Inpathy

Inpathy is a Detroit-based company developing a social therapy application designed to foster more authentic emotional expression online. The platform was founded by the husband-and-wife team Ziarekenya and Kathryn Smith. Ziarekenya Smith's background includes years of experience in branding and marketing, while Kathryn Smith contributes her expertise as a mental health professional. The founder's personal mental health journey was a key motivator in creating Inpathy, aiming to address the emotional disconnection often experienced in the digital world.

The company is creating a mobile app that functions as a mood-tracking and social sharing platform. Users can perform daily check-ins, selecting from a range of preset emotions to log how they are feeling. A central feature is the ability to upload video or audio "stories" to elaborate on their emotional state, which can be shared with a close circle of friends and family for support. This focus on video and audio, to the exclusion of text and photos, is intended to create a more immersive and empathetic way for users to connect. The app alerts a user's support circle when they are feeling down and monitors messages to maintain a safe environment.

Inpathy positions itself not as a clinical mental health app, but as a "human app" that encourages transparency and normalizes the full spectrum of emotions, moving beyond the curated perfection often seen on other social media platforms. The target audience appears to be Gen Z, with the company conducting a "Humans Series" on college campuses to discuss mental health and the impact of social media. Inpathy was selected as one of 12 companies for the Techstars Detroit Powered by JP Morgan accelerator program, which supports minority entrepreneurs. As of mid-2024, the app was preparing for a summer launch on iOS, with an Android version planned for the future. The company has stated the app will be free and ad-free, and was seeking to raise $250,000 to complete development.

Keywords: mood tracking app, social therapy, emotional wellness, mental health tech, social media alternative, Gen Z, founder Ziarekenya Smith, founder Kathryn Smith, peer support, authentic communication, digital well-being, video stories, audio journals, Techstars Detroit, empathetic technology, community support, emotional expression, mental wellness platform, mobile application, Detroit startup