Young companies attempting to address our crippling mental health epidemic face a barrage of hurdles businesses with more traditional pursuits don’t—namely mass stigmatization and a serious lack of education around the core pain point they’re solving for: mental health issues.

But where there’s white space, there are founders seeking to fill it. And investors seeking to arm them with the most tools possible. Mental health and addiction recovery are no exception. 

Today on Business Casual, get a better understanding of mental health as both an industry and a journey from Stephen Hays, founder of What If Ventures (a fund focused on investing in early stage mental health and addiction recovery startups).

If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health, we encourage you to seek out professional help or find resources from the National Alliance on Mental Illness.