Vita Activa
Vita Activa is a nonprofit feminist helpline providing free, confidential emotional support, psychological first aid, and digital-safety guidance to journalists, activists, human rights defenders, women, and LGBTQ+ people facing online gender-based violence and burnout across 20+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- Headquarters—
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Vita Activa does
Vita Activa is a US-incorporated nonprofit (Vita Activa Inc., founded 2019, 11-50 employees) operating a free, confidential, anonymous feminist peer-support helpline for journalists, activists, human rights defenders, women, and LGBTQ+ people facing online gender-based violence, burnout, trauma, and emotional crises. Its methodology integrates three disciplines: Psychological First Aid (immediate emotional containment), digital safety/autonomy guidance (response to technology-facilitated violence), and non-directive strategic accompaniment. Services are delivered via Signal, WhatsApp (+56 9 3291 9018), and email in Spanish, English, Portuguese, and Arabic. Though legally domiciled in the US, operational signals (phone code, team) point to a Chile-/Latin America-centered base, with cumulative reach of 1,200+ people across 20+ countries since 2019.
The organization's product surface extends beyond the core helpline to: MDRnet (Media Resilience Network), a 2025 US-focused program for journalists and newsroom leaders; NINA (Nuestra Inteligencia No es Artificial), an AI-assisted conversational triage system for MDRnet first-contact intake; Tejiendo Fuerza community support groups; the annual VitaFest virtual festival; a multilingual Psychological First Aid Manual; and a curated digital-safety resource library. Vita Activa is not a SaaS platform but a direct-care service organization supported by lightweight technology and open methodologies, with a WCAG 2.2 AA-accessible website.
As a nonprofit, Vita Activa generates no commercial revenue; it is funded through grants, institutional/foundation funding, and donations, with all beneficiary services provided free of charge. Its 2025 launch of MDRnet was enabled by a Press Forward grant (~$500K, part of a broader $22.7M, 22-project initiative). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging feminist helpline ecosystems, international conferences (RightsCon, SXSW, International Journalism Festival), and a dense network of allied organizations (Access Now, IFEX, Coalition Against Online Violence, Digital Defenders Partnership). The team combines licensed psychologists and senior journalists, including co-founder and Executive Director Luisa Ortiz Pérez (Stanford JSK Fellow).
Vita Activa firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vita Activa
- Legal name
- Vita Activa Inc.
- Website
- https://vita-activa.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Vita Activa is a nonprofit feminist helpline providing free, confidential emotional support, psychological first aid, and digital-safety guidance to journalists, activists, human rights defenders, women, and LGBTQ+ people facing online gender-based violence and burnout across 20+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vita Activa industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mental Health Support Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Crisis Support, Suicide Prevention & Acute Behavioral Triage Platforms (HLALAEAI), Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)
Keywords
Vita Activa business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Grants and Institutional Funding: Vita Activa operates as a nonprofit and relies primarily on grants and institutional funding from foundations and donors. The organization has received funding from Press Forward to launch the MDRnet program for US journalists.
- Donations: The organization accepts donations to support its operations and programs, including the annual VitaFest festival.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free helpline services for journalists, activists, human rights defenders, women, and LGBTQ+ people |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Vita Activa product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vita Activa provides free, confidential, and anonymous peer-support mental health and digital safety services through a helpline accessible via Signal, WhatsApp, and email in Spanish, English, Portuguese, and Arabic. The service integrates three disciplines: Psychological First Aid, digital autonomy guidance for technology-facilitated violence, and survivor-centered strategic accompaniment. The primary beneficiaries are journalists, activists, human rights defenders, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals facing stress, trauma, burnout, online gender-based violence, and emotional crises.
Product overview
Vita Activa operates as a feminist care organization offering a unified helpline service that combines emotional support, psychological first aid, digital safety guidance, and strategic accompaniment. The core offering is the anonymous helpline (available in Spanish, English, Portuguese, and Arabic) which provides peer-to-peer support for journalists, activists, human rights defenders, women, and LGBTQ+ people. Supporting products include MDRnet, a US-specific program for journalists; NINA, an AI-assisted triage system for connecting users to appropriate care; the Resources platform featuring allied organizations and guides; the Psychological First Aid Manual; community support groups called Tejiendo Fuerza; and annual reports documenting organizational learning. The organization does not operate as a traditional SaaS platform but provides direct care services supported by technology tools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MDRnet (Media Resilience Network): Program supporting journalists and newsroom leaders in the United States with emotional, mental and organizational wellbeing through confidential support, peer spaces and care-centered resources.
- NINA (Nuestra Inteligencia No es Artificial)
- Tejiendo Fuerza
- VitaFest
Products and services
- Vita Activa Helpline Free, confidential, and anonymous feminist helpline providing emotional support, psychological first aid, and digital safety assistance to journalists, activists, human rights defenders, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals facing online gender-based violence, stress, burnout, and emotional crises. Available in Spanish, English, Portuguese, and Arabic via Signal, WhatsApp, and email.
- MDRnet (Media Resilience Network) Program of Vita Activa that strengthens the emotional, mental, and organizational wellbeing of journalists in the United States through confidential peer support, care-centered resources, and strategic guidance. Serves US-based journalists and newsroom leaders serving underserved communities.
- NINA (Nuestra Inteligencia No es Artificial) AI-assisted conversational triage system that serves as the initial entry point for MDRnet users, understanding their situations and orienting them toward appropriate support resources. Designed to facilitate timely access to human care efficiently without replacing human care providers.
- Tejiendo Fuerza Community Support Groups Community support groups providing confidential, anonymous, and communal spaces for feminist activists, cyberfeminists, journalists, communicators, and freedom of expression defenders to connect, share, and support each other.
- Psychological First Aid Manual Multilingual manual on psychological first aid developed by Vita Activa, available in multiple languages including Arabic, providing guidance for supporting people experiencing emotional distress, crisis, or overwhelming situations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,200+ people supported since 2019 across 20+ countries
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Vita Activa
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Vita Activa technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature4 records
Vita Activa partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Digital Defenders PartnershipcoreDigital Defenders Partnership organized the Global Gathering of Feminist Helplines in Barcelona in December 2025, which Vita Activa participated in. The gathering consolidated strategic and affective learnings, reaffirming the importance of feminist accompaniment networks and collective responses to digital violence. Sessions were co-coordinated with partner organizations.
- Laboratorio Ciudadano HondurascoreCo-coordinated the session 'Algoritmo Patriarcal: TFGBV Trends in the IA Era and Case Referral From AI Platforms' with Vita Activa at the Global Gathering of Feminist Helplines in Barcelona, December 2025.
- Purple CodecoreCo-coordinated the session 'Caring for the Caregivers: Emotional Labour and Mental Health of Case Handlers' with Vita Activa at the Global Gathering of Feminist Helplines.
- Centro SOS Digital de Internet BoliviacoreCo-coordinated the session 'Caring for the Caregivers: Emotional Labour and Mental Health of Case Handlers' with Vita Activa and Purple Code at the Global Gathering of Feminist Helplines.
- Access NowminorFeatured ally organization recommended for digital safety, freedom of expression, and human rights in the digital environment. Access Now provides advocacy, strategic litigation, support for at-risk communities, and multilingual digital security guides.
- IFEXminorFeatured ally — a global network of over 100 organizations defending and promoting freedom of expression through alerts, campaigns, advocacy, and coordinated support for individuals and media under attack.
- Coalition Against Online ViolenceminorFeatured ally — a coalition of over 80 organizations developing resources, campaigns, and training to prevent and respond to online violence against women journalists and media workers.
- Frontline Freelance MéxicominorFeatured ally — organization of freelance journalists working in high-risk environments in Mexico, advocating for safer working conditions, peer support, and protection standards for local press.
- MDRnet.org (Media Resilience Network)coreMDRnet.org is a program of Vita Activa that strengthens the emotional, mental, and organizational well-being of journalists in the United States through confidential support, peer spaces, and care-centered resources. Launched in 2025 with Press Forward funding.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Vita Activa competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma: A project of Columbia Journalism School providing trauma and emotional support resources, training, and peer networks for journalists worldwide. Closely aligned with Vita Activa's mission of psychosocial support for journalists facing trauma, burnout, and crisis.
- Front Line Defenders: International organization providing rapid response, security, and well-being support to human rights defenders at risk. Directly comparable to Vita Activa's work with activists and HRDs facing digital and psychological threats.
- Digital Defenders Partnership: Fund that provides emergency support to individuals and organizations facing digital threats, and co-organized the Global Gathering of Feminist Helplines with Vita Activa. Strong operational and methodological overlap in serving at-risk journalists and activists.
- Coalition Against Online Violence: Coalition of 80+ organizations developing resources and training to prevent and respond to online violence against women journalists. Vita Activa is a featured ally; both organizations serve overlapping beneficiaries with closely aligned methodologies.
Broad incumbents
- Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): A larger, established NGO focused on press freedom worldwide that increasingly addresses journalists' mental health and safety. Overlaps with Vita Activa in protecting journalists from digital violence and burnout, but operates a much broader advocacy and emergency-response mandate.
- Access Now: Global digital rights organization that provides digital safety helpline support and resources to activists and journalists. Broader in scope than Vita Activa but a direct allied organization with overlapping service population and threat model.
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF): Large international press freedom organization offering safety, legal, and increasingly psychological support to journalists worldwide. Compares to Vita Activa on the journalist-safety dimension but operates globally at much larger scale.
- IFEX: Global network of 100+ organizations defending freedom of expression. Featured Vita Activa ally with overlapping journalist and activist support constituency, though IFEX itself is a coordinating network rather than a direct service provider.
- Crisis Text Line: Large-scale US-based text-based crisis support service operating a 24/7 helpline with volunteer responders. Compares to Vita Activa on crisis-intervention delivery model and digital-first peer support, though Crisis Text Line is far larger and US-focused.
Regional players
- Fundamedios: Ecuador-based regional press freedom organization promoting freedom of expression in Latin America and supporting journalists in exile. The Vita Activa advisory board chair previously led its US office, evidencing close operational overlap in the Latin American journalism safety ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Vita Activa social profiles
Digital presenceVita Activa compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Vita Activa financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vita Activa leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Vita Activa subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Vita Activa funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vita Activa 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 Vita Activa
What does Vita Activa do?
Vita Activa provides free, confidential, and anonymous peer-support mental health and digital safety services through a helpline accessible via Signal, WhatsApp, and email in Spanish, English, Portuguese, and Arabic. The service integrates three disciplines: Psychological First Aid, digital autonomy guidance for technology-facilitated violence, and survivor-centered strategic accompaniment. The primary beneficiaries are journalists, activists, human rights defenders, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals facing stress, trauma, burnout, online gender-based violence, and emotional crises.
Is Vita Activa a public or private company?
Vita Activa is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Vita Activa founded?
Vita Activa was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
How does Vita Activa make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Grants and Institutional Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations.
Who are Vita Activa's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, Front Line Defenders, Digital Defenders Partnership and Coalition Against Online Violence. Broad incumbents are Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Access Now, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), IFEX and Crisis Text Line. Fundamedios is listed as a regional player.
Does Vita Activa have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vita Activa.
What industry is Vita Activa in?
Vita Activa's product category is Mental Health Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADADAH, Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid), with a secondary code of HLALAEAI, Crisis Support, Suicide Prevention & Acute Behavioral Triage Platforms. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.