Little Otter, a significant move to deal with the increasingly serious mental health challenges that have plagued families throughout the United States, has just completed a $9.5 million strategic funding round. The infusion of capital marks the importance of accessible and effective mental health care tailored to the needs of the entire family unit.

Founded by a mother-daughter team, Rebecca Egger and Dr. Helen Egger in May 2020, Little Otter is a digital health company with the objective of offering comprehensive, family-centric care. The platform offers a full spectrum of services through tele-therapy and tele-psychiatry services, besides digital assessments. Little Otter takes a holistic approach toward family mental health by focusing on both the mental well-being of the children and their caregivers.

Funding Details

The company recently raised $9.5 million in funding from a group of high-profile impact investors, led by  Pivotal Ventures, Torch Capital, Springbank, CRV, Next Legacy, G9, Gratitude Railroad, and Fiore Ventures, founded by Carrie Walton Penner. This funding round brings Little Otter’s total funding to $36.35 million, making it one of the leaders in the emerging family mental health space.

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Strategic Goals

Little Otter has laid out several major goals with its new funding.

• Expansion of Services: The company intends to expand services to reach millions of families that are covered under Medicaid and commercial insurance plans in order to further increase access to quality mental health care. 
• AI-Powered Platform Upgrade: Investing in state-of-the-art AI technology will enable Little Otter to better its processes in triaging patients, connect families to individualized services, and bring forth outcomes that serve the best interests of the whole family.
• Brand Revamp: The new branding strategy will be based on a rebranding initiative focusing on the fact that Little Otter offers quality care for all family members. It represents its holistic approach towards mental health.

Insights of Leadership

Rebecca Egger, Co-founder and CEO of Little Otter said, “Little Otter is revolutionizing the way mental health care is administered. This round of funding brings us closer to our mission to provide the most effective, accessible care for families everywhere. Not only are we delivering care but also pioneering new methods to make mental health support even more innovative and accessible for families in need.” 

Erin Harkless Moore, Director of Investments at Pivotal Ventures, added, “Today’s young people face unprecedented challenges that demand a fresh perspective on mental healthcare. Little Otter stands out through its clinical excellence across all levels of care from mild to severe, treating both young patients and their families. 

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We’re excited to support their expansion and their AI-powered approach to scaling assessments – making quality mental healthcare more accessible across America.

The mental health issues surfacing for children and families are surging and have only been worsened by the pandemic COVID-19. It is true that most children are at high risk for suffering anxiety and depression in a massive scale. This calls for practicable accessible effective solutions in mental health care.

Innovative Approach

Little Otter distinguishes itself through a data-backed, personalized approach to mental health care. By leveraging advanced technology and evidence-based practices, the company provides tailored care plans that address the unique needs of each family member. 

This methodology has led to significant clinical improvements, with 85% of families experiencing positive outcomes within just six sessions.

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Future Outlook

With the more funding, the company is in an excellent position to extend its reach and impact. Little Otter continues to scale its services across the nation, invests in technological advancement, and partners with insurance providers in a move to be considered an in-network benefit. All of these efforts are to ensure that high-quality mental health care is accessible to families throughout the nation.