LGBTQIA+ mental health app Voda raises £270k in pre-seed funding
Mental health app Voda has secured £270k in pre-seed funding to help address the LGBTQIA+ mental health crisis in the UK.
Voda was co-founded by Jaron Soh, who was included in this year’s Attitude 101 list, empowered by Bentley. Recognising that the NHS is overwhelmed and private therapy remains too expensive for most, Soh created Voda with a panel of LGBTQ+ psychotherapists.
The app provides over 80 guided therapy programmes for challenges ranging from coming out to gender dysphoria. Soh is also on the board of Series Q, a non-profit community group for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, which helps the community find support, connect with their peers and gain inspiration.
According to a statement from Voda, research has consistently shown that LGBTQIA+ people face significantly higher rates of mental health issues compared to the general population. It added that a 2024 study by the University of Manchester found that transgender individuals in England are up to five times more likely to experience long-term poor mental health than cisgender people.
“The LGBTQIA+ community faces significantly higher rates of mental health issues due to systemic discrimination and personal trauma” – Voda CEO Jaron Soh
It also said that in 2022, a YouGov survey reported that 51% of LGBTQIA+ Britons had experienced or been diagnosed with a mental health condition, compared to 32% of the general population.
“The LGBTQIA+ community faces significantly higher rates of mental health issues due to systemic discrimination and personal trauma,” Soh said in a news release. “Yet, the financial inaccessibility of private therapy, combined with the lack of LGBTQIA+ affirming care within the NHS, is worsening this mental health crisis, leaving many without the support they need.”
The app, which currently serves over 12,000 users globally, with 4,000 based in the UK, aims to foster deeper understanding and connection with the queer community by placing lived experiences at the forefront of its approach, according to Soh. “Our personal experiences of overcoming shame and the lack of access to genuine support have gone on to shape the app for our users,” he said.
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