SoundMind Raises $800,000 in Pre-Seed Funding to Expand Artist-Centered Music Therapy Platform

LOS ANGELES, March 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SoundMind, the audio-visual mental health app, has raised $800,000 in its pre-seed funding round led by #1 Los Angeles Times best-selling author Dr. Venus Nicolino (Dr. V). Concurrent with this investment, Dr. V, who holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, joins the company's board of directors and will offer fresh perspectives in the lead up to the second version of the app in the coming months. 

"SoundMind is improving the world's accessibility to mental health resources through interactive mobile technologies and I'm excited to be a part of this endeavor," Dr. V said. 

SoundMind is a leading mental health app that allows users to individualize music "soundscapes" that reduce anxiety, elevate mood, and alleviates stress. The company was founded by Brian Femminella and Travis Chen, two USC Trojans, and has roots in the LGBTQIA+ community, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, as well as the United States military.

"Both Brian and I witnessed the need to provide current data to companies regarding their employees' overall wellness and mental health," said Chen, COO of SoundMind. "We noticed how thousands of people—especially in marginalized communities like the LGBTQIA+, AAPI and the military—have felt ignored in regards to their well-being. SoundMind aims to provide music therapy to the end-user while providing a detailed wellness breakdown to each company we work with based on user interactions."

In addition to Dr. V as the lead investor, SoundMind has received funding from Rough Draft Ventures (powered by General Catalyst), Gaingels, and Chasing Rainbows VC, as well as angel investments from leaders at Airbnb, GoDaddy, MagnaCare, the United States military, and other organizations.

"Rough Draft Ventures (RDV) is excited to back Brian, Travis, and the SoundMind team as they work to change how the world thinks about mental health. Their vision, closeness to what they're trying to solve, and relentless drive to succeed are measures of great founders and we're grateful for their trust in us as a partner in their journey," said Rough Draft Ventures, powered by General Catalyst.

"As the largest investor network focused on supporting and investing in the best venture-backed companies that embrace and value diverse leadership, including LGBTQIA+, Gaingels is proud to be a part of this financing for SoundMind," noted Lorenzo Thione, managing director at Gaingels VC, the leading LGBTQIA+/Allies investment syndicate. "We believe SoundMind is building a powerful product and community in the health tech space that embraces a culture that reflects diversity in both their executive team and customers."

SoundMind will use its pre-seed funding to launch Version 2 of its app, which will include an artist platform where prominent music artists can share personal stories and soundscapes with users. Additionally, the investment will support expansion into the B2B space, enabling businesses to track the mental wellbeing of their team members through interactive data collected from using the mental health app. The company will also be launching wellness focused NFTs called "SoundMind Wellness Warriors" and expand its presence in the mental health community in the Metaverse.

About SoundMind
SoundMind is a mental wellness app that allows users to customize their audio-visual music therapy experience. Our mission is to improve the world's accessibility to mental health resources through interactive mobile technologies. We use sound technology to elevate mood, reduce anxiety, and alleviate stress for our users. Find out more at www.soundmind.app, or download our app on the App Store!

SOURCE SoundMind