Get to Know Kalbu, A Platform that Offers Various Services Related to Mental Health

Launched in August 2021, Kalbu provides a platform that offers various services for mental health recovery and maintenance.

Kalbu sees an increase in mental health issues, especially since the presence of the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia which spreads feelings of anxiety, fear, mental stress due to isolation, restrictions on social interaction, and uncertainty.

Based on information from several practitioners who have registered with Kalbu, one psychologist usually treats 1-2 patients per day, but after the pandemic it increased to 8-10 patients.

This is also acknowledged by Iman Hanggaautomo, as Chief Visionary Officer (CVO) Kalbu. He himself has experienced tremendous benefits from consulting with mental health practitioners for approximately two years.

Even without a strong background in psychology, Iman hopes that with his experience in the startup world and his enthusiasm for mental health, Kalbu can present a comprehensive solution that facilitates various needs related to mental health.

The services offered by Kalbu are quite diverse, such as online counseling and online workshops with psychologists who are accustomed to dealing with various mental health issues, such as children & family, education, institutions, and sports.

In addition, this platform can also be used for interest and aptitude tests, IQ, school readiness, as well as psychotherapy for certain drug addictions. Maintaining mental health is not only with counseling and mental recovery, but also accompanied by physical maintenance.

On its platform, Kalbu also provides self-healing classes such as meditation and hypnotherapy, as well as self-development with certified practitioners.

Offering a B2B Business Model

Currently, Kalbu also offers a B2B business model that targets institutions and communities. One of the programs offered is the Employee Assistance Program where every employee can enjoy mental health counseling sessions.

From the community side, the company has also collaborated with several communities, one of which is in the field of sports to maintain the mental health of athletes. So far, there are 15 professional psychologists registered on the Kalbu platform with more than 5 years of experience.

In addition to the B2B business model, Kalbu implements a monetization system by deducting fees from the cost per counseling according to an agreement with practitioners.

Like a consultation with a specialist in general, the cost of mental health counseling is actually not much different. However, the lack of literacy related to the importance of mental health makes people reluctant to spend for consultations.

Kalbu charges around 300-350 thousand for one session for approximately one hour. However, his team is trying to make it more affordable at a price of 150-200 thousand only. The challenge is mental health literacy in society.

Market Potential and Future Targets

Iman also revealed that this industry still has huge potential. Based on Basic Health Research in 2018, it shows that more than 19 million people over the age of fifteen experience mental and emotional problems. 

There are also more than 12 million people over the age of 15 experience depression.Meanwhile, Indonesia only has around 2500 clinical psychologists and 600-800 registered psychiatrists. 

With a total of more than 30 million people who potentially need mental treatment, this country is expected to be able to optimize the services of existing practitioners.

In Indonesia, several platforms that also offer a similar concept to Kalbu are Riliv, Kalm, and Bicarakan.id. Some of these platforms have one vision, which is to increase public awareness of the importance of mental health. The services offered are also varied with counseling as its core.

In terms of funding, Kalbu has received capital support from one of Indonesia’s leading companies engaged in the mining sector. Even though the business looks unrelated, the company’s strong role is expected to help give a greater influence in society.

In the future, Kalbu plans to use this funding to develop mental health services, strengthen collaboration with several universities in Indonesia and internationally, reintroduce suicide hotlines, and encourage the role of the government to participate in the development of mental health solutions in Indonesia.