TeenSmart International

What TeenSmart International does

TeenSmart International is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization founded in 2004 and headquartered in San José, Costa Rica, with legal registration in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and the United States. Its mission is to provide Spanish-speaking youth ages 10 to 24 with tools to manage emotional, psychological, and reproductive health. The organization operates the JovenSalud Alliance ecosystem, anchored by the JovenSalud.net virtual youth health platform and an Android mobile application, supported by a GenZ Advisory Council and regional JovenSalud Leadership Clubs that co-create content with staff. Across Latin America, TeenSmart partners with public, private, and civil society institutions to deliver its services.

The platform is a cloud-based digital health stack built on AWS infrastructure (EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda), combining a web app, a mobile app, an AI-powered chatbot named Joy for instant youth support with asynchronous human coach escalation, two Building Emotions mini-courses (Parts 1 and 2), the Emotions in Harmony micro-learning sequence, health self-assessment questionnaires with feedback, and crisis, violence-reporting, and cyberbullying channels. All services are free to end users, available 24/7 in Spanish, and grounded in established theoretical models (Ryff Psychological Wellbeing, Keyes Social Wellbeing, Garmezy Resilience) refined with input from adolescents in 18 countries.

TeenSmart generates no revenue from end users; it is funded primarily through individual donations, corporate sponsorships (notably AWS Health Equity Initiative), and grants from multilateral bodies (Inter-American Development Bank, COMISCA, PAHO/WHO) and foundations (Carlos Slim Foundation, VIVA Idea Schmidheiny). It reaches youth through school partnerships (e.g., five consecutive years with the Nicaraguan Ministry of Education), regional health bodies, sponsors' social channels, and its own social and email channels. Cumulative scale includes 167,762 registered users, 181,551 coaching requests, 22,932 completed online courses, 103,164 health questionnaires, 86% general satisfaction, and a publicly stated target of 1 million teens reached by 2030.

Name

TeenSmart International

Legal name

TeenSmart International

Website

https://teensmart.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TeenSmart International is a Costa Rica-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the JovenSalud.net platform to deliver free, confidential Spanish-language mental health coaching, self-assessment tools, and life-skills courses to youth ages 10-24 across Latin America, funded by donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mental Health Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health Teletherapy Platforms (HLALAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Youth mental health
• Online coaching services
• Adolescent support programs
• Nonprofit digital health
• Spanish wellness platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Morrisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: TeenSmart operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization funded primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and institutional donors. Services are completely free to end users. Major sponsors include AWS Health Equity Initiative and individual donors supporting campaigns like SmartGive.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors such as AWS provide financial sponsorship for technology upgrades and program expansion, particularly for mental health interventions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TeenSmart International provides free online mental health coaching, self-assessment health questionnaires, life-skills courses, micro-learning sequences, and crisis intervention through its JovenSalud.net platform and Android mobile application. The service targets Spanish-speaking youth ages 10-24 across 20 Latin American countries and is delivered via a cloud-based digital platform with an AI chatbot (Joy) and asynchronous follow-up by professional health coaches.

Product overview

TeenSmart International operates a platform-plus-content architecture centered on JovenSalud.net, a comprehensive virtual youth support platform offering online coaching, mental health courses, self-assessment tools, and micro-learning sequences for Spanish-speaking teens ages 10-24. The ecosystem includes the JovenSalud Android mobile app for on-the-go access, two Building Emotions mini-courses (Part 1 focusing on self-esteem and resilience, Part 2 on depression and anxiety), the Emotions in Harmony micro-learning messaging sequence, the 'Looking for Advice?' coaching service with chatbot support, and health questionnaires. All services are free and available 24/7 to youth across Latin America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JovenSalud.net: Virtual youth health platform providing free online coaching, mental health support, health questionnaires, and life-skills courses for Spanish-speaking youth aged 10-24
• Building Emotions
• Emotions in Harmony
• You Are Not Alone
• YoMePreparo
• GenZ Advisory Council
• JovenSalud Leadership Clubs

Products and services

• JovenSalud.net Platform Primary virtual youth support platform providing free online coaching, self-assessment health quizzes with empowering feedback, virtual life-skills courses, crisis support, violence reporting, and cyberbullying mitigation for Spanish-speaking teens ages 10-24 across Latin America.
• JovenSalud Mobile App Android mobile application providing youth access to confidential health resources, coaching, and mental health support services on-the-go.
• Building Emotions Part 1 Mental health mini-course addressing self-esteem, body image, emotional regulation, resilience, and life purpose, developed with feedback from over 1,000 adolescents across 18 Spanish-speaking countries.
• Building Emotions Part 2 Mental health mini-course focusing on depression and anxiety, providing strategies to recognize, confront, and manage these issues along with healthy habits for emotional well-being.
• Emotions in Harmony Micro-learning Sequence Transformative message sequence providing ongoing, practical emotional health support to young people, evolved from the original 'You Are Not Alone' campaign.
• Looking for Advice? Coaching Service (Chat with Joy) Real-time coaching service featuring instant chat with Joy (a chatbot) or asynchronous communication with health professionals for confidential youth support.
• Health Questionnaires Self-administered health, risk, and protection questionnaires that provide empowering feedback to youth while gathering data on youth health trends.

Quantifiable outcome

• 167,762 registered users
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreTechnology or IntegrationAWS Health Equity Initiative provides generous sponsorship enabling TeenSmart to elevate mental health interventions and fund technical upgrades to the JovenSalud platform. AWS cloud services (EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda) power the platform infrastructure.
• Carlos Slim FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded 1st Place in the Carlos Slim Foundation Exceptional Health Institute Award in 2016. Actively supports TeenSmart's Transform your World campaign through social media sharing.
• Roche Central America & the CaribbeanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate ally sharing TeenSmart's Transform your World campaign on social networks to attract new users from Central America and Mexico.
• Council of Ministers of Health of Central America (COMISCA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional health body actively sharing TeenSmart's Transform your World campaign to reach youth across Central America.
• MIT SolvecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected JovenSalud.net as a Solve Global Challenges Winner in 2021 from over 1,800 solutions in 128 countries. Provides ongoing network and recognition for innovation in Equitable Classrooms category. TeenSmart participates in MIT-SOLVE community of innovators.
• Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded 2nd Place JK Visionary Award in 2018. Named Executive Director Adriana Gómez as Digital Health Champion in 2022. Ongoing data partnerships providing youth unemployment and education statistics.
• Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized TeenSmart with Social Health Innovation award in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2023 for work reducing health inequity gaps.
• Nicaraguan Ministry of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor the 5th consecutive year, the Ministry offers JovenSalud to Nicaraguan public school students with a specific focus, integrating the platform into national education.
• Young Bolivian Innovators (Self-Discovered)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeenSmart mentors and supports this team of Bolivian professionals and students implementing the 'Self-Discovered' project focused on sexual/reproductive health, awarded by MIT-SOLVE.
• VIVA Idea SchmidheinymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded 2nd Place Non-Profit with Greatest Social Impact in Latin America in 2018, recognizing TeenSmart's regional contribution.
• Franklyn Covey Costa RicaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated books (The Speed of Trust by Steven Covey) to TeenSmart's 20th Anniversary fundraiser event.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kooth: Kooth is a UK-based digital youth mental health platform offering free, anonymous counseling, psychoeducation, and peer support to children and young people via web and chat. It is a direct peer given its near-identical model of online coaching, courses, and self-help resources targeted at adolescents through schools and partnerships.
• ReachOut Australia: ReachOut is Australia's leading digital youth mental health service providing self-help information, peer support, and moderated forums for young people aged 12-25. It mirrors TeenSmart's free digital self-help, coaching, and crisis resources for a youth audience.
• Wysa: Wysa is an AI conversational chatbot for mental health, offering evidence-based self-help content and access to human therapists, with strong uptake among younger users and employers. It is closely comparable to TeenSmart's chatbot (Joy)-led engagement and structured psychoeducation modules.
• 7 Cups: 7 Cups is a free emotional support platform that connects users with trained listeners and therapists via anonymous chat, with substantial use by teens and young adults. It is directly comparable to TeenSmart's chat-based coaching, asynchronous professional follow-up, and crisis support offerings.
• Crisis Text Line: Crisis Text Line operates a free, 24/7 text-based crisis intervention service primarily serving youth and young adults across the US. It directly compares with TeenSmart's Joy chatbot and confidential crisis support feature for Spanish-speaking adolescents in crisis situations.

Broad incumbents

• Headspace: Headspace is a global mental wellness app offering guided meditation, sleep, and focus content, with a growing focus on adolescent mental health through partnerships with schools and employers. It is a broad incumbent that overlaps in the digital self-help and structured psychoeducation space.
• Talkspace: Talkspace is a US online therapy platform providing text, audio, and video therapy sessions with licensed mental health professionals. It competes in the broader digital behavioral health category overlapping TeenSmart's chat-based coaching, but is not youth-focused or Spanish-first.
• BetterHelp: BetterHelp is the largest global online therapy platform offering chat, voice, and video counseling with licensed therapists. While not youth-specialized or Spanish-first, it is a broad incumbent that overlaps with TeenSmart's chat-based coaching and crisis support, and represents a potential global competitor.
• Calm: Calm is a leading mental wellness app delivering meditation, sleep stories, and mental health content at global scale. While it serves a much broader audience, it is a broad incumbent in the digital mental wellness category intersecting with TeenSmart's self-help and micro-learning content for emotional well-being.

Emerging players

• Yubo: Yubo is a French social discovery platform popular with Gen Z (ages 13-25) that embeds safety features, moderation, and crisis resources directly into a teen-focused chat environment. It is an emerging player that overlaps with TeenSmart's youth cyberbullying mitigation and crisis reporting features.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGDhV-Ia0L-Q5ue7M2LxEgQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/TeenSmart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/teensmart-internacional
• Instagraminstagram.com/teensmart_tsi

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TeenSmart International