App secures $14M funding to tackle growing loneliness crisis

📅 Published: 9/10/2025
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 3:41:14 PM
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An innovative app focused on combating the growing loneliness crisis has secured $14 million in funding to expand its efforts amid a mounting public health emergency. This investment signals strong investor confidence in technology-driven solutions addressing social disconnection, which the U.S. Surgeon General has identified as a health risk on par with smoking and obesity.

Loneliness in 2025 is recognized as a pervasive epidemic aff...

Loneliness in 2025 is recognized as a pervasive epidemic affecting nearly half of U.S. adults, with serious consequences including increased risks of heart disease, stroke, dementia, and premature death[1][3][4]. Experts attribute this crisis to factors such as life transitions, remote work reducing spontaneous social interactions, social media’s paradoxical effect of deepening isolation, and the emotional toll of recent societal disruptions[1][4].

The newly funded app enters a rapidly growing $300 billion g...

The newly funded app enters a rapidly growing $300 billion global market known as the “loneliness economy,” which includes AI companions, peer-support platforms, mental health services, and community-building technologies[2][4]. Investors are increasingly backing ventures that offer scalable, innovative approaches to fostering meaningful connection and emotional support, especially among younger generations who turn to digital solutions for social needs[2].

This $14 million funding round will enable the app to enhanc...

This $14 million funding round will enable the app to enhance features designed to bridge emotional gaps—such as AI-driven companionship, community engagement tools, and access to mental health resources—helping users feel seen and supported despite physical or social isolation. The funding also reflects broader trends of venture capital targeting startups that tackle loneliness as both a societal challenge and an economic opportunity[4].

As loneliness continues to impact millions with profound hea...

As loneliness continues to impact millions with profound health and social effects, this app’s expansion represents a critical step toward harnessing technology to restore connection and resilience in an increasingly disconnected world.

🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 1:20:24 PM
The app’s $14 million funding round to combat loneliness has drawn expert attention amid a rising public health crisis, with the U.S. Surgeon General highlighting loneliness as linked to a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 50% higher risk of dementia in older adults[2]. Industry analysts note that startups backed by venture capital, like this app, are innovating with activity-based and community-building features targeting adults, aiming to foster meaningful social connections and reduce loneliness-related health risks[2][3]. Carolyn Kelly, co-founder of the activity-focused app Wyzr, emphasized that many adults struggle to find time for connections despite busy lives, underscoring the app’s role in bridging that gap through shared interests and wellness goals
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 1:30:39 PM
A new app has secured $14 million in funding to address the escalating loneliness crisis, joining a growing wave of startups tackling this public health challenge. This investment reflects increasing venture capital interest amid alarming statistics such as nearly one-third of U.S. adults feeling lonely weekly, linked to serious health risks highlighted by the U.S. Surgeon General[2]. The funding will accelerate the development of technology-driven solutions aimed at fostering meaningful social connections, similar to platforms like Fello, which raised $10.4 million to connect users with trained peer supporters[1].
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 1:40:40 PM
An app tackling the global loneliness crisis has secured **$14 million in Series A funding**, led by Blitzscaling Ventures, to expand its platform that connects users with local community events. With **50,000 active users and 200,000 browsing events**, the app addresses a critical public health issue recognized worldwide, as loneliness is linked to severe mental and physical health risks including a 29% increase in heart disease and a 50% higher risk of dementia, according to U.S. health authorities. The funding aims to scale the solution internationally, enhancing accessibility for young people globally, where loneliness rates reach alarming levels—such as 85% of Gen Z in the UK reporting loneliness—prompting social impact initiatives to create in-person connection spaces in
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 1:50:37 PM
A Gen Z-founded app addressing loneliness has secured $14 million in Series A funding to scale its community-building platform, which already engages over 50,000 active users and more than 200,000 browsing events. The platform leverages algorithmic matchmaking of users with local activities to simplify social planning, reducing the friction of connection noted by founder Alyx van der Vorm, a computational neuroscientist focused on social health impacts[3]. This injection of capital will accelerate product development and expand reach, reflecting a growing investor focus on tech solutions that address loneliness as a critical public health issue linked to serious conditions like heart disease and dementia[4].
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 2:00:37 PM
The app's recent $14 million funding round to address the growing loneliness crisis has drawn expert acclaim for its timely innovation amid a public health emergency. Industry analysts highlight that nearly one-third of U.S. adults experience loneliness weekly, which significantly increases risks for heart disease, stroke, and dementia, underscoring the urgent need for scalable solutions[2]. Alyssa Pollack, CEO of peer-support platform Fello, emphasizes that technology can harness human empathy effectively, stating, “People don’t have to navigate tough challenges in life alone. Humanity has so much to offer one another, and we’re excited to put technology to work to make those connections for people”[1].
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 2:10:48 PM
The recent $14 million funding round for the app Clyx, aimed at combating the loneliness crisis, has sparked strong consumer and public support, especially among Gen Z users. With 50,000 active users and over 200,000 browsing monthly, many praise the app for simplifying social planning; founder Alyx van der Vorm noted users resonate with the ease of finding community events compared to the usual "ten steps" to see a friend[3]. Public reaction highlights a growing recognition of loneliness as a serious health issue, with users and experts emphasizing how digital tools like Clyx can address the isolation epidemic effectively[3][2].
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 2:20:53 PM
A Gen Z-founded app tackling the global loneliness epidemic has secured $14 million in Series A funding, led by Blitzscaling Ventures, with participation from notable investors including Venmo co-founder Iqram Magdon-Ismail and F1 driver-turned-investor Nico Rosberg. The app, now with 50,000 active users worldwide, aims to simplify social connection by helping users find and join community events, addressing a crisis acknowledged by the U.S. Surgeon General as a global public health emergency linked to severe mental and physical health risks[3][2]. This funding boost underlines an international response to the loneliness crisis, complementing other initiatives like Hinge’s $1 million global grant program supporting youth community spaces in cities including London an
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 2:30:51 PM
The recent $14M funding round for the loneliness-focused app intensifies competition in a rapidly expanding market estimated at $300 billion annually, where startups like Fello ($10.4M raised) and TimeLeft (over $2M raised since 2020) are also innovating to combat the loneliness epidemic[2][4][1]. This influx of capital underscores heightened investor confidence in tech-driven peer support and community-building solutions, as companies race to address a crisis affecting one in three adults weekly, per a 2024 APA poll cited by the U.S. Surgeon General[4]. Alyssa Pollack, Fello's CEO, highlights this urgency: "Loneliness in young adults has been increasing every year since 1976
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 2:41:01 PM
An app tackling the growing loneliness crisis recently secured $14 million in funding, signaling strong investor confidence in technology-driven solutions to this public health issue. Experts highlight that nearly one-third of U.S. adults experience loneliness weekly, a condition linked to severe health risks such as a 29% increase in heart disease and a 50% higher risk of dementia, according to U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy. Industry leaders emphasize that innovations like this app can create meaningful social connections and reduce loneliness, which some studies correlate with a 50% decrease in early mortality[2].
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 2:51:00 PM
An app addressing the growing loneliness crisis recently secured $14 million in funding, reflecting a surge in venture capital interest tackling this public health issue. Experts highlight that nearly one-third of U.S. adults experience loneliness weekly, which is linked to increased risks of heart disease, stroke, and dementia, underscoring the urgency for innovative solutions, as noted by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy. Industry leaders view this funding as pivotal for expanding technology-driven peer support, with startups like Fello—having raised $10.4 million—demonstrating the effectiveness of trained peer connections via video sessions to reduce loneliness and improve mental wellbeing. This growing investment trend signals a commitment to fostering more connected, resilient communities through digita
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 3:01:03 PM
Clyx, a social app founded by Gen Z, has secured $14 million in Series A funding led by Blitzscaling Ventures to enhance its platform tackling the loneliness epidemic through improved event data ingestion, smarter recommendations, and expanded small-group Programs designed to foster recurring real-world connections[1][3]. The capital will also support geographic expansion, as local density is critical to curating thriving communities, with initial strong engagement in hubs like Miami and London; the company aims to sustain user engagement beyond the initial novelty by balancing growth with user safety and trust[1]. This funding round underscores a growing venture interest in technology solutions addressing loneliness, which the U.S. Surgeon General links to serious health risks including increased heart disease and dementia, highlighting Clyx
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 3:11:01 PM
An app addressing the loneliness crisis has secured $14 million in funding, intensifying competition in a rapidly growing market where startups like Fello have already raised $10.4 million to offer peer-to-peer support via video sessions. This fresh capital injection signals heightened investor confidence amid a booming loneliness economy projected to exceed $300 billion annually, with key players leveraging AI, community-building, and mental health tech to capture share in this emergent multi-billion-dollar sector[1][3][5]. Industry experts note the evolving landscape includes diverse approaches, from AI companions to wearable devices, reflecting broad innovation fueled by escalating loneliness rates globally.
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 3:21:42 PM
The U.S. government has acknowledged the loneliness crisis as a serious health issue, with former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy calling it an epidemic in 2017 and comparing its mortality impact to smoking 15 cigarettes a day in a 2023 report[5]. Although the newly funded Clyx app’s $14 million investment focuses on product and community growth without direct government partnership, public health officials increasingly support tech solutions that promote real-world social connections[3][5]. Additionally, initiatives like Hinge’s One More Hour fund, which allocates $1 million in grants to local groups creating in-person social spaces, reflect growing government and regulatory attention to funding grassroots efforts combating loneliness, especially among youth in cities like London and New York[2].
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 3:31:20 PM
The recent $14 million funding round for the Gen Z-founded social app Clyx aims to combat the loneliness epidemic amid growing government and regulatory attention to mental health and social isolation. While no direct government funding has been reported for Clyx itself, broader regulatory initiatives like the National Science Foundation’s $15 million investment in regional innovation engines and Hinge’s $1 million public-private grants to create in-person community spaces highlight increasing public sector commitment to addressing loneliness through technology and social programs[2][3][5]. These efforts reflect a policy environment increasingly supportive of tech-driven solutions tackling social isolation as a public health priority.
🔄 Updated: 9/10/2025, 3:41:14 PM
Clyx, a Gen Z-founded social app, secured $14 million in Series A funding to expand globally in its mission to combat the loneliness epidemic, which affects millions worldwide. The funding will support product development and geographic expansion beyond initial hubs like Miami and London, aiming to foster real-world friendships through curated local events and communities[1][5]. Investors include Blitzscaling Ventures and notable figures like Venmo co-founder Iqram Magdon-Ismail, reflecting strong international confidence in Clyx’s approach to addressing a critical global mental health challenge[5].
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