What is the name of your organization?
TeenSmart International
What is the name of your solution?
JovenSalud.net
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Empowering youth to make smart decisions, live healthy lives and contribute to their communities.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
San Jose
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
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What type of organization is your solution team?
Nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
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What specific problem are you solving?
Ages 10–24 are marked by intense emotional and social changes, yet adolescents, especially in Spanish-speaking Latin American and US Latino communities, are least likely to access health services. Lacking support, many turn to risky behaviors, driving illness and premature death. Failing to address adolescent wellbeing leads to devastating social and economic consequences.
What is your solution?
JovenSalud, created by TeenSmart International, is a gamified digital platform and mobile app that empowers young people to manage their own health. Through personalized quizzes, confidential online coaching, a virtual health library, and a curated directory of community services, youth access safe, evidence-based mental and holistic health support anytime, anywhere. The platform expands equitable access for vulnerable adolescents who might otherwise go without care; more than 185,000 across Latin America have used it to date. By leveraging digital technology to prevent and reduce risky behaviors, JovenSalud strengthens mental health, supports life planning, and promotes continued education and economic participation. Founded 22 years ago, TeenSmart pioneered adolescent digital health before it became mainstream. With ten peer-reviewed publications, international recognition, and constant technological adaptation, this women-led organization shows innovation, safety, and scalability can work together.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Laura, a 13-year-old Nicaraguan living with grandparents after her father migrated, María Teresa, a Honduran facing isolation and low self-esteem, and Andrea, a Costa Rican athlete hiding mental health struggles, represent a few of TeenSmart’s 185,000 users. For 20+ years, TeenSmart’s JovenSalud has delivered a free, secure digital space for ages 10–24, providing 24/7 mental and holistic health support where services are scarce or stigmatized. Gender gaps heighten risk: while 12.2% of young men in Honduras, 9.5% in Guatemala, and 8.5% in Nicaragua are out of education, employment, or training, rates for young women reach 40.9%, 45.7%, and 40.1% (World Bank, 2024). Accordingly, most users are girls aged 14–18. Guided by user data and a Gen Z Advisory Council, TeenSmart continuously improves. Recognized by MIT Solve (2021), SIHI-LAC, PAHO/WHO, IDB, and Carlos Slim Foundation, TeenSmart is positioned for responsible, technology-enabled scale.
