Betterleave, an Austin-based bereavement support platform, recently secured $2.4 million in seed funding, focusing on providing essential support for grief and mental health during periods of loss. Founded in 2022, the platform extends its expertise beyond the loss of a loved one, catering to various forms of grief such as pregnancy loss, pet bereavement, and relationship breakups. Cara McCarty Abbott, the CEO and founder, shared a personal journey that propelled Betterleave’s creation. Her background in HR, designing comprehensive programs for employee well-being, merged with her experience aiding her terminally ill mother, inspiring the platform’s inception. Betterleave amalgamates logistical tools with mental health and grief support services, streamlining these resources into one accessible platform.
Abbott emphasized the platform’s goal of providing accessible and culturally sensitive care within a few clicks, eliminating the need for exhaustive online searches or multiple community group inquiries.
The recent funding round, led by Chingona Ventures and with participation from various entities including Affirm and Spot, showcases Betterleave’s appeal across diverse industries like tech, manufacturing, education, and finance. Abbott highlighted the universality of grief, emphasizing that it transcends job roles, income levels, or age brackets. With this financial backing, Betterleave aims to expand its services to employers, aiding them in establishing robust bereavement programs. Abbott envisions a significant geographical expansion for the company in the upcoming year.
On a broader scale, Betterleave seeks to address the evolving needs of an ageing population and the increasing number of employees balancing caregiving responsibilities with paid work. Abbott underscored the substantial workforce—30 million unpaid caregivers—navigating care duties alongside employment, particularly a third of them supporting sick or terminal individuals. There’s rising advocacy for extended bereavement leave in corporate America, with a 2023 survey by insurance broker NFP revealing that 57% of surveyed employers offer three days of bereavement leave, while 18% extend it to five days.
Abbott stressed the pivotal role of employer support during tough times, emphasizing its impact on employee retention. Providing proactive support during such moments is no longer a luxury but a necessity for fostering loyalty among employees.
