•  Wamda Capital has participated in a $4.7 million Seed round for Turkey-based healthtech startup, Salus.
• The oversubscribed round was led by Northzone with participation from 500 Emerging Europe, Pitchdrive, and the CVC arm of İş Bank, Collective Spark alongside angel investors including  Fırat İleri (Hummingbird Ventures), Adam Anders of Anterra Capital, İnanç Balcı (Crestone VC & Lazada), Egem Eraslan (Midas) Can Yücaoğlu (MAP Investment), Mehmet Yılmaz (Freeletics & Zavvy), Joshua Cornelius (Freeletics & Zavvy) and Kıvanç Semen (Dataguard). 
• Founded in 2022 by Alperen Adikti and Dinçer Karaduman, Salus is a corporate mental health platform that offers a myriad of services ranging from therapy and coaching sessions to self-care content. 
• The new capital injection will be used to expand Salus’ clinical network, enhance user experience, and scale its B2B business.

Press release

Salus, the leading mental health platform, is thrilled to announce its closing of a $4.7 million seed investment round, closing more than $5.5 million since inception. This oversubscribed round is led by Northzone with participation from 500 Emerging Europe, Pitchdrive, and the CVC arm of İş Bank—the largest financial group in Turkey. The funding round also saw double-down investments from existing investors Collective Spark and Wamda Capital, alongside angel investors including Fırat İleri (Hummingbird Ventures), Adam Anders (Anterra Capital), İnanç Balcı (Crestone VC & Lazada), Egem Eraslan (Midas) Can Yücaoğlu (MAP Investment), Mehmet Yılmaz (Freeletics & Zavvy), Joshua Cornelius (Freeletics & Zavvy) and Kıvanç Semen (Dataguard). 

Salus’ platform stands out as the only comprehensive personalized mental health product in the region, aiming to make preventive health services—particularly in mental health—affordable and accessible. Most preventive health services, especially those surrounding mental health, are out-of-pocket expenses, creating a financial barrier for many. Salus offers a science-backed, measurable approach to persuade employers to invest in their employee’s mental health, demonstrating a substantial return on investment and enhancing employee well-being at scale.

“Closing one of the largest seed rounds ever raised by a Turkish startup just 16 months post-founding, amidst a challenging macroeconomic climate, is not just a milestone—it's a testament to the urgent need and belief in Salus' mission. We are excited and ready to propel forward with the support of our exceptional investors and partners,” added Alperen Adikti, co-founder and CEO of Salus.

Salus is forging a new path in the digital health landscape, starting with a robust mental health service offering that includes self-care, meditation, coaching, and therapy. The platform is also exploring expansion into nutrition and physical health services, with a long-term vision of becoming the sole health app needed in the region, providing an unparalleled user-centric healthcare experience.

Founded by two ex-McKinsey consultants with extensive experience in healthcare, insurance, and digital transformations in the EEMA region, Salus boasts a founding team from Turkey’s top startups and scale-ups, and maintains a diverse workforce with 42% women. Currently operating in Turkey, Salus has ambitious plans to expand its services across the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

The new capital injection will be pivotal in strengthening Salus’ clinical network, investing in technology and user experience, and scaling B2B business development efforts to solidify its market presence.

Join us on our transformative journey to reshape mental health services and preventive healthcare. Discover a personalized, innovative, and accessible approach to health with Salus.