A new digital health application, A4i (App for Independence), is helping change the story for many mental health patients and their families. In 2018, Amos Adler, a software developer and founder of MEMOTEXT, collaborated with Sean Kidd, a senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Together, they created A4i to help patients become more engaged and better communicate with their care teams.
The app aims to help users understand the differences between their real-world and imagined auditory experiences. It has an auditory hallucination detector that was awarded a US patent in 2023. This creative new tool enables patients to capture environmental noise, respond to specific questions, and help further direct them in evaluating their understanding. This novel feature not only helps goal-setting reality-check but fosters greater insight into the patient’s mental condition.
Adler paints a picture of A4i as a “late-stage” startup, with a proven, predictable, and growing monthly recurring revenue model. Objective production of the application and its content has generated inquiries from several of the largest mental health facilities in Canada and the United States. Among the most prominent supporters are Ontario’s Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care and Southern California’s Riverside University Health System.
According to María Martha Moreno, mental health services manager at Riverside University Health System, the app can help prevent crises by intervening early. She notes that by integrating A4i into their practices, caregivers can address issues before they escalate into crises requiring police intervention.
“They did a home check and they were able to take that person to the hospital, instead of that being escalated to a crisis where you have police coming in,” – María Martha Moreno
Kidd elevates the focus on user-centric design in the creation of A4i, which was crucial for the development process. He shares how the app was inspired by a patient. This patient would dutifully show up to their therapy sessions with audio recordings in tow. This direct feedback from patients has allowed developers to create a tool that meets the specific needs of those affected by mental health challenges.
“Really working with people most affected to try and understand what their needs are and iterate on building interventions that are going to be relevant,” – Dr. Kidd
The app’s adoption rate has been impressive, with users demonstrating “seven-plus, nine-plus months worth of consistent engagement, which is kind of unheard of in health apps,” according to Adler. This degree of ongoing engagement indicates that A4i truly strikes a chord with its target audience.
A4i does much more than its essential functions. It connects patients—giving them the tools to communicate and share their experiences with one another. The app confronts loneliness and isolation by asking users directly about these feelings. It goes a long way in creating a healthy community among users.
Looking forward, A4i intends to raise a round of seed funding in Q1 2026. The founders aim to expand their resources and capabilities, ultimately enhancing the app’s features and accessibility for a broader audience.
“If you’re a little bit anxious or depressed, you’ve got thousands of digital options for you to be mindful in a thousand different ways,” – Dr. Kidd
