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Sanarai provides an online platform connecting the Latino community with licensed mental health professionals, offering culturally sensitive therapy in Spanish and English. The company directly addresses a significant disparity in accessible and appropriate mental health services for Spanish-speaking individuals, facilitating a secure and affordable digital environment for essential emotional care.
The company was founded by Luis Emilio Suarez. Having grown up in Mexico City and later earning an MBA from Duke University, Suarez identified the critical need for mental health support specifically tailored to the Latinx population. This insight led to the creation of a service designed to honor the cultural nuances and linguistic preferences of this demographic.
Sanarai primarily serves the diverse Latinx community in Latin America and the United States, offering a vital resource for emotional well-being. Its long-term vision centers on becoming the foremost provider of culturally resonant mental health care, ensuring Spanish-speaking individuals consistently access empathetic, understanding, and relevant therapeutic support.
Sanarai has raised $350K across 1 funding round.
Sanarai has raised $350K in total across 1 funding round.
Sanarai has raised $350K in total across 1 funding round.
Sanarai's investors include Courtside Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Red Swan Ventures, The Hit Forge, Sam Parr.
Sanarai has raised $350K across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $350K Seed in February 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2023 | $350K Seed | — | Courtside Ventures, Menlo Ventures, RED Swan Ventures, The HIT Forge, SAM Parr | Announced |
Sanarai is a Chicago-based health tech company founded in 2020 that operates a nonclinical online mental health platform connecting Spanish-speaking adults, primarily in the Latinx community, with psychologists from Latin America and the US for culturally sensitive therapy via video calls.[1][2][3][4] It serves individuals facing language barriers, stigma, lack of insurance, and provider shortages—offering affordable sessions at $49 for 50 minutes without insurance requirements, next-day availability, and personalized matching based on needs like specialty, gender, and age.[1][4] The platform addresses a critical gap where only 35.1% of Hispanic/Latinx adults with mental illness receive treatment, providing individual and couples therapy in users' native language to boost access and reduce wait times.[1][4]
Sanarai has shown strong early growth, raising $1.05M total (latest $250K seed round five months ago as of search data), partnering with Google for Latino Founders Fund services, and securing investments from California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), LongJump, and Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Lab.[1][2][4][5] Its network includes 40 mental health professionals, with plans to expand via B2B partnerships like employee assistance programs and Medicaid.[1][4]
Sanarai was founded in July 2020 by Luis Suarez, who grew up in Mexico City, earned an MBA at Duke University, and worked in consulting before the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2][4] During the pandemic, Suarez personally struggled to find Spanish-speaking mental health services that fit his schedule, revealing broader gaps in care for Latinos exacerbated by rising depression, anxiety, and a 6.8% suicide rate spike from 2018-2021.[1][4] Motivated by his experience and cultural stigma in Latinx families—often tied to religion or denial of mental health issues—he launched the platform to deliver affordable, telehealth-based emotional support.[1][3][4]
Early traction came quickly: Sanarai grew its provider network to 40 professionals, joined the One Mind Accelerator, and partnered with Google to serve Latino tech founders.[1] Investments from CHCF and others validated its model, positioning it for B2B expansion amid heightened mental health needs in underserved communities.[4][5]
Sanarai rides the telehealth boom accelerated by COVID-19, targeting health equity in the $100B+ mental health market where Latinx access lags due to disparities.[1][4] Its timing aligns with surging demand—pandemic-driven anxiety/depression spikes in Latinos—and favorable forces like corporate wellness investments, Medicaid expansions, and VC focus on diverse founders.[1][2][4] By leveraging Latin American talent pools, it lowers costs while influencing the ecosystem: partnerships with Google and CHCF demonstrate scalable models for culturally resonant care, inspiring B2B adoption in employee assistance programs and reducing stigma through awareness.[1][3][5]
In Chicago's tech scene and nationally, Sanarai contributes to inclusive health tech, competing with platforms like OrienteMe and Strove but differentiating via Spanish-first focus amid growing recognition of ethnic-specific needs.[2]
Sanarai is poised for acceleration through B2B scaling—targeting Medicaid, employer programs, and provider network growth—building on its $1.05M funding and partnerships to capture Latinx market share.[2][4] Trends like AI-enhanced matching, hybrid care models, and health equity mandates will propel it, potentially evolving into a full-suite wellness platform amid rising corporate DEI spending. Its influence may expand by normalizing mental health in Latinx communities, fostering more inclusive telehealth ecosystems—cementing its role as a pioneer in accessible, culturally attuned care.
