Koko
Koko is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, AI-powered anonymous mental health peer support to young people globally via WhatsApp, Discord, and Telegram, and through embedded safety integrations on platforms including TikTok, Tumblr, Pinterest, Roblox, Character.AI, and OpenAI.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Koko does
Koko (legal entity Koko AI, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2014 by Rob Morris during his PhD at MIT Media Lab, headquartered at 2021 Fillmore St. #204 in San Francisco. It provides free, anonymous, AI-mediated mental health support to young people globally, combining a proprietary LLM-and-keyword risk-detection engine with human moderation and a peer-support model in which users both receive and provide support. The platform claims to capture up to 40% more high-risk content than standard keyword lists using a psychologist-curated library built from 12,000+ crisis posts, augmented with GPT-3 expansions.
The company delivers its services through three surfaces: (1) direct peer-support chat on WhatsApp, Discord, and Telegram, available 24/7 globally with no account creation or app download required; (2) 5–10 minute evidence-based mini-courses covering mood regulation, body image, stress, anxiety, and self-harm; and (3) a Keywords API and Suicide Prevention Kit embedded into partner platforms including TikTok, Tumblr, Pinterest, Snapchat, Bluesky, Giphy, Roblox, Character.AI, OpenAI, and Twitch, with a 300+ global helpline directory for crisis referrals. Koko claims a 6M+ user footprint across 199 countries, with someone helped every 90 seconds.
Koko's business model is that of a registered nonprofit: end-user services are entirely free, with no fees, subscriptions, or data commercialization; revenue derives from individual donations, foundation grants, and funding/ad credits provided by social media platform partners. Disclosed lifetime funding totals approximately $3M ($2.5M from Omidyar Network and Union Square Ventures in 2016, plus $500K from Y Combinator in 2022). The organization is supported by an external Ethics Advisory Board operated by Compass Ethics and by ongoing research collaborations with MIT Media Lab, Harvard, Stanford, Dartmouth, and Northwestern University, producing 8+ peer-reviewed publications including three randomized controlled trials validating efficacy.
Koko firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Koko
- Legal name
- Koko AI, Inc.
- Website
- https://kokocares.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Koko is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, AI-powered anonymous mental health peer support to young people globally via WhatsApp, Discord, and Telegram, and through embedded safety integrations on platforms including TikTok, Tumblr, Pinterest, Roblox, Character.AI, and OpenAI.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Koko industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Mental Health Services
- NAICS
- Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Student Support Hotlines & Digital Wellbeing Tools (EDAJAIAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Student Safety, Wellbeing & SEL Technology (Monitoring, Reporting) (EDAJAMAJ), Student Wellness & Prevention Programs (Substance Use, Sexual Health, Bullying) (EDAJAIAG), Crisis Response & Threat Assessment (Suicide Prevention, Violence Prevention) (EDAJAIAH)
Keywords
Where Koko is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Koko business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Koko is funded primarily through donations from individuals, foundations, and grant funding. Services are completely free to users with no fees, subscriptions, or hidden charges.
- Platform Partnerships and Ad Credits: Koko receives funding and ad credits from social media platform partners to help enhance platform safety. Koko never sells user data.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free access to all services |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Koko product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Koko is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, anonymous digital mental health support to young people through two core services: Koko Peer Support (24/7 moderated peer-to-peer chat on WhatsApp, Discord, and Telegram) and Koko Mini-Courses (5–10 minute evidence-based self-guided interventions on mood, body image, stress, anxiety, self-harm, and friend support). For platforms, Koko sells the Keywords API and Suicide Prevention Kit — developer tools that use proprietary keyword libraries and LLM-based detection to identify high-risk content and route users to Koko's free resources.
Product overview
Koko is a nonprofit digital mental health platform providing free, evidence-based mental health support to young people. The core offering consists of two integrated services: (1) Koko Peer Support, an anonymous chat service available via WhatsApp, Discord, and Telegram where users connect with peers for emotional support; and (2) Koko Mini-Courses, self-guided 5-10 minute interventions covering topics like mood regulation, body image, stress, anxiety, self-harm, and friend support. For platform partners, Koko offers the Keywords API and Suicide Prevention Kit, enabling external platforms to detect high-risk content using proprietary keyword libraries and direct users to Koko's mental health resources. The platform is supported by an external Ethics Advisory Board that provides oversight on research and product development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Koko Peer Support Anonymous peer-to-peer chat service connecting young people for emotional support. Available 24/7 globally via WhatsApp, Discord, and Telegram with no sign-up or additional downloads required. All conversations are moderated by AI and human review for safety.
- Koko Mini-Courses Self-guided 5–10 minute courses teaching coping skills for mental health challenges including mood regulation, body image, stress, anxiety, self-harm, and supporting friends. Evidence-based interventions designed to help users develop practical mental health skills.
- Keywords API API service providing keyword detection for high-risk terms and phrases related to mental health crises. Enables platforms to identify users seeking help and direct them to appropriate resources. Supports filtering by category, confidence, and intensity levels, with native client libraries in Python, Ruby, PHP, and Go backed by a Rust-based core with sub-microsecond latency.
- Suicide Prevention Kit Free resources for online communities including a native keyword library that detects high-risk terms and an embed linking to free mental health resources and interventions. Designed for quick integration (as little as 10 minutes) by platforms seeking to improve mental health support.
Quantifiable outcome
- 88% of users find Koko's service helpful
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Koko
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Koko technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability4 records
Feature6 records
Koko partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- RobloxcoreRoblox partnered with Koko during Mental Health Awareness Month to develop a bullying resilience game with Koko, game studio Playerthree, and Northwestern University researchers. Koko's mental health resources integrated into Roblox's well-being tools for young users.
- ThroughLinecoreRoblox expanded its partnership with ThroughLine to provide confidential crisis support locator services across more areas of the platform throughout 2026. ThroughLine also partners with Koko for off-boarding and crisis support integration.
- Northwestern University (Jessica Schleider Lab)corePartnership with Northwestern University's Lab for Scalable Mental Health to create improved versions of single-session interventions with shortened programs and immediate crisis protocols. Also collaborating on Project YES for Montana and Texas statewide deployments.
- ClosegapcoreClosegap partnered with Koko to integrate evidence-based mental health support tools into its K-12 school platform, enabling educators to provide immediate, targeted interventions during daily student check-ins for body image, self-harm, and other pressing mental health needs.
- Character.AIcoreCharacter.AI partnered with Koko as part of their under-18 experience overhaul, integrating Koko's mental health nonprofit support resources during the platform's safety transition involving chat limits and age assurance technology rollout.
- Montana StatecoreMontana became the first state to launch Project YES, a free digital mental health tool designed for youth. Koko partnered with Project YES to address the state's high adolescent suicide rates and mental health professional shortages.
- Tumblrcore5-year partnership with Tumblr providing user support including detection, enhanced PSAs, and DMs. High-risk keywords trigger immediate PSA and DM; low-risk keywords trigger supportive mental health content. 405k+ users impacted. Koko mini-courses studied with outcomes similar to traditional therapy.
- PinterestcoreKoko's safety systems and algorithms utilized by Pinterest for content moderation and high-risk keyword detection.
- OpenAIcoreKoko's safety systems and algorithms utilized by OpenAI for content moderation.
- TwitchcoreKoko's content moderation systems and keyword detection utilized by Twitch for platform safety.
- MIT Media LabcoreKoko originated as a clinical trial at MIT Media Lab. Founder Rob Morris conducted his PhD research there under advisor Rosalind Picard. Ongoing research collaboration including Harvard, Stanford, Dartmouth, and Northwestern.
- Harvard UniversitycoreResearch partnership including Matthew Nock (Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology) on suicide research. Harvard randomized trials validated Koko's approach to connecting high-risk users with help.
- Compass EthicscoreEthics Advisory Board provided by Compass Ethics, including Dr. Bradley J. Strawser (Founder & CEO), Dr. Luke Gelinas (Director of Research Ethics), Lorenzo Nericcio (Ethics Analyst), and Dr. Ted Lechterman (Managing Director, AI and Social Impact). Board provides ethical advice and external oversight.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Koko competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Crisis Text Line: Nonprofit crisis intervention service providing 24/7 text-based mental health support; the closest direct peer given overlapping crisis support mission, youth focus, and free model.
- BeMe Health: Teen mental health platform combining peer support, coaching, and clinical content; comparable target demographic and platform-embedded distribution model.
- The Trevor Project: Nonprofit providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth; comparable nonprofit structure, youth crisis mission, and digital/text channel delivery.
- Woebot Health: AI-powered mental health chatbot combining CBT techniques with human support; a direct competitor in the AI-driven youth digital mental health category.
- MindRight: Youth mental health platform providing text-based coaching and crisis support via social integrations; directly comparable niche, demographics, and B2B partnership model.
- 7 Cups: Anonymous peer-to-peer emotional support platform with trained listeners; comparable peer-support model and youth audience overlap with Koko.
Broad incumbents
- Spring Health: Employer-sponsored mental health benefits platform; comparable precision mental health mission but serves adults via B2B contracts rather than youth via embedded platforms.
- Headspace: Mental wellness platform with guided content and employer partnerships; overlaps in mental health category but commercial rather than crisis-oriented.
- BetterHelp: Largest online therapy marketplace connecting users to licensed therapists; competes for the same youth mental health wallet share through a paid professional model.
- Calm: Consumer mental wellness app with broad reach; serves overlapping wellness needs but as a paid subscription B2C product rather than a crisis support nonprofit.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Koko social profiles
Digital presenceKoko compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Koko financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Koko leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Koko funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Koko M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Koko
What does Koko do?
Koko is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, anonymous digital mental health support to young people through two core services: Koko Peer Support (24/7 moderated peer-to-peer chat on WhatsApp, Discord, and Telegram) and Koko Mini-Courses (5–10 minute evidence-based self-guided interventions on mood, body image, stress, anxiety, self-harm, and friend support). For platforms, Koko sells the Keywords API and Suicide Prevention Kit — developer tools that use proprietary keyword libraries and LLM-based detection to identify high-risk content and route users to Koko's free resources.
Is Koko a public or private company?
Koko is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Koko founded?
Koko was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Koko based?
Koko is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Koko make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Grants are the primary driver. The others are platform Partnerships and Ad Credits.
Who are Koko's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Crisis Text Line, BeMe Health, The Trevor Project, Woebot Health, MindRight and 7 Cups. Broad incumbents are Spring Health, Headspace, BetterHelp and Calm.
Does Koko have an API?
Yes. Koko provides a Keywords API for suicide prevention and mental health risk detection. The API uses a native keyword library that detects high-risk terms and phrases across categories including self-harm, eating disorders, suicide, and mental health concerns. Keywords are sourced from over 12k crisis posts and curated by psychologists, with additional expansion using GPT-3. The API supports filtering by category, confidence level, and intensity. Partners can integrate via API or native client libraries to detect high-risk content and direct users to free resources. Developer documentation is at developers.kokocares.org/docs/getting-started.
What industry is Koko in?
Koko's product category is Digital Mental Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAIAL, Student Support Hotlines & Digital Wellbeing Tools, with a secondary code of EDAJAMAJ, Student Safety, Wellbeing & SEL Technology (Monitoring, Reporting). Its NAICS code is 624190 and its SIC code is 8090.