Almost half of Gen Z battle with depression and feelings of hopelessness.
To help the generation access mental health care resources and reach their primary care providers quicker, 21-year-old Nigerian co-founders Joshua Obasohan and Neto Nwogbo launched Loop Health.
The telehealth platform has raised over $120,000 in funding and is now raising a seed round in Summer 2024, per AfroTech.
Loop Health, operates FDA-approved face-scanning technology that stands out for its use of gamification to engage users. The app performs a 40-60 second face scan to measure vital statistics like heart rate, blood pressure, and stress index without needing an internet connection. This technology uses computer vision to analyze light refracted off the user’s face, enabling it to provide accurate health metrics.
These metrics can then be used to help the consumer understand where they are at biometrically and how to report it to their doctors.
Gamification plays a crucial role in keeping college students engaged with Loop Health. By incorporating game-like elements, the app encourages daily use, which is of high appeal to the younger spectrum of Gen Z.
An estimated 90% are gamers, meaning Loop Health may be right on trend with how to reach its intended users of college students. As a digital first generation, Gen Z is no stranger to utilizing tech to further understand one another.
Implementing a gaming element takes the telehealth aspect for Loop one step further by offering a sense of comfort and palatability to consumers who may not be so eager to talk about their mental health concerns or other tough topics.
As a program coordinator for an accelerator program that leads early-stage startups emerging from HBCUs, I’ve seen the gamification aspect presented in many forms including financial literacy and in ed tech applications.
It seems as though there is a desire for a youthful presentation of enjoyment that can help Gen Z process complex topics.
Keeping it gee, Gen Z founders building for their generation is the energy we need to continue to see. Doing so allows room for a diverse range of technology to be built and to better serve those in need.
Miranda Perez (she/her/hers) is a Jersey City, NJ-based journalist who covers the tech industry. Follow her on X and Instagram: @mimithegee.
Edited by NaTyshca Pickett