What citiesRISE does

citiesRISE is a global non-profit platform founded in 2018 and headquartered in New York (citiesRISE Inc.) that works to transform mental health policy and practice through three core initiatives: Local Collective Action (cross-sector collaboration in cities under shared operating plans), youthRISE (young people and youth leadership), and RISEaccelerator (innovation and acceleration of social-enterprise mental health models). The organization operates city hubs in Seattle, Nairobi, Chennai, Bogotá, and Sacramento, with additional research and innovation hubs in Cape Town and Stockholm, and more recent operational footprint in London and Kigali, reaching 20+ countries through its accelerator and learning platform. Its underlying methodology centers on the Core Capacities Framework (Inner Cultivation, Relational Capacity, Capacity for Engaged Action) and a Three-Dimensional Model (inner, social, environmental), supported by a Research Unit running RCTs such as YiPEE, weRISE, and Channels and Actors, plus the Learning Collaborative and programs including the Whole School Approach, Gathering Spaces, and the Youth Challenge Award grant program.

The platform serves young people aged approximately 12-35, cities and local governments, social entrepreneurs in mental health, schools, and research institutions. Revenue comes entirely from philanthropic grants and donations; funding partners include Co-Impact, Pivotal Ventures, Wellcome, Templeton World Charity Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada, Johnson & Johnson, Sutter Health, The Hans Foundation, Hopelab, and the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases. The go-to-market approach is community-driven and event-based: convening cross-sector stakeholders in each city, delivering youth-led programming through schools and community organizations, running accelerator cohorts for proven social-enterprise models (Atmiyata in India, StrongMinds in Uganda, Life-DM in Vietnam, Inuka Hero in Kenya, IPT in Lebanon), and publishing research and toolkits.

The platform is governed by a board that includes former leadership of the World Psychiatric Association and WHO, with operational hosting under the Global Development Incubator (GDI). citiesRISE has no commercial product or API, relying instead on direct relationships with city governments, NGOs, and academic institutions (Karolinska Institutet, Stellenbosch, University of Washington, University of Nairobi, University of Exeter) to deliver programming. Moitreyee Sinha serves as CEO and Founder; the team is distributed across the United States, Kenya, India, Colombia, and the UK.

Name

citiesRISE

Legal name

citiesRISE Inc.

Website

https://cities-rise.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

citiesRISE is a global non-profit mental health platform founded in 2018 that operates city hubs in Seattle, Nairobi, Chennai, Bogotá, and Sacramento, running cross-sector collective action, youth leadership, and social-entrepreneur accelerator programs, funded by philanthropic grants from Co-Impact, Wellcome, Templeton, Johnson & Johnson, and others.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Mental Health Programs

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities) (BPAIANAJ)

Keywords

• Youth mental health
• Public mental health
• Mental health programs
• Cross-sector collaboration
• Mental health research

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic/Donor Funding: citiesRISE is funded by a coalition of progressive funders and philanthropic organizations. Funding partners include Co-Impact, Grand Challenges Canada, The Hans Foundation, Johnson & Johnson, Pivotal Ventures, Sutter Health, Templeton World Charity Foundation, Wellcome, Grand Challenges Canada (additional), Hopelab, Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases, Towards Kindness, Rural India Supporting Trust, and Pivotal Ventures. The organization accepts donations online via GiveButter, ACH bank transfers, and checks.
2. Program Grants: The organization receives grant funding from research funding partners including Templeton World Charity Foundation, Wellcome, Grand Challenges Canada, Hopelab, Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases, Towards Kindness, Rural India Supporting Trust, and Co-Impact. Grants are directed toward specific research initiatives such as YiPEE, Gathering Spaces, Whole School Approach, weRISE, and other programmatic work.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

citiesRISE is a global nonprofit platform that transforms mental health for young people through three core initiatives: Local Collective Action (cross-sector collaboration in cities), youthRISE (youth leadership and engagement), and RISEaccelerator (scaling social entrepreneurs' mental health models). These are supported by a Research Unit that generates evidence from multiple RCTs, a Learning Collaborative that harmonizes indicators globally, and a proprietary Core Capacities Framework built on eight years of collaborative research across multiple countries.

Product overview

citiesRISE is a global platform operating as a multi-module ecosystem focused on transforming mental health through local innovation, coalition building, and youth-led action. The platform comprises three core initiatives (Local Collective Action, youthRISE, and RISEaccelerator) supported by a Research Unit, Learning Collaborative, and Core Capacities Framework. Key research programs include YiPEE (school-based intervention), Gathering Spaces (community-based model), Whole School Approach, and weRISE (RCT in India/Kenya). The Youth Challenge Award provides funding to youth leaders. The organization functions as a coordination platform rather than a software product, with no technical integrations or public API.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Youth Challenge Award (YCA): A citiesRISE initiative providing funding, skills training and leadership capacity building to young people driving change in mental health in their communities. Operating in Nairobi, Chennai, Sacramento, Bogotá, and Seattle.

Products and services

• Local Collective Action An innovative and structured approach to cross-sector collaboration that brings creative and collaborative local leaders together under a common operating plan and goal framework to reach as many people as possible. Operates in Seattle, Nairobi, Chennai, Bogotá, and Sacramento.
• youthRISE (Young People and Youth Leadership) A youth leadership program focusing on early mental health awareness, mobilizing youth leaders, addressing stigma, and preventing mental health challenges before they become chronic or disabling through schools, leisure activities, and technology-based channels.
• RISEaccelerator (Innovation and Acceleration) An accelerator program supporting social entrepreneurs to scale their mental health models through path-to-market strategies, business model development, and system integration, with programs in India, Uganda, Lebanon, Vietnam, and Kenya.
• Research Unit A network of city research and innovation hubs generating evidence to support structural shifts in public mental health for young people, with research chairs, fellows, and collaborating institutions worldwide.
• Learning Collaborative A unifying platform driving progress across research and evidence, shared learning and indicators, and advocacy and mobilization through harmonized indicators, data aggregation, and a global network of mental health practitioners.
• Core Capacities Framework A breakthrough framework for creating mental health based on three interconnected capacities: Inner Cultivation, Relational Capacity, and Capacity for Engaged Action, with associated tools including Measure, Practices Library, and Tech-Enabled Learning Platform.
• YiPEE (Youth co-Production for sustainable Engagement and Empowerment in health) A collaborative research initiative studying the effectiveness and adaptability of a school-based multicomponent intervention across Chennai, Nairobi, Stockholm, and Cape Town, employing a whole-school approach targeting inner, social, and environmental dimensions.
• Gathering Spaces A community-based model that creates spaces supporting young people's inner development through gratitude, kindness, and hopefulness practices, originally developed in Nairobi informal settlements and adapted for LGBTQ+ and immigrant youth in Seattle and youth in Chennai.
• Whole School Approach School-based interventions for students ages 5-15 focused on cultivating gratitude, kindness, and hopefulness through collaborative action between students, teachers, and Hope Advisory Boards to change the overall school environment.
• Youth Challenge Award A funding and capacity-building program providing seed grants and technical assistance to young leaders driving change in mental health, operating in Sacramento, Seattle, Nairobi, Bogotá, and Chennai.
• Channels and Actors Youth-driven research across India, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, and the U.S. developing a new model for how young people engage with mental health science, information, and support using consumer marketing frameworks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Whole-school approach implemented across multiple cities targeting students ages 5–15, focusing on gratitude, kindness, and hopefulness.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

39 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• University of WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating research institution since 2018. Partnership includes the Behavioral Health Institute at Harborview/University of Washington where Jim Vollendroff served as founding director. Collaborates on mental health research and policy initiatives.
• University of NairobicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating research institution since 2018. Key partner in Nairobi city hub, working on youth mental health research and implementation.
• Karolinska InstitutetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating research institution and YiPEE partner. Contributes to global research on adolescent mental health across multiple countries. Partners on school-based intervention research.
• Stellenbosch UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating research institution since 2018. YiPEE partner. Home to the Institute for Life Course Health Research where several citiesRISE researchers and advisors are affiliated. Collaborates on adolescent mental health research and implementation science.
• University of ExetercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating research institution since 2018. Home to G.J. Melendez-Torres as Professor of Clinical and Social Epidemiology. Contributes to evaluation, randomized trials, and evidence synthesis.
• University of AntwerpsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating research institution and YiPEE partner. Contributes to cost-effectiveness analysis and health outcome measures research.
• Tampere UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating research institution and YiPEE partner. Contributes behavioral sciences and public health expertise.
• African Population and Health Research CentersecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating research institution since 2018. Contributes to research on youth mental health in African contexts.
• Kenyatta UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating research institution since 2018. Home to youth-led organizations including Amazing Minds Kenya. Affiliated with team members including Oliver Mbayi.
• Fairleigh Dickinson UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating research institution since 2018. Home to Prof. Robert McGrath who contributes measurement science expertise to citiesRISE.
• Harvard UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution contributing to youth mental health research. Affiliated advisors include Prof. G.J. Melendez-Torres, Mark Tomlinson (Professor of Maternal and Child Health), and Claudia Jasin (Master's from Harvard Kennedy School).
• BasicNeedscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperational partner in Nairobi working with citiesRISE on developing operational plans for young people's mental health integrated with the national mental health policy. Founded by Chris Underhill, co-founder of citiesRISE.
• SCARF (Schizophrenia Research Foundation India)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in Chennai city hub. Collaborates on local collective action model incubation, city-wide programs for young people and caregivers, and youth mental health research.
• SNEHA (Society for Nutrition, Education and Health Action)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Chennai working on city-wide programs for young people and caregivers. Contributing to local collective action and mental health service delivery.
• The BanyancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Chennai working on mental health programs for young people and caregivers of the mentally ill as part of the local collective action model.
• StrongMindscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise in Uganda providing mental health services to low-income African women through group talk therapy. RISEaccelerator is supporting StrongMinds to develop its framework for scaling the initiative. Founder Sean Mayberry serves as advisor to citiesRISE.
• The Carter CentersecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health partner organization contributing to global mental health advocacy and resource sharing within the citiesRISE network.
• World Bank GroupsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the citiesRISE network. Patricio Marquez serves as Lead Public Health Specialist at the World Bank and is an advisor to citiesRISE.
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution contributing to global mental health research. Dr. Pamela Collins previously served as director at NIMH's Office for Research on Disparities & Global Mental Health.
• Orygen (National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational center of excellence in youth mental health. Prof. Helen Herrman (former WPA President and citiesRISE board member) is Professor Emeritus at Orygen. Prof. Pat McGorry (Executive Director of Orygen) is an advisor to citiesRISE.
• NIMHANS IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, India. Key partner in India. Dr. Prabha Chandra (Professor and Head of Psychiatry) is an advisor to citiesRISE.
• King's College LondonsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner contributing to citiesRISE's research and evidence generation in mental health.
• International Medical CorpssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumanitarian organization partner contributing to mental health programming and emergency response within the citiesRISE network.
• Global Development Incubator (GDI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGDI is the organizational home of citiesRISE. Founder Andrew Stern serves as Founder and CEO of GDI and board member of citiesRISE. Moitreyee Sinha previously directed the Beyond Health portfolio at GDI.
• Movement for Global Mental HealthsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharlene Sunkel, Principal Coordinator of the Movement for Global Mental Health, is an advisor to citiesRISE. Organizations collaborate on advocacy and mobilization.
• The Stability NetworksecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerKatherine Switz, Founder and Executive Director of The Stability Network, is an advisor to citiesRISE. Organizations share knowledge on mental health advocacy.
• Mental Health Commission of CanadasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health policy partner contributing to the citiesRISE network of expert advisors and collaborators.
• World Psychiatric AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelen Herrman, former President of the World Psychiatric Association, is a board member of citiesRISE. The WPA's action plan for 2017–2020 supported psychiatrists' contribution to global mental health.
• 100 Resilient CitiessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerJeb Brugmann, Director of Solutions Development and Innovation at 100 Resilient Cities (pioneered by Rockefeller Foundation), is an advisor to citiesRISE. Organizations share approaches to urban resilience and mental health-friendly cities.
• Clear Village & Machine RoomsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative and regeneration nonprofit. Thomas Ermacora, founder of Clear Village, is an advisor to citiesRISE and contributes design and futures thinking.
• Fountain HousesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health organization partner contributing to the citiesRISE network of mental health expertise and advocacy.
• CBMsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Christian development organization working on disability and mental health. Partner in the citiesRISE network.
• Dalberg AdvisorssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal development advisory firm. Andrew Stern previously worked at Dalberg Global Development Advisors for 10 years before founding GDI.
• ThriveNYCsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York City's mental health initiative. Partner organization in the citiesRISE network for knowledge sharing and urban mental health approaches.
• I-CIRCLEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with I-CIRCLE to develop a global cities alliance supporting a unified vision for the Mental Health Friendly Cities movement. Starting with local collective action in the five citiesRISE cities of Chennai, Nairobi, Bogotá, Sacramento, and Seattle.
• Relational Wellbeing CollaborativesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerYiPEE associated partner co-founded by Shreya Jha. Works on promoting sustainable wellbeing through strategies for systemic change, grounded in research in India and Zambia.
• UNICEF Office of InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYiPEE associated partner. Victor Olusoji Ladele serves as portfolio manager at UNICEF's Office of Innovation focused on Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing Innovation, managing a global portfolio of mental health solutions in 22 country offices.
• Steinberg InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPioneering mental health initiative in Sacramento. Combined with statewide support from Sutter Health, the Steinberg Institute represents a unique opportunity for citiesRISE to drive mental health innovation in California.
• Center for Public Health and Development, KenyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner in Nairobi working with citiesRISE and the Kenyan Ministry of Health to develop operational plans for young people's mental health integrated with the national mental health policy.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Carter Center: Major global health NGO with mental health programs in LMICs and significant convening power. Operates with a broader focus than citiesRISE but shares the model of partnering with governments and local institutions to strengthen mental health systems.
• Movember Foundation: Global men's health charity with growing focus on youth mental health programs and major philanthropic funding. Operates at much larger scale than citiesRISE but shares target demographic and uses funder-driven program delivery models.
• UNICEF Office of Innovation: Global organization with mental health innovation portfolio across 22 country offices. CitiesRISE partner through YiPEE; shares target demographic (adolescents) and approach of building evidence-based mental health interventions at scale in LMICs.

Direct peers

• Movement for Global Mental Health: Global coalition advocating for mental health systems reform worldwide, with shared goals of policy mobilization and cross-sector collaboration. Charlene Sunkel (movement coordinator) is an advisor to citiesRISE, and the two organizations collaborate on advocacy and mobilization.
• BasicNeeds: International organization working on mental health and epilepsy in low- and middle-income countries, with operational partnership in citiesRISE's Nairobi hub. Co-founder Chris Underhill bridges both organizations, and both share a model of building mental health capacity through local partnerships.
• Fountain House: Pioneering community-based mental health organization known for the Clubhouse model that supports people living with mental illness. citiesRISE partner in the network; both emphasize non-clinical, community-led approaches to mental health.
• StrongMinds: Social enterprise delivering mental health services to low-income African women through group talk therapy in Uganda and other LMICs. citiesRISE supports StrongMinds through the RISEaccelerator, and both operate under a path-to-market scaling model for mental health in low-resource settings.
• Orygen: Australia-based National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health focused on research, policy, and clinical innovation for young people. Highly comparable to citiesRISE's youth mental health focus; citiesRISE advisors Prof. Pat McGorry (Executive Director) and Prof. Helen Herrman (Professor Emeritus) bridge both organizations.

Others

• Wellcome Trust: Major global health funder with multi-hundred-million-pound mental health portfolio and active research funding partner for citiesRISE. While primarily a funder rather than operator, Wellcome's Children and Young People's Mental Health priority shapes the field in which citiesRISE operates.
• Grand Challenges Canada: Canadian government-funded innovation platform supporting bold ideas in global health, including mental health. Core funding partner of citiesRISE; shares a model of funding and scaling breakthrough mental health innovations in LMICs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/citiesRISE
• Facebookfacebook.com/citiesRISE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cities-rise
• Instagraminstagram.com/citiesrise

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 citiesRISE