well known that therapy is highly stigmatised, and while digital therapeutics have tried to fill the gap, it has come at the expense of a human connection. Our Helpers create an anonymous, confidential, and safe space for users to open up and talk about their deeply personal issues. This has helped thousands reach out and seek help already.”
“Having spent the earlier part of his career working at the top tech companies in Asia, Ankit has garnered a wealth of operational experience along with insights into the high-performance corporate world. This gave the founder unique insight into the corporate mental health space, having witnessed and experienced the lack of proper care first-hand. About 14% of India’s population suffers from mental ailments, and 80% of those affected do not receive treatment for over a year – a problem heyy, looks to solve. heyy, stood out as a preventive care solution that retains the empathetic, human aspect yet remains accessible and scalable, translating to the company’s record-high adoption and repeat rates,” said Gavin Lee, General Partner at Wavemaker Partners.
heyy, also provides easy access to online therapy through its app, with qualified therapists in multiple languages, such as English, Hindi, Bengali, etc, the company added.
Angel investors include Monks Hills Ventures; Sairee Chahal, Founder of Sheroes; Deep Bajaj, Founder of Sirona; and Anjan Bhojarajan of HealthifyMe, among others.
“heyy, solves a pressing issue of workplace mental health concerns and offers unconditional, safe support to teams and organizations while still keeping the space personal and empathetic. heyy,’s vision is highly relevant in the world today and one that helps people lead happier, healthier lives,” said Sairee Chahal.
“Ankit’s dedication to the cause of mental and emotional wellness is unparalleled. The clarity on where he wants to take the brand and solve issues for consumers is inspiring,” said Deep Bajaj.
“Considering the fact that mental health is a vital aspect of overall well-being, heyy, has set out to solve an important need. What Ankit has envisioned for the future has great potential to scale globally too and I am excited to witness the impact that heyy, is going to bring about over the coming years,” said Anjan Bhojarajan.
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