What if when you have mental problems you could link directly with someone who understands from their own experience what you're going through? That idea is the basis of the tech platform Strnger, founded two years ago in America by Kenneth Kouadio (26). Through Startup Visa, the young entrepreneur seized the opportunity to attend NOM's Startup Program in the Northern Netherlands. 'To move forward with Strnger, I need to get out of my comfort zone.'
Kenneth is not an entrepreneur who takes the easy way out. When choosing between a French startup program in Paris or the NOM offer in Groningen, he deliberately signed up for the Northern Netherlands, which was still unknown to him. 'While in Paris I already have a network,' says the startup. 'I studied there for a semester and family lives there.' Moreover, French is his mother tongue, having grown up in the Ivory Coast. So why Groningen anyway? 'Because of my studies in America, English quickly became my second language and with that you can go anywhere. That I am now in the northern Netherlands is mainly because it forces me to make new connections. And that is necessary to make Strnger a success.'
A helpline
At its core, the tech platform Strnger - pronounced Stranger - is also about connecting with others. Through the app, young people can anonymously reach out to a stranger to share about the mental challenges they are experiencing. 'Especially for young people, the step to a therapist is a big one,' Kenneth says. 'And if they can get there at all, they are still on their own most of the time. Because family or friends don't always understand what they're going through. That's when it can help to have contact with someone who is going through what you're going through. A helpline where half a word is enough, where you find understanding and where you can support and motivate each other.
Kenneth has high hopes for this new way of supporting mental health. Especially with younger generations. This is partly because of his own experience. 'My dream was to become a basketball player. That's how I ended up in America, training five hours a day alongside my studies. When I visited my family in Ivory Coast in 2021, something went wrong in my back; just during a game of basketball with kids in the neighborhood. I was bedridden for a period of time and saw my basketball dream go up in smoke. That's how I fell into a severe depression. No matter how caring everyone was, no one really understood me. In that loneliness, I would have loved to have had a platform like Strnger.
Hype on campus
'Because of my basketball dream, I never had a plan B,' says the ambitious Ivorian. 'Still, I went back to America to finish my studies in business administration. There I got the idea to connect students with mental problems through a platform. So many young people are dealing with it, from love troubles to fears and loss. And often they feel alone in it. Through a feature on Twitter, I created a community to support each other and that became hype on campus. Although matching well in that feature proved difficult. So I discovered the importance of searching in segments, in order to match people with similar issues. So I decided to develop an app myself.'
Kenneth built the foundation of his dream app with a small team. Since then, he has managed to enthuse a growing group of people for further development. 'My challenge is to show others the purpose, why and value of Strnger. To show the potential of a serious platform for one-on-one exchange about mental health. This can help young people around the world. The app does not offer therapy, but it can make a difference through human contact with someone going through something similar. I am convinced that this support can really help young people. It is a new answer to the high demand for mental support, which is why I expect Strnger to be picked up quickly.
Making a difference
His biggest motivation is to help others. 'And if this platform becomes big, it can make a difference for millions of people,' Kenneth realizes. 'That's the impact I'm striving for and I know it will succeed. The path I'm on feels like it's inspired. I'm a Christian and prayer helps me stay grounded as well as find clarity and direction. This is how I was led to the Northern Netherlands, where I am now learning a lot in the NOM program. In addition to the master classes, there is personal coaching, through which I hope to make great strides with our startup this year.
'Improving, testing and presenting the app is paramount, because that is the basis,' realizes the young entrepreneur, who manages his part-time employees in America and France online. 'Furthermore, I am preparing to find investors, while also making contacts with mental health professionals. If they see the potential and recommend Strnger to their clients, it could give the platform a huge boost. Not everyone immediately sees Strnger as a good answer to the growing waiting lists, but once in conversation people do see the potential. Certainly as an extra alongside professional help. That is why I am also looking for suitable partners for a Mental Health Board, to give the platform more substance.'
The app does not offer therapy, but can make a difference through human contact with someone going through something similar.
Kenneth Kouadio Strnger founder
A lot is possible
Kenneth is determined to make Strnger a success and praises himself for the opportunities in his path. "Through all kinds of lines of communication, I am getting in touch with people who are willing to help me further in this adventure. A lot is possible, as long as I dare to go out of my comfort zone and follow the steps I see in front of me. It's not always easy, especially in this country unknown to me where I don't yet speak the language. But thanks to the NOM Startup Program, my knowledge, resilience and perseverance are growing. This allows me to develop into the entrepreneur I want to be and offer new openings for the mental health of young people.'