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The Surgeon General sounded the alarm on the epidemic of loneliness and isolation, even declaring that it "increases the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking daily."

Living in a digital age gives us the illusion of hyper-connectivity, yet more than at any other time in history, people are reporting feelings of loneliness. While our paradigm is that loneliness is something everyone feels, that it's simply "part of life," studies show that it isn't that simple. In fact, it is greatly impacting people's physical and mental well-being.

In young people, ER visits have risen five times their previous levels. Suicide rates have increased by 57%, and generalized anxiety disorder is up 20%. Research has also linked loneliness to an increased risk of heart disease and other chronic ailments. It's estimated that loneliness is costing the health system up to $406 billion annually. As a result, the need for innovative solutions to combat loneliness has never been more urgent.

Because of this public health crisis, a global digital health technology market has emerged. In 2023, it generated approximately $180.2 billion in revenue and is projected to expand to $549.7 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.0% expected from 2023 to 2028.

Using Wellbeing to Align AI with Human Values

One wellness company diving into the market is UpBeing. It's social but the opposite of social media. Rather than creating antisocial behavior, like most social network apps, UpBeing fosters pro-sociality by connecting what people do and their environment with how they feel and who they care about.

"We believe technology that understands and enhances the wellbeing of humanity is more valuable than the attention economy," shares co-founders Sam Daviau and Sean Kortschot. Kortschot's expertise in applied psychology and machine learning is integral to the development of their digital health platform. Utilizing his PhD from the University of Toronto, he's pioneered adaptive systems detecting users' psychological states in real-time. He's also developed forecasting models for consumer behavior and a graph-based NLP algorithm dissecting online content emotions.

Daviau is a seasoned entrepreneur who excels in SaaS tech sales, partnerships and operations. He's held several board, founder and senior leadership roles at start-ups, both in the for-profit and charitable sectors including at Statflo, Venture for Canada and Lay-Up.

Kortschot shares, "Our data provides a unique perspective that can help ensure AI aligns with human values and priorities. AI should serve humanity's best interests and not act in ways that contradict human values."

Enter UpBeing: A Prosocial Wellbeing Companion

UpBeing is more than just a mobile app; it is a prosocial social network designed to foster connections, promote positive interactions and enhance overall wellbeing. At its core, UpBeing utilizes the power of technology to bridge the gap between individuals, their loved ones and their communities by creating emotional visibility, psychological safety and belonging.

While the app is still in its MVP days, early adopters are gaining meaningful value, and communities have grown rapidly. Kortschot shares, "People are requesting and promoting communities for cities, common interests/hobbies, work teams, university societies, classes, friend groups, and more." UpBeing has also built partnerships with other digital well-being solutions, therapy platforms, and clinics to expand its impact.

Prosocial NOT Social Media

Daviau asserts that the challenges and vulnerabilities present in the current social media landscape and the broader societal context make UpBeing uniquely positioned to disrupt the status quo and address the pressing need for a prosocial platform that prioritizes genuine connections, mental well-being, and positive behavior change. "While we are the most interconnected we have ever been, we are also the most disconnected."

He adds, "The addictive nature of social media platforms and their negative impact on psychological well-being have been posing a risk to individuals' overall health and happiness for years now." Excessive social media usage not only detracts from real-world interactions but also contributes to feelings of loneliness, decreased physical activity, and other mental health challenges.

Despite the awareness of the negative effects of social media, there is a lack of viable alternatives that have been able to fulfill the social needs of users without causing harm. As humans, we have a deep desire to interact with other humans, and social applications make up the majority of the time we spend in the digital world. Unfortunately, when it comes to social media, excessive use is associated with negative outcomes. "Social is the reason we show up, media is the trap that makes us addicted. UpBeing is social but it is not social media. It's a social network that creates prosocial behavior," explains Daviau.

He adds, "UpBeing instead prioritizes well-being and personal growth over social validation or entertainment. Instead of media and associated likes, comments and shares, UpBeing encourages users to share how they feel and their emotions. UpBeing empowers users to learn and gain context on their own, their loved ones and their communities wellbeing. Users don't scroll on UpBeing, they use it for a few minutes a day to learn and gain insight on their own and the wellbeing of those that matter most to them so they can support them in real life."

Instead of the antisocial, time-sucking nature of many social media platforms that prioritize user engagement and ad revenue, UpBeing leverages passive data streams from third-party sources to automate much of the input process. The platform requires much less time and energy (2–4 minutes a day), making it more beneficial, convenient, and sustainable over time.

UpBeing's Unique Business Model Is Perfect for the Market

UpBeing has a longer-term business-to-business (B2B) commercialization strategy centered around data acquisition, not just on app-based subscriptions. This approach allows the company to generate revenue through partnerships and data insights, which ensures sustainable growth rather than relying solely on direct monetization from the UpBeing app. And, because the app and its content are so easy for users to share with others, UpBeing's business model also benefits from organic, viral growth, helping expand their user base more rapidly, efficiently, and cost-effectively than other behavioral health apps.

There is a pressing need for innovative solutions like UpBeing to address the challenges of loneliness and social isolation. According to the Surgeon General's report, we need "intentionally designed technology that fosters healthy dialogue and relationships, ...across diverse communities and perspectives. The designs should prioritize social health and safety as the first principle, from conception to launch to evaluation." That's exactly what UpBeing has done. Not only that, but they are also working to create a more genuinely connected world where people are thriving, mental wellness is flourishing, and communities are being strengthened.

Join UpBeing in creating a world where every individual feels seen and supported—one connection at a time.