Robin Uthappa Spreading Health and Happiness With Tech Startup HealthEMinds
The Indian Cricketer has invested an undisclosed amount in Bangalore-based healthcare startup HealthEmind
By Ritu Kochar •
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Understanding the gravity of mental health disorder in a country where one out of every five people suffer from it, Robin Uthappa is ready for his second innings in the startup world. The Indian Cricketer has invested an undisclosed amount in Bangalore-based healthcare startup HealthEmind. The investment has been made through Uthappa's VC's firm Caffeine Ventures.
Efficient Use of Technology
Founded in 2013 by entrepreneur and former investment banker Ankita Puri and Yale-trained cardiologist-entrepreneur Sunita Maheshwa, HealthEMinds aim to provide medical assistance to people suffering from mental illness. They help patients in tackling mental and emotional problems through its online portal where they can talk to professionals across India. With 70 professionals on board, HealthEMinds lets users connect with counsellors, psychologists, sexologists and coaches through video, telephonic and chat communication systems.
"I invested in HealthEminds to help break this barrier that is holding people back from reaching their full potential," said Uthappa. "Today, online is a great medium for people to easily reach out for help whether it is to overcome depression, blocks or break barriers in their lives with the right help."
On Expansion Mode
Until now, the company was bootstrapped and claims that of doubling its users every month. The company aims to do at least 5,000 online therapy sessions each month on the platform and increase the number of professionals to 100 by the end of year. Now that they have an investor on board, ""The Company will use the funds to launch a new product, increase its reach across India, and expand its operations team," said Ankia Puri.
There is an immediate need to address the issue of mental illness in India. According to WHO World Mental Health Survey 2010, India accounts for 32% of the world's suicides with suicide being the third largest cause of death in 15–35-year-olds. Despite these alarming statistics, those facing mental and emotional disorders are stigmatised making their complicated life even more so. Being a developing country with a youth population in majority, the urgent need for apps like HealtEMinds, and similar ones like YourDost, OoWomaniya, ePsyclinic etc., is apparent to have a developed future.
It is also very appreciable of Robin Uthappa to have invested in a field which needs reform. "It's wonderful to have an investor on board who understands the importance of the mind in sport and in health," said co-founder Maheshwari.
Previously, Uthappa has also invested in iTiffin, a start-up offering healthy, calorie-defined food. Uthappa helped start the business by putting in seed money of close to Rs 1.5 crore. With this Uthappa is now among the list of ace cricketers with a taste of entrepreneurship. In the past, Virat Kohli has invested in a social media startup Sport Convo while Sachin Tendulkar has invested in startups like Musafir, S Drive, Sach and Universal Collectabilia. Yuvraj has also invested in over a dozen startups through his investment fund YouWeCan Ventures.
