Little Otter, a San Francisco-based startup, has successfully raised $22 million in an oversubscribed Series A funding round. This latest round brings total funding for the company to $26.75 million and will support the growth and national expansion of its innovative family digital mental health platform.
Leading Investors Back Little Otter’s Vision
The Series A round was led by CRV, with participation from Torch Capital, Vast Ventures, Hinsdale, BoxGroup, _able, G9, and Springbank Collective. Strategic angel investors, including Carrie Penner Walton, granddaughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, also joined the round.
This strong investor backing highlights confidence in Little Otter’s mission to provide accessible, high-quality mental health care through its unique family digital mental health platform, which addresses the needs of children and their caregivers together.
A Comprehensive Approach To Pediatric Mental Health
Founded in 2020 by child psychologist Dr. Helen Egger and her daughter Rebecca Egger, the company’s digital mental health platform focuses on children 14 and younger and their families. The platform uses an online assessment to match families with a clinical lead who helps develop personalized care plans addressing emotional and behavioral challenges such as anxiety, attention deficits, aggression, and sadness.
By integrating both child and caregiver mental health into the care process, Little Otter’s family digital mental health platform offers a holistic solution that is both flexible and effective for busy families.
Accessible Care Designed For Families
Little Otter’s virtual platform allows families to book same-day appointments and provides 24/7 access. Initial appointments last 30 minutes and cost $90, with follow-up sessions available in various cost packages. Quarterly mental health checkups for children and caregivers are included to track progress.
This model of care delivered via a family digital mental health platform removes many barriers faced by families seeking pediatric mental health services, including wait times, stigma, and geographic limitations.
An Elite Team Dedicated To Family Well-Being
Little Otter’s clinical team is highly selective, with only 3% of applicants accepted. This team of parenting specialists, early childhood therapists, couples therapists, and pediatric psychiatrists is trained by Dr. Egger herself, ensuring clinical excellence across the platform.
The company believes that supporting parents is critical because “parent mental health has a big impact on child mental health,” which is why their digital mental health platform focuses on the entire family unit.
Demonstrated Clinical Success And Rapid Growth
Little Otter reports that 85% of families using the platform experience clinical improvement within six sessions. The company is also growing rapidly, with 45% month-over-month user growth.
These impressive results underscore the effectiveness of a family digital mental health platform in addressing the pediatric mental health crisis, particularly as demand for youth services continues to climb.
Plans For Nationwide Expansion
Currently available in California, Colorado, Florida, and North Carolina, Little Otter plans to expand its digital mental health platform nationwide for families by the end of 2023. The new funding will help scale clinical teams, enhance technology, and broaden marketing efforts.
Rebecca Egger, CEO and co-founder, emphasizes that the company’s approach goes beyond training more providers: “We have built a one-of-a-kind model with the best minds in child mental health, product, engineering, and machine learning to create a platform that grows with families over time.”
A New Standard In Pediatric Mental Health Care
Little Otter’s vision for a comprehensive digital mental health platform for family represents a major shift in how mental health care can be delivered to children and their caregivers. By combining clinical rigor, digital convenience, and family-centered care, the company is positioned to play a leading role in addressing the nation’s pediatric mental health crisis.
