Acquisition
Jan 2018The earlier for-profit Koko business was acquired by Airbnb before the nonprofit relaunch.
SourceCompany research
Public company, workplace, funding, and market signals
Updated Jul 29, 2026
Overview
Koko is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps end the youth mental health crisis by delivering free, evidence-based digital support directly inside the social and messaging platforms young people already use.
Primary product
Free, evidence-based digital mental health support and single-session interventions embedded in partner platforms
Founded
2020
Headquarters
San Francisco, California, United States
Team size
10-20 employees
Work style
Flexible
Industry
Mental Health Care
Sub-industry
Digital youth mental health support / single-session interventions
Offices
2021 Fillmore St #204, San Francisco, CA 94115, United States
155 Rivington St, New York, NY 10002, United States
Business model
501(c)(3) nonprofit
donations and foundation grants
platform partnerships / safety integrations
ad credits or partner support
Funding
Stage
grant-funded nonprofit
Total raised
$8.2M
Latest round
Pre-Seed · Mar 2022
Latest amount
$500K
Mar 2022 · Y Combinator
Jan 2020
Oct 2017
Aug 2016 · Omidyar Network and Union Square Ventures
People & investors
Leadership
Co-Founder & CEO
Co-Founder & CTO
Chief Marketing Officer
Head of Partnerships
Danielle Armour
Director of Development
Sabrina Muriithi
Head of Operations
Work & culture
Mission-driven, research-heavy, ethical, and fast-moving; the team emphasizes responsible shipping, inclusive hiring, and collaboration across designers, engineers, researchers, and former users.
Work style
Flexible
Compensation
Public hiring posts showed a fractional CTO role at $160,000-$220,000 annually, with competitive pay; compensation appears role-specific rather than standardized.
Benefits
Fully remote roles
Flexible hours
No-meeting Fridays
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
International offsites
Professional development budget
Mission-driven work with measurable social impact
Product & market
Pricing
Free to end users; funded through nonprofit donations, foundation grants, and partner/platform support.
Differentiators
- —Evidence-based single-session interventions
- —Anonymous peer support
- —Embedded inside partner platforms
- —AI and proprietary keyword detection for risk identification
- —Validated by randomized controlled trials and peer-reviewed research
- —External ethics/advisory oversight
- —No app download required for many experiences
Technology
Ruby
React
Figma
Amplitude
GitHub
Discord
TikTok
Tumblr
LinkedIn
LLM-based detection
proprietary keyword libraries
AI moderation
Customers
TikTok
Snapchat
Tumblr
Discord
OpenAI
Pinterest
WhatsApp
school partners
Roblox
Competitors
Crisis Text Line
7 Cups
BetterHelp
Headspace
Active Minds
Scale & contact
Estimated revenue
$1M-$10M
Estimated monthly visits
39.9K
Traffic estimate as of Jul 2026
Signals & risks
Other
Jan 2023Koko drew backlash after a GPT-3-assisted mental-health experiment; critics raised informed-consent and research-ethics concerns.
SourceLatest news
Koko LinkedIn · May 2026
Koko announced a partnership with Roblox to build a game that helps kids and teens develop resilience in the face of bullying.
PRNewswire · Dec 2025
Koko and Closegap announced a partnership to embed Koko's clinical-grade single-session interventions into school daily check-ins, extending Koko's evidence-based support into K-12 settings.
Closegap blog · Dec 2025
Closegap's own write-up of the partnership explained how Koko's interventions will be delivered in under 10 minutes and targeted to concerns like body image, self-harm, and safety planning.
PMC / Nature portfolio · Aug 2025
Peer-reviewed megastudy found Koko's Interactive Cognitive Reappraisal intervention was among the strongest performers and one of only two SSIs that significantly reduced depression at four-week follow-up.
Koko LinkedIn · Jul 2025
Koko promoted a TrustCon appearance focused on evidence-based interventions, trust and safety, and reducing online harm.
Jobs and careers at Koko
0 jobs at Koko
No open positions
Check back later for new openings