News / Business
‘Bristol’s growing tech scene makes it an exciting place to be’
A company that created a social network to help reduce self-harm and suicide has relocated from the US to be a part of Bristol’s growing tech scene.
“We launched TalkLife after going through our own mental health battles,” says CEO and founder Jamie Druitt (main photo).
“We vividly remember wanted to reach out to somewhere that was relevant, where we could be open and honest about life, without the facades we so often keep up on other networks.”
TalkLife is a free app, used by more than half a million young people worldwide, that works as an online peer support network, with the aim of reducing self-harm and suicide and making a positive impact on the lives of users.
The company, which is now based near Temple Meads, is behind a number of campaigns.
TalkLife’s #RealSelfie campaign launched to tie in with World Suicide Prevention Day in September
Its #RealSelfie campaign, launched to tie in with World Suicide Prevention Day, sought to cut through the façade often created on social media and encourage people to be honest about how they are feeling.
“The mental health world has some incredible services, but we’ve noticed that many young people are quite afraid to engage with them,” continues Druitt.
“We see TalkLife as an early stage intervention that could potentially bridge this gap.
Poster for TalkLife’s #RealSelfie campaign
“We’ve just made the call to set up our UK operations in Bristol having recently relocated from New York. We think the combination of Bristol’s growing tech scene, with its research and mental health focus, make it an exciting place to be.
“TalkLife has been growing quickly across the UK and we saw Bristol as a fantastic place to establish a base.”
The company has worked in collaboration with Microsoft Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University to better understand and predict self harm, with the aim of creating effective interventions.
Read more: Bristol overtakes London to be named UK’s smartest city
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