Brightline accelerates growth with leading health plans, national employers, and ecosystem partners
Brightline, the category leader in virtual behavioral health care for children, adolescents, and families, today announced it has secured a $105M Series C funding, bringing the company’s total funding to over $200M. Global investment firm KKR led the round, and existing investors GV (formerly Google Ventures), Optum Ventures, Oak HC/FT, Threshold, 7wireVentures, Children’s Medical Center Corporation (parent corporation of Boston Children’s Hospital), and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts also participated. Johnny Kim, Director at KKR, has also joined Brightline’s board of directors.
Recently named to Fast Company’s 2022 Most Innovative Companies list, Brightline is the only national one-stop shop for accessible, affordable, and evidence-based online mental health care built specifically for children up to age 18 and their caregivers. With digital on-demand support, coaching programs, extensive clinical services, and robust outcomes reporting, Brightline reaches millions of families struggling with anxiety, cyberbullying, ADHD, depression, and more.
Brightline will use its new investment to create greater access to high-quality and affordable care. This includes exploring coordination with ecosystem partners for specialized care, innovating its care model with interactive content interventions and expanded care modalities, and continuing to provide next generation employee benefits. Brightline also plans to expand its tailor-made services for teens, as well as specialty programs to support diverse populations — including caregivers of young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and youth who identify as LGBTQ+ and/or BIPOC.
“Our healthcare system is failing our children, which has devastating public health and economic consequences. We simply cannot ignore that fact any longer,” said Naomi Allen, co-founder and CEO of Brightline. “Brightline is the only nationally scaled leader serving this immense need in the market. With this investment, we are uniquely positioned to continue to expand our on-demand support and care offerings to meet the broad spectrum of youth mental health needs.”
The current U.S. presidential administration acknowledged that the mental health of children and teens is at a critical tipping point, as the need for specialized clinical support has drastically outpaced the supply of providers. This has serious implications for the workforce and employers as children’s behavioral health challenges bleed into parents’ home and work lives, causing loss of productivity, disengagement, and increased turnover in the workplace. In fact, one in five caregivers report having quit their jobs in the past year or are planning to do so in the coming year to care for their children’s mental health.
Brightline has rapidly expanded access to its virtual services to meet the escalating needs of families and has radically introduced an entirely new care model. Brightline’s digital on-demand platform, Connect, along with its coaching programs and clinical services — including behavioral therapy, evaluation, medication support, and speech therapy — are now available in all 50 states. Brightline also brings leading health plans and national employers to the table as the demand for family-focused benefits skyrockets and pressure surrounding employee sustainability rises. Partnering with leading health plans and employers, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Blue Shield of California, Competitive Health, Municipalities, Colleges, Schools Insurance Group (MCSIG), Sequoia, Stanford University, and Xcel Energy, Brightline now serves 50 employers and covers over 24 million health plan lives with plans to reach over 50 million health plan lives in 2022 (in-network coverage may vary according to plan).
KKR is investing in Brightline through its Health Care Strategic Growth Fund II, which focuses on growth equity investment opportunities in the healthcare space.
“We are thrilled to work with Naomi and her team as they continue to build and scale category-leading solutions to the direct benefit of millions of children and families, many of whom are drastically underserved today,” said Johnny Kim, Director at KKR. “We are excited to support Brightline in its next phase of growth to help expand access to high-quality, purpose-built mental health care in the face of a huge and growing market need.”
To learn more about Brightline and its offerings visit here. Employers and health plans interested in partnering with Brightline can learn more at hellobrightline.com or reach out directly to partnerships@hellobrightline.com.
About Brightline
Brightline is the first virtual behavioral health solution built specifically to care for children, teenagers, and their families across a broad range of needs. With multidisciplinary care teams, evidence-based programs, and a family-focused approach, Brightline brings care to families across the country, right when and where they need it. Founded by leading digital health entrepreneurs Naomi Allen and Giovanni Colella, MD, the company is backed by leading investors GV (formerly Google Ventures), KKR, Oak HC/FT, and Threshold. Recognized as the pioneer in family virtual behavioral health, Brightline was listed as one of Fast Company’s 2022 Most Innovative Companies and Fierce Healthcare’s 2022 Fierce 15. Brightline is headquartered in Palo Alto, CA and is available nationwide. Learn more at hellobrightline.com.
About KKR
KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.
