Jeronimo Beccar: A Breakthrough in Personalized Treatments for Depression

Hi friends, it’s Spiffy, back again on Planet Earth with an eye on entrepreneurs improving the health and well-being of humans! I have one more interview for you this week. Today I’m excited to cruise around Boston with Jeronimo Beccar, co-founder and CEO of the healthcare startup, Hyka. Are you ready to be inspired?

Spiffy: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to me, Jeronimo! Can you tell me about your work and the challenges you are addressing through Hyka?

Jeronimo: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! In the United States, the vast majority of people get mental healthcare from their primary care doctors. In some cases, seeing a therapist or getting antidepressants from your doctor is enough. But in other cases, it’s not. Understanding your options and how to get the right care is not easy. At Hyka our mission is to help people who need that extra care, understand the options they have, and connect with the right clinic.

Spiffy: This sounds promising! Can you tell me what motivated you to tackle this?

Jeronimo: Mental health problems affect everyone—either directly or indirectly. Most people know someone who is suffering. In my case, I lost a friend to suicide. I’m also motivated to improve mental health care because—even by making small improvements to the system— these improvements can impact the lives of millions of people.

Spiffy: How would you say Hyka is working to create a more equitable world? 

Jeronimo: At Hyka we believe in the power of knowledge. Healthcare still works like a car wash: you enter through one end, things are done to you without much choice or understanding, and you exit the other end. But this approach does not work. Health is not as straightforward. So, we are building a huge library of videos, text, and podcasts put together by mental health care experts, patients, and doctors, so people can get the knowledge they need to pursue a care path that works for them.

Spiffy: Are there any initiatives that you’re particularly excited about? What kind of impact will it have?

Jeronimo: We reached an agreement to work with a clinic in New Hampshire to test our software. This will allow us to speak with doctors, technicians, and most importantly patients; and to constantly improve the product so we can grow and impact the lives of millions of people.

Spiffy: Can you tell me about how you deal with failure? What important lessons have you learned? 

Jeronimo: Startup founders need to communicate ideas in ways that everyone can understand. Doing so is not easy, and I have failed multiple times. Some people were kind enough to point out the things that needed improvement. Failing several times and learning from the mistakes, eventually, led me to better understand what one has to do to be a good communicator. I would encourage people to pay attention to small failures and learn from them. Small lessons can have a big impact.

Spiffy: That is so true, Jeronimo! Thanks for taking the time to talk to me and inspire our audience! It’s been an honor.

Jeronimo Beccar, co-founder and CEO of Hyka, went from Hollywood to Harvard to healthcare. He is passionate about creating magical experiences: from cooking over an open fire with friends to working relentlessly to fundamentally change mental healthcare. He is driven by positive impact. (Nominated by StartOut)