About Tala Thrive
Tala Thrive is the first global mental health platform offering culturally competent care through video sessions and self-guided wellbeing programs. Our mission is to make mental health care culturally informed, inclusive, and accessible to all - regardless of cultural, linguistic, or religious background.
* Global from day one: over 80 therapists and coaches across 30+ languages
* App and platform fully built and launched
* $500,000 raised from angel investors, including 7 VCs personally investing, the ex-Global Head of Product at Amazon, and other leading operators
* Strong early traction and active interest from governments and corporates
* Established brand presence with influencers and public figures posting organically, without payment
* Featured in major media including Smart Company, Huffington Post, The Guardian, and ABC News
* Self-guided wellbeing programs launching soon, enabling a shift to a subscription revenue model
Tala Thrive was founded by Sonia Kaurah, an ex-Venture Capital investor and startup mentor with eight years' experience across the Nordics and London. Sonia holds a degree in Psychology from Monash University and has helped over 200 startups raise their first round of capital and scale.
The Opportunity
As our CTO, you will be a core member of the founding team - shaping the technical direction of Tala Thrive at a pivotal stage of growth. The platform is live and gaining traction, and we are now at an inflection point: preparing to expand into B2B partnerships and planning a partial rebuild to properly support scale. You will own the architecture, lead that rebuild, and set the technical foundation for the next phase of growth. This is a genuine opportunity to take full ownership of the technical function in a purpose-driven company, working directly with the CEO, with meaningful upside as we scale.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Strategy
* Define and own the technical vision and roadmap in alignment with business goals
* Make architectural decisions that support scale, security, and performance
* Ensure the platform meets data security and privacy standards (GDPR and applicable health data regulations)
Product & Platform
* Oversee development of the Tala Thrive mobile app and web platform
* Work with the CEO and product advisor to translate user needs into technical solutions
* Manage and improve the existing codebase - quality, maintainability, and documentation
Team & Culture
* Define the engineering team structure and hiring plan
* Recruit, manage, and mentor developers and technical contractors
* Establish engineering culture, processes, and best practices
Startup Operations
* Manage technical infrastructure costs and vendor relationships
* Contribute to investor conversations and technical due diligence as needed
* Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, operations, and clinical teams
About You
You bring:
* Proven experience as a Tech Lead, VP Engineering, or equivalent technical leadership role
* A track record of building and scaling digital products - ideally in health, SaaS, or consumer tech
* Hands-on engineering background with strong architectural judgement
* Experience hiring, managing, and developing engineering teams
* Comfort operating in a fast-moving, early-stage startup environment
* Strong communication skills - able to translate technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders
Bonus if you have:
* Experience in health tech, telehealth, or regulated digital health environments
* Familiarity with data privacy regulations (GDPR, Australian Privacy Act, HIPAA)
Why Join Tala Thrive
* Lower-risk startup: brand, platform, and traction already established
* Backed by incredible investors and advisors with deep networks
* Work on a startup with direct impact and join our mission to improve the lives of 1 million people or more worldwide
* Wellness-focused culture: free therapy, coaching, and wellbeing support
* Flexible, remote-first working - compatible with other commitments
* Attractive equity offer with meaningful upside potential at exit
* Introductions to key people across the startup and investor ecosystem
Interview Process
Our process is a genuine two-way conversation. You can expect discussions covering your technical leadership experience, how you would approach your first 90 days, your views on team building and security, and how you would pitch Tala Thrive to a potential hire or investor. There will also be some questions to answer around values and culture to make sure that you're aligned with the team and our vision.
How to Apply
Send us an email at hello@talathrive.com or reach out to Sonia Kaurah on LinkedIn directly (make sure you add a note when connecting).
Find out more at
Find out more at www.talathrive.com or follow us on Instagram @talathrive.
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