Forty Under 40: Chris Thompson

Five years ago, Chris Thompson was homeless in Los Angeles due to addiction. On Thanksgiving Day 2018, he started his sobriety journey. While living at a halfway house, he started Sober Sidekick, a free sobriety and recovery smartphone app where people struggling with addiction can immediately access a supportive community.

“Sober Sidekick doesn’t solve for addiction; it solves for isolation. Isolation is epidemic in the U.S.,” he said. There’s a 68% reduction in relapse rate by the fifth time a member engages with peers on the app.

Powered by Empathy Health Tech, Sober Sidekick has 500,000 members worldwide and plans to have 1 million by year-end. Recently featured by the Google App Store, Amplitude ranks it among the top 10 fastest-growing apps in North America.

Substance abuse affects 40 million Americans, and the industry keeps people in crisis, according to Thompson. He revised his revenue model to be dependent on the recovery success of users instead of their failure. He sells to health plans like AmeriHealth Caritas. Agreements with other national health plans and state Medicaid plans are pending.

Investors include the American Heart Association and a partnership with High Street Equity Partners and others in a $2.5 million seed round.

Originally from West Chester, Pa., Thompson relocated to Northwest Arkansas from Los Angeles as part of the Northwest Arkansas Council’s Life Works Here incentive program.

With a motto of “the way out is through,” Thompson is proud of his five years sober and wants people to see that “their past empowers their future.”

Supporting foundations in memory of friends lost to addiction is important to Thompson. While he has a hard time relaxing because he’s always working on the app, he enjoys hiking, biking and traveling.