Satvik Sethi

1

Satvik Sethi, 23

(he/him)

Growing up feeling isolated and excluded, Satvik Sethi turned to the internet to find and offer mental health support. He connected with other young people struggling with self-harm and bullying like him, and the community he found inspired him to create the app Runaway. The platform provides a safe space for young people to discuss mental health, make friends, and access resources. Through Runaway, Satvik is trying to stop generational stigmas against mental illness and “make the world a happier place.”

https://satviksethi.com/

I’m a highly motivated and ambitious 22 year old with an undying hunger for learning. My hobbies and interests include public speaking, social activism, strategy consulting, and UI/UX design. I'm passionate about mental health, education, healthcare systems, emerging technology, and global cultures.

I am the recipient of Mental Health America's mPower Award 2020, and feature on the 25 Under 25 Social Entrepreneurs List by Impaction and Culture Media Co.. I have been recognized as 1 of 8 Inspiring Mental Health Youth Activists by Mashable, and 1 of 15 Students Changing Collegiate Mental Health by Mental Health America for the impact I've created through my passionate advocacy. I've also been a finalist for the JED Student Voice of Mental Health Award in 2019, UNESCO Youth Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition 2019, and the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards 2018. I've had the opportunity to give talks, host events, and be quoted and published in media outlets including Vice, Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global, and Times of India, for my entrepreneurial and social endeavors.

I’m currently making the world happier as the Founder & Chief Executive Officer at Runaway, a social entrepreneurial venture that promotes mental health awareness. Runaway has been featured by several international organizations including the World Health Organization, UNICEF, Mashable, and Mental Health America.

Runaway is a social venture that aims to promote mental health awareness and help those in need of emotional support.​ Our vision is to make the world happier.

Runaway is a multi-faceted operation – we are constantly exploring and adding services, tools, resources, and educational outlets that provide people with access to mental health help, break down the stigma that surrounds the topic, and make people feel more comfortable in their everyday life.

Currently we are developing a mobile app that will allow users to come online and talk to our student volunteers 1-on-1 about their mental health problems to peers closest to their own age and experiences. We also host events on college campuses around the United States and will soon begin hosting events around the world. Apart from this we have conducted Mental Health research with Mental Health America, have worked on policy reforms and implementation with UNICEF and local governments, and recently discussed and shed light on adolescent mental health at the first ever Leading Minds conference hosted by UNICEF and WHO. Through our social media platforms, we provide our followers with daily positivity, motivation, and survival tips for their mental health. We are also adding partnerships to bring in more resources and content – last year we gave out 100 free 1 year subscriptions to our followers for a partner virtual therapy platform that allows you to book and talk with licensed therapists.

Finally, I've used Runaway to constantly establish Mental Health thought leadership by participating at events around the world as a speaker/panelist sharing my work and experiences, and will soon be launching a mental health podcast called ‘Happier World’ podcast that will bring renowned speakers and industry leaders to discuss the role that their work/industry (politics, media, sports, policy, academics, etc.) plays on mental health.

Definitely not everyone today can find and afford mental health care, but we believe that with more organizations like Runaway emerging every day that empower people to take care of their mental health, things are going to get better and mental health will get the importance it deserves. We will not stop till we make the world happier!