Sonia Garcia faced a family tragedy at a young age. Her father died by suicide when she was just 16. This devastating event shaped her life and career path.
Sonia’s brother also struggled with severe mental illness. He went missing and was found in jail, suffering from mania. The family had a hard time finding effective treatment for him.
These experiences motivated Sonia to focus on improving mental health care. She studied engineering at Rice and Stanford. She also worked as a healthcare consultant and at a mental health startup.
Sonia realized that treating severe mental illness requires a comprehensive approach. Telehealth alone is not enough. In-person care and long-term support are crucial.
In 2022, Sonia co-founded Amae Health with Stas Sokolin. Stas also had personal experience with family members struggling with mental illness. As an investor, he couldn’t find startups tackling this issue effectively.
Amae Health aims to treat severe mental illnesses like:
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder
- Major depressive disorder
Their approach combines:
- In-person treatment led by psychiatrists
- Strong focus on community-based social support
- Digital health services for long-term care
Amae Health has raised several million dollars in seed funding. Investors include Virtue, Bling Capital, 8VC, and Able Partners. The company plans to launch its first local clinic later this year.
Sonia and Stas believe their model will improve patient outcomes. It could also lead to cost savings for insurers and health providers. Treating severe mental illness requires ongoing, multifaceted care.
The Amae Health team is driven by personal missions, not just market opportunities. Their chief medical officer, Dr. Scott Fears, brings expertise in community-based mental health care for veterans.
Investor Sean Doolan was excited to partner with this uniquely qualified and motivated team. Amae Health is poised to make a meaningful impact in an underserved area of healthcare.
