Sharon Lu and Amolika Sudhir, along with Nikhil Krishnaswamy, all 16-year-old students from Lynbrook High School in San Jose, California, and Cupertino High School respectively, have been honored as recipients of the 2024 i.Invest Rising Start-up Youth Entrepreneur Grant. This initiative is administered by the i.Invest Competition and LifeSkills Foundation, a non-profit organization based in New Orleans under the leadership of Executive Director Michelle Jackson. Since its establishment in 2015, LifeSkills has been dedicated to providing financial support and guidance to talented young entrepreneurs across the country.
Their venture, Share-On, is set to receive a grant of $500 to further enhance their innovative business approach, which is centered around offering mental health assistance to teenagers. With this funding, the Share-On team is poised to enhance their platform and continue making a positive impact on their local community.
Below is a Q&A discussion with Sharon about her work to build the Share-On platform:
Q: What is Share-On, and what does it offer?
Share-On is a mental wellness app designed by teens, for teens, offering a unique, anonymous platform where users can connect with each other daily through AI-generated prompts. These prompts focus on various aspects of mental health and wellness, providing a fresh topic each day that encourages reflection, mindfulness, and connectivity. By offering a safe space for anonymous interaction, Share-On empowers teens to share their experiences, offer support, and learn from their peers, all while maintaining confidentiality. Additionally, the app collects anonymous data on common challenges faced by teens, which helps us advocate for mental health awareness through our non-profit.
Q: Who or what inspired the creation of Share-On?
Share-On was inspired by the evident lack of accessible and useful resources for teens struggling with mental health. We initially created a non-profit organization, which can be checked out at: Share-on.org, which has shown exponential growth since its launch in August 2024. We have, therefore, seen the need for such a platform for teens, which inspired the creation and development of Share-On’s app.
Q: What social impact does Share-On aim to achieve?
Share-On addresses the social stigma and privacy concerns that limit many teens from seeking mental health support. By providing a platform that allows users to remain completely anonymous, we break down barriers that prevent teens from seeking help. The data we collect (while ensuring user privacy) helps us identify common mental health issues faced by teens. We then use this information to advocate for mental health awareness and solutions through community outreach events organized through our non-profit. Our platform is not just about providing resources but also about sparking change by raising awareness around the mental health issues teens face today.
Q: What makes Share-On unique?
Share-On is more than just a wellness app; it's a community platform that harnesses the power of anonymity and peer connection to support teen mental health. By offering a daily prompt system with a focus on mental wellness, Share-On keeps users engaged while providing them with a safe space to express themselves. The app is designed to be accessible, engaging, and relevant, ensuring that teens feel supported every day.
Q: What problem does Share-On solve for its users?
Share-On tackles the gap in accessible, affordable mental health care for teens. There is a huge demand for adequate mental health resources for teens due to various reasons such as the stress of school, family, etc. This is why learning good stress management strategies at a young age is imperative and can positively affect lives later on. Traditional wellness apps often target adults and fail to address the specific needs of teens, while also being expensive. The challenge is to create a safe, supportive, affordable, and interactive environment where teens can share their thoughts and experiences while making valuable connections.
Q: How does Share-On differ from other mental health platforms?
Unlike most AI chat platforms, Share-On is specifically designed for teen mental health. While other platforms might provide generic advice or charge fees, Share-On offers a specialized resource that is always accessible and easy to use. Our AI is trained to give the most relevant and accurate advice tailored to the unique challenges teens face. Furthermore, Share-On is not just a mental health tool—it’s an advocacy platform that uses data-driven insights to push for societal change around teen mental health issues.
Q: Who is the target audience for Share-On?
Share-On is designed for teens, particularly those between the ages of 13 to 18. We are initially starting by targeting teens within the United States, and later on look to globalize our reach.
Since our platform is built by teens for teens, it is uniquely suited to understanding and addressing the mental health challenges faced by today’s youth.
Q. How will the grant funds be used?
The money will be used to support our AI and website expenses, as well as bolster marketing efforts, and will allow us to continue to make an impact on the world.
Congratulations to the Share-On team! To connect with their team and provide support and/or mentorship, please contact Michelle Jackson at mjackson@i-investcompetition.com.
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