In a world where therapy for kids too often feels like waiting in line at the DMV, long, frustrating, and nowhere near fast enough to matter, Handspring Health just slammed the door on mediocrity with a $12 million Series A that feels more like a mic drop than a milestone. Led by Cobalt Ventures and backed by the likes of NextView Ventures, nvp capital, 25madison, Arkitekt Ventures, VamosVentures, Hyde Park Angels, and Cornucopian Capital, this round wasn’t just capital, it was validation. Two major health plans even joined in, a rare alignment that speaks volumes; payers aren’t just interested, they’re invested.
Sahil Choudhry, former Managing Director at Cigna Ventures, and Kwasi Kyei, Ghana-born operator and Yale MBA with deep roots in VC and banking, didn’t stumble into this. They studied the system from the inside, saw the rot, and built something for the people the industry routinely leaves behind, kids and young adults aged 8 to 29, right where 75% of mental illness begins. While the old guard built castles on crisis care, these two built a hybrid model that hits early, goes deep, and stays personal. Virtual where it works, in-person where it matters.
Let’s talk results. 84% of patients in anxiety treatment showed clinical improvement. 79% for depression. 96% of families walked away better off. They scaled from one state to six, multiplied their therapist pool by six, and kept a Net Promoter Score of 82, because satisfaction here isn’t a footnote, it’s a data point. Add in a 50% increase in clinical programs since launch and you’re not looking at a company playing catch-up; you’re looking at one pulling ahead.
Their edge? It’s not just people, it’s platform. A proprietary AI-powered clinical scribe takes the paperwork off therapists’ backs, giving time back to humans instead of spreadsheets. Their therapist matching engine builds stronger clinical relationships from day one, while their outcomes engine lets parents actually see progress in GAD7 scores and beyond. All HIPAA-tight and purpose-built, not stitched together on a weekend hackathon.
Dipa Mehta from Valeo Ventures and Rob Go from NextView Ventures are now on the board. Smart move. Because this isn’t just a health tech story, it’s a systems-change story dressed in clinical outcomes and AI infrastructure.
Handspring Health didn’t raise $12M to play therapist dress-up. They’re coming for the other half of kids who never get care, and they’re not asking permission.
If you’re in the payer space and still sitting on the sidelines, ask yourself, are you underwriting risk or investing in prevention?
This is mental health with velocity. Respect to the entire Handspring Health team. The future just took a step forward, and it didn’t need to be told how to walk.
