technologies: TypeScript, React, Node.js (Express.js), PostgreSQL/Redis, AWS, React Native
problem: lack of access to mental health specialists in the USA
More than 1 in 5 U.S. adults, roughly 57.8 million people — a number close to the population of Italy — live with a mental illness. However, not everyone has the means to access mental health experts and receive the necessary assistance, especially when dealing with particularly unique issues.
One such issue is narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). In the USA, approximately 1 in 200 people have this disorder. Although it is less common than other mental disorders such as depression, it profoundly affects those in relationships with individuals suffering from NPD. Given that this mental health issue is still considered niche, finding expert help to manage the challenges of such difficult relationships can be problematic.
the solution: online therapy platform for expert-guided group healing
Circles, an Israeli startup, has launched a mental health tech application designed for those dealing with grief, divorce, or simply seeking a safe space to express their emotions.
After launching the pilot version, Circles approached our team for expertise in scaling their product in a competitive market. Initially involved in web development, we now offer support in other areas such as mobile development and cloud computing.
With Circles iOS or Android app, users can easily join audio meetings led by mental health experts. The audio drop-in and drop-out functionality, crafted by our team, not only offers easy access to mental support but also creates a sense of community.
We also developed numerous custom features to enhance the audio room experience, including user reactions, caller queuing, a call moderator panel, and an in-built chat. Beyond group therapy sessions, Circles provides continuous interaction with therapists and a personalized mental health plan developed by its experts.
challenge: adapting to the rapid growth of the user base
Circles is experiencing a phase of steady growth, continually attracting an increasing number of users, particularly in the mobile sector. As the app's user base expands, it brings forth scalability challenges that every DevOps team must confront. Our primary focus is not just on adapting to these changes but on proactively preparing the infrastructure beforehand.
Our current cloud computing priority is horizontal scaling which is a technique used to increase the capacity and performance of a system by adding more instances of the same component. By horizontally scaling, Circles will achieve higher availability, better load balancing, and the capability to handle larger user loads seamlessly, ensuring the best possible app experience for users.
Kobi Avriel – VP R&D at Circles
We have found Bright Inventions to be a professional group of people that we feel we can trust, as an integral part of our company, not only to deliver in the right quality, but be proactive, contributing from their experience to help us shape the company’s R&D and product. Their ability to source experts has been exceptional.
Bright Inventions is above our expectations, and we are very happy from both the great quality of people we are fortunate to work with, and the professionalism that seems to be in Bright Inventions DNA.
the results of the collaboration
Notable milestones mark the journey of Circles. In their Series A funding round, the Israeli startup successfully raised $16.5 million. Not only do they get a thumbs-up from investors, but their solution is also making waves in the mental health community.
Circles was honored with the title of 'Best for Group Support' emerging as a winner in the Online Therapy & Wellness Awards, organized by Verywell Mind. We are delighted to assist Circles on their impressive way to digitalize mental health.