Kumo: Real-time, mental health support for women

Three questions to the project team

What was the particular challenge of the project from a UX point of view?
One of the biggest UX challenges was designing an interface that feels emotionally safe during moments of acute stress—how can we make it available yet non-intrusive, responsive yet calming? We also considered whether to include social features. While peer support can be valuable, users often feel exposed or performative when sharing publicly. Balancing these insights, we prioritized low-friction, soothing interactions and a one-on-one, judgment-free relationship between the user and the AI to ensure psychological safety.

What was your personal highlight in the development process? Was there an aha!-moment, was there a low point?
One of the funny moments occurred during our brainstorming session: someone’s Apple Watch suddenly pinged in the middle of conversation, reminding them to “get up and move”. While we were jokingly saying it’s time to wrap up our meeting, the “aha!” moment suddenly hit us: that gentle nudge and entry point for the users can be from a wearable device, and that biometrics could act not just as passive data, but as a subtle emotional cue — helping users become aware of stress even before they consciously recognize it. This inspired us to design for a more proactive, user-respecting intervention model.

Where do you see yourself and the project in the next five years?
In five years, we envision Kumo to become a trusted mental health companion for women underserved by traditional care — like new mothers or those facing cultural stigma. Our goal is to reach 500K active users globally, grounded in a focused go-to-market plan. In the U.S. alone, over 50M women experience high stress annually, and with 1 in 5 facing postpartum challenges; capturing just 1–2% of this audience is achievable through mobile and wearable platforms. We aim to scale through a freemium B2C model and B2B2C partnerships with maternity-forward employers and health providers, fostering long-term mental health resilience beyond immediate intervention.