Clymb

Clymb is a digital emotional wellness platform for young people, delivered through phones and computers and designed around roughly ten minutes of daily use. Users complete a short emotional check-in — reporting how they feel and their level of focus, including via emoji-based responses — and the platform then returns a personalized set of resources drawn from a library of activities, videos, mindfulness audios, relaxation practices, resilience reminders, energizing movements, growth-mindset content and mindful stretches. Progress and mood data are tracked over time so teachers, school staff and parents can monitor emotional wellness trends and identify students who need attention.

The product is organized around five social-emotional competency areas: self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making and relationship skills. Clymb states its content was developed with therapists, educators, child development specialists, emotional intelligence experts and mindfulness instructors, and describes the platform as evidence-based, CASEL-aligned and using RAND-recognized resources. Additional features include a "Wall of Wonder" focused on healthy online engagement and social media behavior, a parent dashboard for families, and Spanish-language/bilingual content.

Separate offerings target three buyer groups: schools (framed around teacher-student relationships, learning outcomes and absenteeism), employers (family-oriented corporate wellness for working parents), and families/communities. In Baltimore the software has been used by city schools and local nonprofits including the Living Classrooms Foundation.

Founding story

Founder Ashley Williams, who grew up in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and was one of few Black students at a predominantly white school, has described experiencing anxiety and fear without access to supporting tools. Working as director of climate and culture at Southwest Baltimore Charter School, she saw student stress manifest as rage, misbehavior and anxiety and could not find a suitable product on the market, which led her to found the company. She has more than ten years of experience in mental health and emotional wellness in the education sector.

Business model

Clymb sells subscription access to its wellness platform, with schools, nonprofits and businesses purchasing the software and providing access to students, families and employees; a free trial (described on the site as a three-week trial) precedes plan selection. For users under 13, purchasing schools and nonprofits must obtain parental permission.

Subscription plans providing unlimited access to on-demand wellness resources, sold to schools, businesses and communities, with a families-facing offering as well.

Traction

As of the company website, Clymb reports more than 50,000 check-ins and a 30% mood improvement, with 62% of youth users reporting feeling more focused, 55% showing emotional wellness growth and 87% saying they would use it again. In June 2022 the software was reported in use at nine Baltimore locations, including the Living Classrooms Foundation, with 70 sites nationwide planned for that fall.

Latest developments

In June 2022 the company reported plans to roll out to 70 sites across the country in the fall and identified the American Heart Association and Ignite Capital among its funders. The founder also launched a change.org petition calling on Congress to fund wellness resources at schools, which had over 720 signatures at that time.