The latest episode of "Dragons Den," Sweden's high-stakes entrepreneurial showdown, aired last week and had a special guest dragon in the form of Ash Pournouri, an investor and multi-entrepreneur best known as Aviciis former manager. But it was the innovative pitch by Meela, a tech-savvy startup and Founders Loft alumni company founded by Natali Suo and Tiffany Boswell, that truly stole the spotlight.
The entrepreneurial duo Meela, with a shared passion for psychology, research, and personal development, presented their groundbreaking business idea to a panel of investors and venture capitalists, also known as the Dragons.
Meela's vision revolves around a technology solution and platform designed to match patients with psychologists, psychotherapists, and various therapy methods, ultimately facilitating mental health care access like never before.
Natali Suo and Tiffany Boswell, the driving forces behind Meela, confidently placed a company valuation of SEK 60 million on the table. Their initial proposal involved offering the Dragons a 1.67% stake in their company for SEK 1 million. The entrepreneurs quickly demonstrated their success by revealing a remarkable 40% conversion rate within their app.
Despite these impressive results, not all the investors were on board with the idea. Investors Lena Apler and Sara Wimmercranz decided to pass on the opportunity. However, Jonas Tellander, Ash Pournouri, and Shervin Razani saw potential in Meela and were willing to invest SEK 1.5 million for a 6% stake in the company. This new valuation placed the company's worth at SEK 25 million.
After careful deliberation, Meela presented a counteroffer, suggesting they would offer 3% of the company for SEK 1.5 million. The stakes were high, and the entrepreneurs were determined to secure an investment that would help them achieve their vision of making mental health care more accessible to everyone.
Despite the back-and-forth negotiations, the Dragons held firm on their initial bid. In the end, however, Meela made a bold decision. They turned down the offer graciously, expressing their gratitude to the investors for their interest and belief in their mission.
While Meela may not have secured an investment this time, their innovative approach to mental health care and their unwavering dedication to improving the lives of individuals struggling with mental health challenges have certainly left a lasting impression on both the Dragons and the viewers at home.
The entrepreneurial journey of Meela is far from over, and with their commitment to making therapy more accessible, it's only a matter of time before they achieve their vision of changing the landscape of mental health care in Sweden and beyond. Stay tuned for what's next in this inspiring story of innovation and determination.
About Meela
Meela is a tech solution and platform that matches patients to psychologists, psychotherapists and therapy methods.
Meela was founded in 2021 by Natali Suo and Tiffany Boswell. Tiffany comes from a family of psychotherapists and dropped out of her psychology studies to build Meela. Natali is a serial entrepreneur and has previously founded Stressgäris.
The founding duo share a love for psychology, research and problem solving, and both believe (firmly) in the power of therapy - as the best tool for personal development.
For more info: https://meelahealth.com/
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