Fello, a new peer support platform addressing the loneliness epidemic, has launched with $10.4 million in funding, including seed investments from Glen Tullman’s 62Ventures, The Capital Factory Fellowship Fund, Katalyst Capital, and Offline Ventures. The platform connects individuals seeking guidance with “Fellos” who have relevant lived experience in areas including substance use, parenting, and relationships.
Led by CEO and co-founder Alyssa Pollack, former Uber Eats executive who helped grow that business from zero to $15B in revenue, Fello aims to provide accessible peer support amid growing mental health challenges. According to CDC data cited by the company, one in three adults report feeling lonely, a health concern that the US surgeon general equates to smoking 15 cigarettes daily in terms of health impact.
“Telling the growing number of people struggling with loneliness that traditional therapy is their only option is like sending everyone with a stubbed toe to the emergency room. Fello is here to bridge the widening gap for those seeking help from others who have successfully navigated similar challenges—whether it’s the stress of parenting or the struggle of addiction. Utilizing the technology and rapid growth operations that built the gig economy, we are creating a platform that makes it easy to connect and get support from someone who’s been in your shoes,” said Pollack.
The platform originated from co-founders Jeff Werring and Pete Kadens’ personal experiences with addiction and recovery. After finding traditional recovery options insufficient, Werring approached Kadens, who has been sober for 17 years, to develop a solution.
“When Jeff came to me with this idea, I knew we had to do something to change the way people help and heal – and make it both affordable and accessible. This is not just another mental health app. We have built a platform for getting experience-based peer support where people can turn their most valuable and largely underutilized asset – their lived experience – into a superpower. Like Uber did for drivers with cars, Airbnb did for dwellings, and Taskrabbit did for handyman skill,” said Kadens.
Fello’s support providers undergo vetting and training developed with clinical experts, including Clinical Psychologist Dr. Thekla Ross and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Adam Glasofer. The platform offers 30-minute video check-ins for $40, while Fellos can earn up to $56 per hour sharing their experiences and wisdom.
Launched this fall, the app currently covers four areas – relationships, parenting, drug use, and alcohol use – with plans to expand to additional topics. According to Mental Health America data cited by the company, peer support has been shown to lower mental health service costs by reducing hospitalization rates while improving quality of life and engagement with services.
