Takalam, mental health startup, raises $1 m in Pre-Seed round 

The UAE-based company has raised $1 million in funding that was led by Emirates Angels members.

A group of Emirates Angels’ members have invested along with Nowaisi Investments, Plug and Play and a Jordanian-based Fund in Takalam’s Pre-Seed round.

Takalam also received a grant last year from Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the central government hub supporting investment in Abu Dhabi.

Founded by Emirati entrepreneur Khawla Hammad along with co-founder Inas Shashieh, Takalam [Arabic for ‘TALK’] is an award-winning online counselling platform for mental well-being. It is a Hub71 company working under the umbrella of the Authority for Social Contribution (Ma'an) and the Department of Health Abu Dhabi Tech-Hub.

The platform connects individuals and entities directly with mental health experts through a private and personalized, secure, digital experience using video, audio and instant messaging, leveraging the power of AI and Data analytics. The company also plans to introduce other therapeutic tools and self-help exercises that are going to be available on their upcoming mobile application.

"Focusing on tech-based startups with a sector-agnostic approach, part of our aim is to support local startups. Takalam is an example of a great product and strong leadership team, tackling a social issue creating impact, all while providing the opportunity to create shareholder value with a solid business model,” said Masaood Al Masaood, Chairman of The Emirates Angel Investors Association, a nonprofit organization officially registered Under the Ministry of Community development in the United Arab Emirates founded in 2020. The Association aims to positively contribute to the early-stage investment ecosystem through their angel investors network association.