Wikipedia

BetterMe

BetterMe is a company founded in 2016 in Kyiv, Ukraine.[2] The company created two apps, BetterMe: Health Coaching and BetterMe: Mental Health.[3][4]

BetterMe
Company typePrivately held company
IndustrySoftware, health & fitness
Founded2016
FounderVictoria Repa
HeadquartersKyiv, Ukraine
ProductsApps, sportswear, athleisure
Number of employees
201-500[1]
Websitebetterme.world

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, BetterMe began offering various services freely to Ukrainians and collaborated with the Ukrainian government and other companies to set up various initiatives to help victims of the conflict.

History and app features

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The company was founded by Victoria Repa in 2016 in Kyiv.[2][5][6] The company’s first product was the BetterMe: Weight Loss Workouts app, which was later renamed to BetterMe: Health Coaching.[7]

By 2018 the app was renamed simply to BetterMe, offering personalised fitness and diet courses to users. User numbers grew quickly, reaching 10 million downloads within its first year.[5][3] The app has since become known as "BetterMe: Health Coaching".[4] The app contains free access to "over 1500 workouts", a personal coach, daily personalised meal plans and progress tracking.[8] The app also offers specialised workouts for pregnant women, the elderly and the disabled alongside specialised diets for those with conditions such as diabetes.[9]

In 2018, the BetterMe: Meditation & Sleep app was released, the name of which was later changed to BetterMe: Mental Health.[10] The app contains a personalised daily self-help plan, breathing exercises, courses for meditation, a sleep section (including courses and sleep stories) and ambient sounds for "better focus, sleep, or relaxation."[11]

Russian invasion of Ukraine

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"As with any Ukrainian business, the ongoing full-scale Russian invasion is the biggest pain point for BetterMe at the moment. Since the outbreak of the full-scale war, we have faced numerous trials, and the pandemic, against this backdrop, feels like mere preparation for today’s harsh reality. However, we have had to transform ourselves within this new reality to become more socially responsible and empathetic.

Thus, to support the physical and mental health of Ukrainians, we provide free access to BetterMe: Health Coaching and BetterMe: Mental Health. Additionally, in an effort to assist Ukrainians in dealing with stress, BetterMe has collaborated with WHO in Ukraine, the First Lady of Ukraine, and the NGO “Barrier Free” to develop a digital self-help tool called “Doing What Matters in Times of Stress.” Since February 24, 2022, BetterMe’s Mental Health app has assisted over 350,000 Ukrainians in addressing the psychological consequences of war. Furthermore, we have launched two charity collections of activewear."

In March 2022, BetterMe, together with UNICEF Ukraine added a section for psychological assistance to children during the war within the BetterMe: Mental Health app.[12] In addition, the company began cooperating with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine to conduct online exercise classes in schools.[9]

In 2022, the company launched two charitable sportswear collections with 100% of the proceeds going to charitable initiatives, including prosthetics for soldiers, to the NGO "Zemliachky - Ukrainian Front" for sewing military uniforms for women in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. BetterMe also contributed $15,000 to United24 for the purchase of an ambulance.[13]

In a 2023 interview with feastgood, Repa spoke about – among other things – the issues faced by the company due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She spoke on the various initiatives launched by the company in response to this, such as providing free access to both of their apps to Ukrainians.[14][15] BetterMe also collaborated with the WHO in Ukraine, Olena Zelenska and the NGO "Barrier Free" (itself formed in response to the invasion, advocating for the creation of an equal access mental health program in Ukraine) to create a digital self help tool called "Doing What Matters in Times of Stress". The illustrated guide aims to provides self-help techniques in times of stress, "wherever they live and whatever their circumstances."[15][16]

The company also had to make changes internally due to the invasion, such as helping to "relocate team members and their families to safer parts of the country" and "setting them up with remote workspaces" due to the unsafe nature of returning to office working.[15]

In 2023, BetterMe collaborated with Esper Bionics and Future For Ukraine to develop "Limb Loss Workouts" for amputees. The aim of the system is to help amputees regain limb functionality and to prepare for the use of prosthetics, providing "200 targeted training workshops for upper and lower limb loss".[17][18] That same year BetterMe, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and as part of the "How are you?" initiative formed by Olena Zelenska, launched the Program for Improving Productivity at Work.[18][19][20][21]

In 2024 BetterMe collaborated with the Superhumans Center, a specialist clinic for the treatment and rehabilitation of amputees, to create a course called "Communication without Barriers". The course aimed to improve people's communication skills with amputees and to destigmatise them.[22]

References

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  1. ^ "BetterMe". RivalSense. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b Greenawald, Erin. "I own a small health-and-wellness company in Ukraine. Here are 3 things I've learned about leading through a crisis". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
  3. ^ a b Mathobela, Andlie (2021-09-08). "Meet Victoria Repa the CEO behind BetterMe App - Maglazana". Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  4. ^ a b "BetterMe Products". betterme.world. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  5. ^ a b "'My $60m weight-loss app cured my personal pain'". 2020-03-29. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  6. ^ Svyrydenkov, Denys. "KSE graduate Victoria Repa has entered the rating of Forbes '30 Under 30 Europe'". Kyiv School of Economics. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  7. ^ "Flo, MyFitnessPal and BetterMe most downloaded wellness apps - study". Digital Health. 2023-09-12. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
  8. ^ "Create Sustainable Lifestyle". betterme.world. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  9. ^ a b Scott. "Free workouts for Ukrainians from BetterMe - how to take care of your body now". Global Happenings. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  10. ^ Tower, Sensor. "BetterMe: Mental Health - Apple App Store - US - Category Rankings, Keyword Rankings, Sales Rankings, Research, Performance, and Growth Metrics". Sensor Tower. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  11. ^ "BetterMe Mental Health". betterme.world. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  12. ^ "BetterMe Creating Freedom Within For Ukraine –". www.thetablereadmagazine.co.uk. 2022-04-23. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  13. ^ "Ukrainian health and wellness platform BetterMe supports the Ukrainian women's military with profits donations". Tech.eu. 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  14. ^ Gottbrath, Laurin-Whitney (24 February 2023). "The silent toll of war: Ukraine's growing mental health crisis". axios.com. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  15. ^ a b c "Defying Odds: BetterMe's Remarkable Growth Story Amidst War and Pandemic - FeastGood.com". 2023-06-21. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  16. ^ "Doing What Matters in Times of Stress". www.who.int. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  17. ^ "The role of tech in rehabilitating Ukrainian military amputees". Tech.eu. 2023-09-12. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  18. ^ a b "Ukrainian tech shows unwavering resilience two years after Russian invasion". Tech.eu. 2024-02-23. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  19. ^ "Компанія BetterMe та Мінекономіки запустили програму для підвищення продуктивності на роботі — Forbes.ua" [BetterMe and the Ministry of Economy launched a program to increase productivity at work – Forbes.ua]. forbes.ua (in Ukrainian). 2023-11-28. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  20. ^ "Щоб вихідних не хотілося раніше: в Україні створили нацпрограму проти "вигорання" на роботі" [To avoid wanting to go on vacation earlier: Ukraine has created a national program to combat burnout at work]. www.ukrinform.ua (in Ukrainian). 2023-12-15. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  21. ^ "BetterMe та Мінекономіки у межах ініціативи "Ти як?" запустили Програму для підвищення продуктивності українців | Міністерство економіки України" [BetterMe and the Ministry of Economy have launched a program to increase the productivity of Ukrainians as part of the "How are you?" initiative | Ministry of Economy of Ukraine]. www.me.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-12-22.
  22. ^ "BetterMe and Superhumans have created a course on ethical communication with people who have lost limbs". odessa-journal.com. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
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