Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms can include anxiety, chronic boredom, impulsiveness, trouble concentrating, controlling anger, and even depression. But ADHD sufferers can face lengthy waiting periods for assessment and prohibitively expensive treatments.
Now a startup, which launched in 2020, hopes to address this by pouring the knowledge of a team of clinicians and coaches into an app with a guided program to address ADHD symptoms. To help, Inflow claims to enable users to implement Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) coping strategies into their daily lives.
In 2020 InFlow raised $680K from Rhythm VC and angel investors. It’s now raised $2.3M in seed funding in a round led by London-based Hoxton Ventures.
A former grade of Y Combinator 21’s batch, Inflow also drew in participation from US-based Route 66 Ventures.
Several prominent angel investors are also backing the company, including the founders of addiction digital clinic Quit Genius (Yusuf Sherwani, Maroof Ahmed, Sarim Siddiqui), and the CEO of legal services chatbot DoNotPay, Joshua Browder.
However, it must be pointed out that the app has yet to go through any independent clinical trial, although the company says this is in the pipeline later this year.
A spokesman said: “In preparation for a clinical trial we’ve done a usability and feasibility study with the University of Richmond in the US with Dr. Laura Knouse. It did a pre and post symptom and impairment assessment which has been submitted to the journal of attention disorders.”
Founded in 2020 by Seb Isaacs, Levi Epstein (formerly Product Manager at Babylon Health), and ADHD expert Dr. George Sachs, Inflow will use the funding to expand its team and roll out additional tools and services.
InFlow app
InFlow competes in an ADHD app market populated by the likes of apps like SimpleMind Pro, Brain Focus and Focus@Will, but, in truth, most apps are simply touted as productivity apps that might be adapted for use by those with ADHD.
How Inflow works is that users complete short daily exercises and challenges to develop healthy habits, learn skills, practice ADHD-specific mindfulness techniques, learn about their neurological differences, and reframe negative thoughts, says the company.
InFlow claims it is being downloaded over 15k times every month.
Co-founder Seb Isaacs said: “We knew we could simplify the ADHD care process and reach millions of underserved people living with ADHD. Inflow can offer immediate, affordable, and on-demand support in ways our burdened mental health system simply cannot. There’s no waitlist, no need for a referral, no complicated intake process.”
Hussein Kanji, Partner at Hoxton Ventures, added: “It’s been a privilege to watch Inflow deliver on its mission to see every person with ADHD thrive.”