To help 12- to 25-year-olds overcome academic and personal challenges, Erika Seydoux (H.09) co-founded the digital coaching platform IAMSTRONG.

In France, one in three young people faces mental health issues. While early childhood support initiatives are increasingly common, the 12–25 age group remains underserved. After ten fast-paced years at L’Oréal, Erika took a step back during maternity leave:
“I wanted to put my professional experience to work on a project with strong social impact.”
Meeting Anne-Claire de Pracomtal — who holds a master’s degree in clinical psychopathology and is a certified coach — sealed the deal. In 2023, the two women launched IAMSTRONG, a psytech platform based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and coaching.

The method is designed to meet the needs of struggling adolescents and their often-overwhelmed families.
“The first session with the family is free and allows for a tailored match between the young person and the right expert within 48 hours. Our team of around thirty specialized coaches and psychologists covers a wide range of issues, from so-called ‘light’ difficulties — self-confidence, learning challenges, stress — to more serious concerns like school phobia, bullying, depression, or screen addiction.”

Once the match is made, IAMSTRONG offers an eight-week program combining a weekly video session with the chosen specialist, fun online activities for the teen to complete independently, and WhatsApp chat-coaching for on-demand support.
This dynamic and positive approach is reflected in the platform’s name, tone, and upbeat visual identity:
“We wanted to break the negative stigma around mental health and help young people regain their confidence.”

Supervised by a multidisciplinary scientific committee, IAMSTRONG’s program is rigorously assessed for impact.
“Young people complete standardized scales at the beginning and end of the program to track their progress. Between September and December 2024, a pilot study involving 50 adolescents referred by the mentoring organization Télémaque showed a strong impact on self-confidence and stress reduction. The effectiveness of our model has been validated.”

Today, 90% of participants complete all eight sessions, and some continue with academic coaching afterward. The 14–16 age group is the most represented on the platform:
“This pivotal age — the end of middle school and start of high school — is a peak time for emotional distress, parent-child conflict, and anxiety over academic and career choices.”
The platform’s users are geographically diverse: 30% live in Paris, 30% in the suburbs, 12% in other regions of France, and 10% abroad.
IAMSTRONG helps bridge the gap in access to mental health resources:
“Any young person can consult the expert best suited to their needs, even if they live on the other side of the country.”
As for users abroad, many are grateful to find online support in their native language.

IAMSTRONG aims to deliver 4,000 sessions in 2025, with 20% dedicated to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The co-founders will also publish a book in September, Je ne sais plus quoi faire avec mon ado (“I Don’t Know What to Do With My Teen”), building on the free content already available for parents on the platform’s website and in its weekly newsletter. Erika also coaches a few teens herself:
“Never more than two at a time, so I can focus on scaling the company.”

She is preparing to relocate to Miami, while Anne-Claire will continue leading the team from Paris:
“In the U.S., I’ll be immersed in the latest digital innovations in mental health,” Erika says enthusiastically.
A move that promises to amplify IAMSTRONG’s impact even further!

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