Crisis Text Line Raises $23.8m in Series B Funding

crisistextlineCrisis Text Line, a NYC-based not-for-profit tech startup operating a free, 24/7 support line for people in crisis via text, raised $23.8m in Series B funding.

Backers included Reid Hoffman, Melinda Gates, The Ballmer Group, and Omidyar Network, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Craig Newmark (founder of Craigslist and Craigconnects), Mark & Ali Pincus, Anne Devereux-Mills, Joe & Suzy Edelman, Amy & Rob Stavis, and an anonymous donor.

The company intends to use the funds to scale rapidly.

Led by Nancy Lublin, Founder and CEO, Crisis Text Line Crisis provides anyone, in any type of crisis, with access to free, 24/7 support and information via text. People in need can text 741741 from anywhere in the USA, anytime, about any type of crisis and receive response by a live, trained Crisis Counselor quickly.
The organization currently has a community of over 1,500 volunteer Crisis Counselors with plans, in the next two years, to grow to more than 4,000 Crisis Counselors.
Via a partnership with YouTube, Crisis Text Line provides support to users searching for self harm, suicide and depression related content through the use of YouTube’s Crisis One Box.
The organization has also been working with the teen app After School to provide a direct link in the app to 24/7 crisis support with Crisis Text Line, and has piloted a tailored solution allowing other organizations and locations to benefit from its technology platform.

FinSMEs

24/06/2016

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