The Path Raises $14.3M to Build Safer AI Therapy Tools

The Path, a new mental health startup co-founded by Tony Robbins and former Calm executives, has secured $14.3 million in seed funding. The round was led by Prime Movers Lab, where Robbins serves as a partner, with additional backing from boxer Deontay Wilder, speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, and Designer Fund.

The startup aims to differentiate itself from mainstream consumer chatbots by offering a specialized AI model designed for therapy and coaching rather than simple engagement. CEO Anson Whitmer, who previously worked at the meditation app Calm alongside co-founder Tyler Sheaffer, began developing the platform after observing how users interacted with AI audio features in a previous mental health venture.

Prioritizing Safety Over Engagement

Whitmer argues that general-purpose AI models are ill-suited for mental health because they are optimized for engagement, often reinforcing user bias to keep them active. In contrast, he notes that effective therapy requires digging into complex, idiosyncratic problems rather than providing quick, agreeable answers.

To ensure higher clinical standards, The Path has implemented the following measures:

• Safety Benchmarking: The startup’s proprietary model scored 95 on the Vera-MH mental health safety benchmark, significantly outpacing the 65-point average of typical consumer bots.
• Custom Architecture: The platform uses post-trained open-source models rather than acting as a wrapper for existing consumer LLMs.
• Personalization: Users can select from 11 distinct virtual AI therapists and adjust settings for communication style and directness.

A Personal Mission

For Whitmer, the commitment to mental health technology is deeply personal. He transitioned from a career in psychology research after losing both an uncle and a cousin to suicide. His experience at Calm, while impactful, left him feeling that the industry needed a more personalized approach to reach individuals whose specific challenges could not be addressed by meditation alone.

“The issue is, people’s problems are just too idiosyncratic. They’re too personal,” Whitmer said. “What’s exciting and game-changing is that, for the first time in my career, I’ve seen that there’s actually this possibility for every single person to have the personalized sort of access and care that they need.”

The app is currently available for free as it scales its user base, with plans to eventually transition to a subscription model priced at $40 per month.