Redefining Mental Health Programs in Work Environments

Before founding Kyan, Vlad’s role at McKinsey provided valuable insights into the challenges faced by organizations worldwide. Struggling with mental health himself, he had intrinsic motivation to contribute to a healthier workplace on the one hand and a clear sign of a market need on the other hand.

While cutting-edge solutions like Lyra Health and Spring Health were gaining traction in the U.S., most global companies relied on outdated, reactive approaches like crisis hotlines. These approaches often ignore the broader workplace environment and fail to address cultural and linguistic nuances for global teams. Kyan’s vision goes beyond quick fixes, aiming for a future where every company implements predictive, preventive mental health systems. With the world of work evolving rapidly due to AI and other innovations, Kyan is already pioneering the first predictive care model to help employees build resilience before issues arise.

“The name ‘Kyan’ means enduring, long-lasting,” Vlad explains. “Our mission is to make individuals more resilient because resilient individuals create resilient organizations. That’s how you build something that lasts.”

Becoming an Entrepreneur After Being a McKinsey Consultant

Transitioning from a consultant’s analytical mindset to an entrepreneur’s action-driven approach was a steep learning curve. “At McKinsey, every decision was meticulously analyzed. As a founder, I learned that the best feedback comes from doing – releasing a product, testing it, and adapting quickly.” Vlad is a big advocate for the Minimum Viable Product (MVP), acknowledging, “Your first version doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to exist.”

Getting co-founder Ignacio Leonhardt, a serial founder, on board has been a gamechanger in their entrepreneurial mindset as Vlad and third co-founder, Konstantin Struck, both built their career at McKinsey.

Demonstrating Impact at Global Companies like Hitachi Energy and On

From day one, Kyan targeted medium and large enterprises with global workforces. Their first major client, Hitachi Energy, started with 1,000 employees in 2022. Today, Kyan supports over 40,000 of their employees worldwide.

Another breakthrough came with On, a leading athletic brand, first and foremost known for it’s specialized running shoes, promoted by iconic tennis player Roger Federer. “We achieved a 50% employee engagement rate in the first year and delivered an 11.6x ROI,” Vlad shares proudly. By demonstrating tangible results, Kyan has gained the trust of industry leaders, and successfully raised 16.7 million dollars to expand its global presence.

What began as a personal struggle has been the necessary spark to found a company that today impacts lives worldwide. By combining vulnerability with determination and collaboration, Vlad turned his experience into a purposeful business. Today, Kyan supports over 150,000 employees across 30 organizations and 54 countries, offering a sustainable approach to mental health for the workplaces of tomorrow.