AI Coaching Startup The Path Raises $14.3M, Scores 95 on Safety Benchmark

A new AI coaching platform co-founded by Tony Robbins and former Calm executives has closed a $14.3 million seed round, betting that structured, safety-focused digital therapy can address a global mental health crisis. The Path, which emerged from a rebranded men’s wellness app called Mental, targets the one billion people worldwide who lack access to proper care.

CEO Anson Whitmer, previously head of data science and AI at Calm, says the platform was built to challenge users rather than keep them engaged. “It’s meant to challenge you. It’s not just meant to agree with you,” he told TechCrunch. The system uses Robbins’ State → Story → Strategy framework and his six human needs, embedded directly into every interaction. Users choose from 11 AI therapists and adjust traits like directness.

Safety is the headline. The Path’s model scored 95 on the Vera-MH benchmark, which tests suicide risk and emotional distress handling. Consumer chatbots typically top out at 65. The company built its own model on open-source foundations rather than wrapping major commercial LLMs. It escalates crises to the 988 lifeline and explicitly states it does not diagnose or treat medical conditions.

Early traction is strong: over 50,000 members, 2.5 million sessions completed, and a 4.9 rating from 2,700 verified reviews. Prime Movers Lab led the round, with participation from Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, boxer Deontay Wilder, and Designer Fund. The service is currently free, with plans for $40 monthly subscriptions later.

Whitmer’s drive is personal. His uncle died by suicide when Whitmer was 19; a cousin followed years later. Those losses pushed him toward a psychology PhD and eventually building technology that scales evidence-based help. The Path doesn’t claim to replace human therapists, but aims to make expert-level guidance accessible when and where it’s needed most.