The Evolve app is solving the mental health needs of the underserved LGBTQ+ community and continues to develop.
After gaining the accolade of Google’s Play ‘Best App for Personal Growth’ in 2022, Evolve Self-care and Meditation, the mental health app, announced on September 8th, 2022, that it has raised US$375,000 (INR 30 million) for expansion.
An app for mental well-being and personal growth
Evolve, the mental health app which focuses on the LGBTQ+ community and allies, has gained funding that will allow the organization to strengthen its infrastructure and offering. The app was founded in 2020 by Anshul Kamath and Rohan Arora with the simple mission of making mental wellbeing and personal growth simple and joyful.
The two Indian college friends wanted to understand how to manage emotions, particularly stress and anxiety, to then allow personal growth. They also recognized that those in the LGBTQ+ community are three to four times more likely to experience serious mental illnesses. Evolve is one of the first companies to focus on this underserved community.
The company has become a fast-growing success story
The Evolve app continues to make a significant impact on its users. This was recognized by Google Play as it was featured in the best app group under the Users Choice category in 2021.
The app now has over 250,000 users globally and operates on an interactive AI platform. It provides evidence-based support that helps users to personalize the support on offer and improve their mental wellbeing. Evolve offers a safe space for the users and encompasses interactive content based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
The LGBTQ+ community focus is just one of Evolve’s unique selling points as a relatively new health-tech start-up. It has delivered on its mission of developing an app that is both simple and joyful, delivered by playful animations.
In addition to the app, which has over 50 guided meditations, the website offers very helpful resources The Blog section, in particular, covers topics such as mental health, self-improvement, and productivity, amongst others,
According to the Economic times, Kamath said,
“Our plans are to use the funds we have now secured to expand the core team at Evolve and invest in building a world-class product that continues to provide individual and collective safe spaces for users around the world,”
The importance of this app should not be underestimated
LGBT relations are illegal in 74 countries. In 72 countries, homosexuality is a criminal offense and is punishable by death in 12 other countries. Taking these figures into account makes it difficult to fully estimate the world’s LGBTQ+ population. Statista estimates that 3% of the world’s population is part of the LGBTQ+ community, which could equate to 227 million individuals.
With high levels of oppression being experienced by the underserved LGBTQ+ community members, this significant population needs mental health support more than ever. The Evolve app is more than just a game changer. It serves as a lifeline by providing vital mental health support to not only those in the LGBTQ+ community but to all its users.
With this additional funding, we at My Mind News look forward to seeing how Evolve will build on its offering for this important underserved community.
