Innovation Conversation: Cultural Competence, Mental Health Innovation, and Startup Success with Sonia Kaurah

In this episode of Innovation Conversation, host Ricardo Pascual sits down with Sonia Kaurah, Founder and CEO of Tala Thrive, a pioneering mental health platform focused on cultural competence. Sonia shares her powerful journey of self-discovery and how it led to building Tala Thrive — addressing gaps in mental health care for underrepresented communities.

They dive into:

• Sonia’s personal journey and how it inspired the creation of Tala Thrive.
• The critical importance of cultural competence in delivering effective mental health care.
• Strategies for building a successful startup and assembling a mission-driven team.
• How Tala Thrive secured its first round of funding just 10 months after launch.
• Insights into fundraising beyond the UK and the untapped innovation opportunities closer to home.
• The transformative role of innovation in reshaping mental health services for a diverse world.

Tune in for a thoughtful conversation on cultural identity, mental health entrepreneurship, and leadership in building impact-driven ventures.

Brought to you by Startup Summit 2025 — Europe’s leading startup and investor summit, happening September 18–19, 2025, in Lisbon.

🎟️ Learn more and secure your spot at www.startupsummit.io

🕒 Key Talking Points

• The founding story behind Tala Thrive and bridging cultural gaps in mental health.
• Building a winning startup team and raising funding early.
• Why cultural competence is essential for impactful innovation.
• Fundraising strategies beyond the UK and finding opportunities at home.