Our story
Why this? Why now?
The cost of doing nothing about the global inner health crisis is too high.
While awareness is growing, the state of inner health worldwide continues to deteriorate. A cascade of complex factors continues to prevent real progress, leaving many without the care and support they need.
That’s why we founded The Inner Foundation. To move beyond talk and take action.
Since 2022, we’ve been putting our emotional, intellectual, and financial resources to work. We focus where impact is most needed, with a special commitment to emerging adults — a group underserved by traditional systems but full of untapped potential.
Our promise
By focusing our attention on closing the gap between academic insight, best practices, and street-level action within inner health and equity, inclusion, diversity, and belonging, we’re determined to continue facilitating the long game of positive change.
2022
Our start
$100m*
Our commitment
35+
Change agents
110%
Heart invested
Our back story
Every big shift starts with personal experience. For Annika Sten Pärson, our founder, it was clear that this crisis wasn’t just an abstract challenge — it was deeply personal.
Born and raised in Sweden, Annika was both driven and intuitive. Skills that helped her excel with 25+ years in C-level management roles in media, retail, and consumer goods.
With a longing to intentionally shift perspective, she moved to NYC with her family and started working at Seleni Institute, a mental healthcare non-profit.
Here she witnessed immense suffering and truly faced the vastness of the mental health crisis.
Moving back to Stockholm, she couldn’t drop the feeling that this crisis was too big to ignore. The cost of doing nothing was fatal.
With a special connection to the youth in her life and within her, she trained as a therapist and founded 1825 Therapy Center for Emerging Adults in 2019.
Her continued investments in mental health initiatives made it clear that nothing meant more than this. The time to take a more systematic approach was here.
Joining forces with her husband, Pär-Jörgen Pärson, they committed to doing everything in their power to build an inner foundation for an outer world worth living in.
Investment process
From sourcing to scaling, we back changemakers driving real impact. Our process is designed to identify and support those advancing inner health and embedding diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into their work.
Here’s what to expect when applying for funding:
1
Application
We identify high-potential solutions through applications and targeted outreach. Our process captures key details to match your organization with the right funding type—equity, grants, or hybrid.
2
Alignment
We assess mission alignment, thematic fit, geographic scope, impact potential, and scalability. A clear growth plan and execution capacity are essential for moving forward.
3
Introduction
If your application progresses, we’ll meet to understand your mission, team, and role within the broader ecosystem. This helps determine whether we’re a strong fit for partnership.
4
Due-diligence
We conduct an in-depth review of your impact, scalability, accessibility, and sustainability. This includes reference calls and data analysis. To prepare, be ready to share key insights, metrics, and references.
5
Investment committee
Our committee evaluates alignment and readiness in a two-step process. If approved after an initial review, organizations move to deeper due diligence before a final investment decision.
6
Contracting & closing
Once approved, we formalize the partnership through tailored agreements and impact goals—setting the foundation for meaningful collaboration.
7
Portfolio management
As a portfolio organization, you’ll join a network of changemakers. We provide strategic guidance, connections, and bi-annual gatherings. To support leadership well-being, we also offer an inner health stipend for founders and CEOs. Together, we scale impact and prepare for key milestones.
8
Follow-on or exit
As your organization grows or transitions, we continue to support your impact journey. For those scaling, we explore follow-on funding and strategic guidance. If an exit occurs, we stay connected, ensuring ongoing collaboration and knowledge-sharing within our network.
We are building this foundation based on our own real experiences
This is personal. Our work. The hours, days, weeks, months, and years we devote to inner health.
In 2022, we launched The Inner Foundation, committing to invest €100m over the next twenty years. We continue to do everything in our power to drive positive change in inner health and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. By investing in the changemakers who make it happen.
Hugely hopeful and colossally curious, we believe that the solutions are out there. We have the drive, know-how, and network to accelerate the change to take us there.
Building an inner foundation for an outer world worth living in.
That’s what drives us.
Our guiding principles
We want change. And pair that longing with a systemic approach, guided by the following principles:
The transformative power of entrepreneurship
There’s no one-size-fits-all model for change. We believe in the power of entrepreneurship in all its forms — because tackling inner health’s complexity requires diverse innovators filling critical gaps where they matter most.
Collaboration drives change
Systemic change demands collective effort. We seed into an ecosystem of change —connecting, co-funding, and accelerating progress together.
Hyper-focused
We stay laser-focused on our mission — to champion inner health and advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in society — taking bold yet calculated risks to spur catalytic, lasting impact.
Execution is key
We’re strong believers in the art of execution and obsessed with real-world impact.
In it for the long haul
Transforming inner health takes time. We balance patience with progress and stay dedicated to the changemaker’s journey.
Collective impact
Real change happens when we join forces. By collaborating across sectors, methods, and focus areas, we move faster and amplify impact, activating an ecosystem of positive change.
Together with co-investors, partner organizations, and inner health changemakers, we’re building something bigger than any of us could alone.
-
“We are deeply grateful and proud to be part of such a bold, values-driven community, and we look forward to building the next chapter together with The Inner Foundation”
–
Adriana Preda
Executive Board Member
Read more: The Social IncubatorEmpowering young people transitioning out of institutionalised care to build independent, resilient lives through personalized support, mental health care, and skills for the future.
Type of investment
-
“There are a lot of funds you meet that discuss the importance of making an impact in the mental health space – there are few that mean it in the way the Inner Foundation does.”
–
Matthew Stefanko
Co-founder, MANUAL
Read more: RELEASEUShattering stigma and expanding access to care, RELEASEU strengthens campus-based and digital support systems so emerging adult men can seek help, connect, and truly thrive.
Type of investment
-
“Building an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem takes long-term commitment—and collective effort. Our partnership with The Inner Foundation is a testament of that shared vision.”
–
Deqa Abukar
Co-founder
Read more: BLING CapitalVenture fund backing underrepresented founders—combining strong commercial potential with inclusive innovation to unlock overlooked talent through grassroots ecosystem experience.
Type of investment
-
“As donors, The Inner Foundation offers us tremendous trust. We are equals working towards the same end goal.”
–
Sean Mayberry
Founder & CEO
Read more: StrongMindsDelivering scalable, community-led group therapy, training clients and health workers to expand access and integrate mental health into broader development programs.
Type of investment
-
“We feel incredibly lucky to call The Inner Foundation investors, partners, and friends on this journey. They’re as interested in our challenges as successes, wisely guiding us when we ask for it.”
–
Tiffany Boswell
Co-founder, Meela
Read more: MeelaResearch-backed platform matching you with the best-fit therapist for your unique needs, preferences, and goals—ensuring effective, personalized care and therapeutic match.
Type of investment
-
“Partnering with The Inner Foundation strengthens our mission to provide holistic care for women, expanding reach and deepening long-term impact on emotional and physical well-being.”
–
Lydia Graflund
CEO, EsterCare
Read more: EsterCareDelivering integrated women’s healthcare through digital, in-person, and preventive services—supporting well-being with accessible, high-quality care tailored to women’s daily needs.
Type of investment
-
“The Inner Foundation team has been there for me in every moment, high and low, with compassion, expertise, and infinite support. They have become much more than just LPs, and I am deeply grateful”
–
Maya Horgan Famodu
Partner & Founder
Read more: Ingressive CapitalEarly-stage venture fund investing in African tech startups—providing capital, mentorship, and global networks to help diverse founders scale market-relevant businesses.
Type of investment
-
“The Inner Foundation’s commitment to creating positive impact aligns perfectly with our mission, and we are confident that their partnership will significantly enhance our vision.”
–
Helene Lassem Nørlem
Co-CEO & Co-founder
Read more: TiimoAdaptive, neuroinclusive planning platform with visual scheduling and focus tools—supporting executive function and reducing daily stress for neurodivergent individuals.
Type of investment
-
“Through The Inner Foundation, we have found an investor who shares the same belief system as us, and who continues to push us forward when we most need it.”
–
Hermine Bonde Jahren
Co-founder & CEO
Read more: BraiveAI-driven platform delivering personalized mental health care by combining advanced technology with proven methods tailored to each person’s unique symptoms, context, and needs.
Type of investment
-
“We are beyond grateful for the support from the Inner Foundation, which allows us to significantly strengthen our work with establishing our work in Ukraine.”
–
Trine Hammershøy
Director
Read more: headspace DenmarkEstablishing safe, accessible youth spaces in Ukraine, offering early, stigma-free mental health support for adolescents and emerging adults.
Type of investment
-
“Partnering with The Inner Foundation marks an exciting new chapter—opening doors to invaluable resources, meaningful collaboration opportunities, and greater impact.”
–
Ivan Dimov
Founder & Chairman
Read more: Single Step FoundationSupporting LGBTQ+ emerging adults in Bulgaria with free, inclusive mental health care, career guidance, and safe community spaces that build resilience, visibility, and lasting opportunity.
Type of investment
-
“The support from The Inner Foundation is a turning point for our organization. It empowers us to strengthen a model that places dignity, empathy, and accessibility at the core of support.”
–
Razvan Popa
Founder & President
Read more: Centrul Social de PsihoterapieDelivering free, high-quality mental health care through Romania’s first social psychotherapy clinics and a growing digiphysical network—making support accessible to all.
Type of investment
-
The Inner Foundation’s generosity has directly protected more children, and we are deeply grateful to have them among our partners.
–
Mary L. Pulido
Executive Director
Read more: World Childhood Foundation USAWorking to end abuse and exploitation by strengthening support systems that protect vulnerable children and promote their resilience and long-term well-being.
Type of investment
-
“The Inner Foundation’s support has meant a lot to us, as we feel that we are part of a larger ecosystem and have access to an international network of people who want to do social good.”
–
Cem Celepli Atci
Co-founder & CEO
Read more: AllbryA digital platform transforming student health care by offering secure communication, data-driven insights, and accessible counseling services tailored to students’ needs.
Type of investment
-
“Being part of The Inner Foundation community has been eye-opening. They genuinely support founders—through values-driven engagement, convenings, and meaningful backing.”
–
Danish Munir
Partner & Co-founder
Read more: GreyMatter CapitalVenture fund backing early-stage founders with tech solutions to transform mental health—reimagining care delivery through targeted support and deep sector expertise.
Type of investment
Our inner team
We’re 110% invested in advancing inner health. With deep expertise and an unwavering belief in human potential, we work to create meaningful, lasting change, backing solutions that foster inclusion, opportunity, and well-being where they’re needed most.
Work with us
We are obsessed with the inner health of emerging adults. We spend all our time finding, supporting, and elevating innovations for this.
Resonate with you? Join our inner journey!
In the limelight
-
Apocalypse or optimism? The AI Doc asks what’s really at stake
Read more: Apocalypse or optimism? The AI Doc asks what’s really at stake“The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist” is now available on Netflix. The Inner Foundation is proud to have supported the Center for Humane Technology (CHT), which contributed expert perspective…
-
Replik i SvD: Många unga har ingen kö att stå i
Read more: Replik i SvD: Många unga har ingen kö att stå iDen som mår för dåligt för att klara sig själv, men inte tillräckligt dåligt för psykiatrin, står idag utan självklar kontakt. Hårdast drabbas den som saknar nätverk eller resurser, skriver Annika Sten…
-
What a new national health report tells us about emerging adults in Sweden
Read more: What a new national health report tells us about emerging adults in SwedenThis week, Myndigheten för vård- och omsorgsanalys, the Swedish government agency tasked with independently evaluating the country’s healthcare system, published its latest national follow-up “Nationell uppföljning av hälso- och sjukvården 2026”. The…
-
A new chapter for our investment team
Read more: A new chapter for our investment teamAfter nearly two years with The Inner Foundation, Zakaria Hersi is embarking on a new chapter, continuing his work to find and build solutions that improve mental health and wellbeing. As our…
-
What if research travelled faster?
Read more: What if research travelled faster?Research on emerging adulthood is growing. But knowledge alone does not create change. At EARA 2026 in Utrecht, The Inner Foundation, Center for Social Sustainability (CSS), Karolinska Institute (KI), and the Royal…
-
Our support of Single Step Foundation
Read more: Our support of Single Step FoundationEmpowering LGBTQI+ youth through community and psychological support.
