In the early months of 2016, Sean (the current chief science officer) sat across from a patient who, with a mix of desperation and hope, pulled out their phone to share recordings of voices they heard, unsure if these sounds were real or imagined. This moment struck Sean deeply. He realized that despite the widespread availability of smartphones, there were no dedicated applications to help individuals with schizophrenia navigate their complex auditory experiences.

Motivated by this encounter, Sean dove into research and was astonished to find a glaring gap in technological support for those battling severe mental illnesses. He saw an urgent need to harness the power of smartphones to create tools that could offer validation, support, and empowerment to those often overlooked by technological advancements.

Determined to bring this vision to life, Sean and the CAMH tech transfer team sought a technical partner and soon met Amos. Their shared passion for mental health innovation sparked a dynamic collaboration, and thus, A4i was born. This joint venture between MEMOTEXT and CAMH aimed to level the playing field, bringing cutting-edge technology to a patient population that had long been neglected.

Together, Sean and Amos embarked on a mission to transform the landscape of mental health support, driven by the hope of making a tangible difference in the lives of those who needed it most.