InFlow, a science app for ADHD, raises $2.3M led by Hoxton Ventures – TechCrunch

Symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can include anxiety, chronic boredom, impulsiveness, difficulty concentrating, anger control, and even depression. But people with ADHD can face long waits for evaluation and prohibitively expensive treatments.

Now a startup, which launched in 2020, hopes to solve that problem by pouring the knowledge of a team of clinicians and coaches into an app with a guided program to treat ADHD symptoms. To help, Inflow claims to allow users to implement cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) coping strategies into their daily lives.

In 2020, InFlow raised $680,000 from Rhythm VC and angel investors. It has now raised $2.3 million in seed funding in a round led by London-based Hoxton Ventures.

A former Y Combinator 21 batch grade, Inflow has also attracted participation from US-based Route 66 Ventures.

Several prominent angel investors are also backing the company, including the founders of digital addiction clinic Quit Genius (Yusuf Sherwani, Maroof Ahmed, Sarim Siddiqui) and the CEO of legal services chatbot DoNotPay, Joshua Browder.

However, it’s worth pointing out that the app has yet to undergo an independent clinical trial, although the company says this is in the works later this year.

A spokesperson said: ‘In preparation for a clinical trial, we carried out a usability and feasibility study with the University of Richmond in the US with Dr Laura Knouse. He did a pre- and post-symptom and impairment assessment which was submitted to the ADHD journal.

Founded in 2020 by Seb Isaacs, Levi Epstein (formerly head of product at Babylon Health) and ADHD expert Dr. George Sachs, Inflow will use the funding to expand its team and roll out additional tools and services.

InFlow competes in an ADHD app market populated by apps like SimpleMind Pro, Brain Focus, and Focus@Will, but, in truth, most apps are simply pitched as productivity apps that could be adapted to be used by people with ADHD.

How Inflow works is for users to complete short daily exercises and challenges to build healthy habits, learn skills, practice ADHD-specific mindfulness techniques, discover their neurological differences, and reframe negative thoughts, the company explains.

InFlow claims that it is downloaded over 15,000 times per month.

Co-founder Seb Isaacs said, “We knew we could simplify the ADHD care process and reach millions of underserved people living with ADHD. Inflow can provide immediate, affordable, on-demand support in ways our overburdened mental health system simply cannot. There is no waiting list, no referral needed, no complicated admissions process.

Hussein Kanji, Partner at Hoxton Ventures, added, “It has been a privilege to watch Inflow fulfill its mission to see every person with ADHD thrive.”