The fourth episode of the Negócios com Impacto videocast, a partnership between CATÓLICA-LISBON and Rádio Renascença, introduces us to SoulCare AI through the voice of alumnus Pedro Rodrigues dos Santos, COO and Associate Partner at SoulCare AI, a Portuguese startup with a mission to democratize access to mental health support using artificial intelligence.
In the words of Pedro Rodrigues dos Santos, “SoulCare AI is an innovative digital platform powered by artificial intelligence, offering accessible and continuous support, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to anyone affected by mental health challenges”. The digital ecosystem provides tools based on cognitive therapy, including a specialized AI chatbot, a goal-setting system, and gamified features that foster connection among users.
The startup's goal is not to replace conventional therapy but to complement it. “What sets us apart is accessibility and specialization. We are not a therapeutic solution, nor do we aim to replace therapy, we aim to complement it. We’re a tool that can support those feeling anxious or simply needing to talk, in a judgment-free space”, explains the entrepreneur.
The relevance of this mission becomes even clearer when viewed through the lens of the statistics shared by Pedro. “There are only 10 mental health professionals per 100,000 people. And by 2030, depression will be the leading cause of disease worldwide”, he warns, highlighting that “this kind of technological solution will play a key role in the future”.
With that commitment in mind, SoulCare AI is part of the United Nations' AI for Good movement, and it aligns with the European Union’s Digital Pact and Portugal’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy. The scientific and ethical responsibility of the platform is ensured by an international Board of Ethics, composed of psychologists and psychiatrists who closely oversee content curation.
Currently in a growth phase, the startup already has around two thousand active users. Its ambition is to double that number by the end of 2025. To achieve this, a seed funding round is underway to help scale the business. With platform versions in 35 languages (text) and 15 languages (voice), SoulCare AI is focused on expanding into more mature European markets such as Germany and the United Kingdom.
For Pedro Rodrigues dos Santos, his education at CATÓLICA-LISBON played a key role in his professional journey. “At CATÓLICA-LISBON, I found a highly structured and systematized approach to knowledge, which later allowed me to apply it in managing my businesses. The school gave me a boost in terms of organizing ideas and prepared me even further systematically for the daily challenges of business management”.
When asked about the impact of SoulCare AI, the entrepreneur answers without hesitation: “It helps people, it doesn’t judge them, and it has a purpose to make people better, more empathetic, and more understanding of others’ realities”.
The fourth episode of the Negócios com Impacto videocast is available to watch and listen to on Spotify and CATÓLICA-LISBON’s YouTube channel.