{"id":1197471,"date":"2022-09-02T19:06:06","date_gmt":"2022-09-02T19:06:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/09\/02\/this-startup-wants-to-scale-anonymous-mental-health-support-starting-with-founders\/"},"modified":"2022-09-02T19:06:06","modified_gmt":"2022-09-02T19:06:06","slug":"this-startup-wants-to-scale-anonymous-mental-health-support-starting-with-founders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/09\/02\/this-startup-wants-to-scale-anonymous-mental-health-support-starting-with-founders\/","title":{"rendered":"This startup wants to scale anonymous mental health support \u2013 starting with founders \u2013"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Nate Tepper<\/a> first went to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), an international program dedicated to helping people recover from alcoholism with a 12-step program, in the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. He didn\u2019t show his face or share his story, but says that being in the presence of vulnerability was immensely impactful.<\/p>\n

Following the recommended level of frequency for folks getting into the program, Tepper went to 30 meetings in 30 days. Now, two years later, he\u2019s starting a company to scale his favorite parts of the program in hopes of reaching other people in need.<\/p>\n

The result is Humans Anonymous, a social audio platform that connects people with similar identities, whether that\u2019s a teacher or a single parent, to create an anonymous space to freely share their experiences. Unlike other mental health-focused startups out there, it\u2019s not trying to provide support through life coaches or trained professionals \u2014 it\u2019s just trying to provide space. (AA, in contrast, has a wealth of liturgy that provides a framework for its adherents to follow.)<\/p>\n

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I am so excited and nervous to announce my new startup, Humans Anonymous.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re building anonymous audio spaces for mental health.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But first I want to share how my experience in Alcoholics Anonymous inspired this company \ud83e\uddf5\ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n

\u2014 Nate Tepper (@NateTepper) August 4, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

After launching publicly last month after more than a year in stealth, Humans Anonymous has now announced fresh funding in the form of a $1.7 million pre-seed round led by Glass Ventures and Backend Capital, with participation from Ten VC and Authentic Ventures.<\/p>\n

Upon entering a Humans Anonymous room, users are invited to share in three-minute chunks, one person at a time. There\u2019s no ability for others to unmute, chime in or even \u201ctake over\u201d a conversation, Tepper said. While this could spiral pretty fast \u2014 let\u2019s say one person gets an unfiltered opportunity to target someone who just spoke up \u2014 there is always a moderator in the channel who has authority to block or ban people. To keep control of conversation setup and flow, Humans Anonymous doesn\u2019t allow users to create their own room.<\/p>\n

Humans Anonymous is pitching a different vibe from Clubhouse, one of the most well known audio social platforms out there, which feels more socratic, or seminar-like, and allows speakers to mute or unmute at their own leisure. Humans Anonymous is less about personal brand and more about anonymous conversations.<\/p>\n

The startup makes money through a subscription model, charging users $5 per month or $50 for an annual fee. Users who want to try out the app can have a free hour trial, or enter the general room, which Tepper says will always be free to keep programming accessible.<\/p>\n

The app is launching publicly with an explicit focus on founders. When brainstorming for the app, Tepper e-mailed Y Combinator founders and got positive feedback on a need for something like Humans Anonymous.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always had this thought that like this is for everyone, right? Hence the name Humans Anonymous,\u201d he said. \u201cFounders happen to be in the first wave, and then our next communities are nurses, and teachers alike. And these are all groups who struggle in their daily jobs, like don\u2019t necessarily have to share their struggles. And I think one of the learnings along the way, and you found this anonymous and we learned that people wanted to be a part of a community they possibly identify as nurses, teachers. So that\u2019s why our way in the market is like starting with the profession-based communities. And then ultimately, we want to expand beyond that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Image Credits: <\/strong>Humans Anonymous<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

At its core, Humans Anonymous is a platform seeking to provide community service through a virtual medium. It\u2019s a mission that could clash with its decision to raise venture capital, an asset class that requires exponential growth for an outlier exit, and choice to build a for-profit organization. Tepper defended his choice, saying that he\u2019s always had the belief that for-profit organizations are more impactful than nonprofit organizations. \u201cThey allow you to focus on the mission, instead of fundraising or collecting donations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Since the startup is still at the earliest stages of building, many questions remain to be answered. For example, anonymity is a big promise, and in the security world, one of the hardest to actually fulfill. What if you recognize someone\u2019s voice on it? Are there any guardrails in place that stop a user from recording another user\u2019s deepest stories?<\/p>\n

The other challenge sits on the legal front. While Humans Anonymous isn\u2019t affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous, AA could be bothered over just how inspired the competitive product is. Tepper says that he does have a trademark for Humans Anonymous, and emphasized that he\u2019s just inspired by AA\u2019s framework. He still goes to a meeting almost every day, two years after his first.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn terms of the branding, there is a potential that AA could reach out to us and potentially say something to us,\u201d he said. \u201cIdeally, we can be on the same team.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n