Amanda Waller, Founder and CEO
Q: What is MannieBear Technologies?
A: MannieBear Technologies is a behavioral health technology company that builds games and tools for therapists to connect with their young patients. With these tools, we empower our therapists to close informational and trust-related gaps resulting in more meaningful conversations and quicker patient outcomes.
Q: Who are your customers?
A: It varies based on who you talk to. If you speak to investors, they will say the customer is parents because, if you are a parent, you will pay any price for your child and their health and well-being. If you are talking to health care executives, though, they will say therapists because, if you don’t have buy-in from clinicians, the whole point is moot. As a result, we essentially have a dual customer. Our customers are the therapists, our consumers are the children, and our parents as our advocates.
Q: What have you learned from Startup Day Nashville and working with HHS?
A: My main takeaway is to continue the storytelling part of my presentation. With a compelling story, I’ve learned that this should be my main focus when pitching to investors and explaining my business model.
Q: How much has the government impacted your business model?
A: Right now, we are in the private space as an SAS (Statistical Analysis System), so we can fit into what already exists in the governmental model.
Q: What benefits have you seen from Nashville’s innovative health care community?
A: The Nashville health care community is truly a village that stands together. The amount of support that this community gives to its entrepreneurs is unmeasurable.
Q: What does the future look like for MannieBear Technologies?
A: In the future, we are going to build out more episodes and tackle different issues inside the therapy space. We are going to continue to move into different sectors, whether they be governmental, school or low-income areas that Medicaid serves. In turn, we hope to marry the legal world to the health care world and help these children. That’s where it all started from, and that’s where this business model lies.