Technology and Human Flourishing: Real-World Examples

Modern tech companies — from ambitious startups to industry giants — are increasingly building products aimed at human flourishing. Rather than solely chasing clicks or raw productivity, these innovators design for long-term well-being, health, and personal growth.

A value-based healthcare startup founded in 2017 (spun out of Alphabet) to "provide cost-effective, preventative care for underserved populations." Cityblock's tech-enabled care model addresses patients' medical and social needs, improving health outcomes while lowering costs for marginalized communities.

In just a few years, Cityblock reached a $1B valuation by proving that investing in holistic well-being for the sickest, often-overlooked patients can be sustainable. Its mission-driven approach has earned partnerships with major insurers and strong engagement from patients traditionally left behind by the system.

An example of digital therapeutics focused on flourishing through pain-free living. Sword Health (founded 2015) provides an AI-assisted digital physical therapy program for musculoskeletal disorders. The company states it is "on a mission to free two billion people from the pain that impacts sleep, productivity, and absenteeism."

Studies show its members experience significantly fewer surgeries and reduced chronic pain compared to standard care. This not only improves individuals' physical and emotional well-being, but also boosts workplace productivity.

Apple's CEO Tim Cook has said that if we "zoom out into the future" the company's "greatest contribution to humankind… will be about health," as Apple's business has "always been about enriching people's lives." The Apple Watch's wellness features — from heart-rate alerts that have saved lives to mindfulness apps — have created a trusted health ecosystem, strengthening Apple's brand and user loyalty through meaningful impact.

Duolingo's mission is "to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available," breaking barriers to learning. The company started (2011) with free gamified language lessons, aiming to democratize learning as a path to human potential.

Over the past decade, Duolingo has grown from a small idealistic team into a public company with 850+ employees, 10× its daily users from 2019 to 40 million today. Crucially, Duolingo prioritizes long-term engagement and efficacy over short-term hacks — "spammy notifications" are eschewed in favor of a product so fun and effective that users "want to return daily."

This focus on genuine learning outcomes has yielded high user retention (streaks spanning years) and organic growth via word-of-mouth.

An education platform (launched 2012 at Stanford) that explicitly seeks societal flourishing through knowledge. Coursera's founders set out "to provide universal access to world-class learning."

In 10+ years, Coursera has become one of the world's largest online learning ecosystems with 175 million registered learners as of 2025. The platform partners with 350+ top universities and companies to offer courses and degrees, many focusing on skills for economic and personal development.

Coursera is a certified public-benefit corporation (B-Corp). By opening opportunities (from IT certifications to public health training) to learners in underserved regions, Coursera supports social mobility and personal fulfillment.

A San Francisco–based startup (founded 2013) that infuses positive psychology into workplace performance. BetterUp pioneered a mobile coaching platform to help employees develop not just professionally, but also mentally and emotionally.

CEO Alexi Robichaux describes their aspiration as creating "technology that advances human flourishing." BetterUp's services (one-on-one coaching, counseling, and AI-driven self-development tools) focus on the "Whole Person," measuring growth in mindsets like resilience, purpose, and adaptability — not just short-term productivity.

BetterUp's enterprise clients (now 380+ companies including many Fortune 1000) have expanded usage with 170%+ net revenue retention, indicating that employees meaningfully benefit and organizations see lasting improvements. Research shows coached employees experience higher well-being, performance and even a 63% reduction in turnover when mental fitness is prioritized.

An established workplace tech company proving that gratitude and human connection drive business results. For over a decade, Workhuman's cloud platform has helped companies worldwide create a "culture of recognition" — enabling peer-to-peer appreciation, celebrations of life events, and continuous feedback.

Co-founder and CEO Eric Mosley built the company on one simple mantra: "WorkHuman" — "If we treat employees as human beings – recognizing their needs for social connection, appreciation, and purpose – we unlock more energy, creativity, and productivity."

The impact is quantifiable: Workhuman's analytics show that robust recognition programs can save a 10,000-person company $16.1 million annually in turnover costs by boosting engagement and loyalty. The platform has grown to ~7 million users across 180+ countries, facilitating over 100 million "moments of human connection."

A mental health care platform (founded 2015) that connects employees of client companies to high-quality therapists, coaches, and digital programs. Lyra exemplifies designing for flourishing by making mental health care convenient, culturally responsive, and results-oriented.

With a network of 20,000+ providers serving 60+ care needs in multiple languages, Lyra has dramatically expanded access to care for hundreds of thousands of people. The company reports that 9 out of 10 users improve and companies see healthier, more engaged employees as a result.

One global study found that employees who used Lyra's therapy benefit were almost twice as likely to stay with their employer compared to those who didn't get support (11% vs. 22% attrition).

A direct-to-consumer teletherapy platform that shows how tech can scale mental health care globally. Founded in 2013, BetterHelp's mission is to "make mental health care more accessible to everyone," removing barriers like cost, stigma, and geography.

Today it is the world's largest online therapy service, having "surpassed 5 million people" served across 100+ countries as of early 2025. Users can get matched with one of 35,000 licensed therapists and begin counseling (via video, phone, or text) often within 24 hours.

About 72% of clients improved their symptoms within 12 weeks, a rate comparable to in-person therapy. In 2024, 40% of its new members experienced professional therapy for the first time through the platform.

"Headspace was started with one mission: to improve the health and happiness of the world." Since its 2010 launch by former monk Andy Puddicombe, Headspace has grown from an events company into a top mobile app for meditation, sleep, and stress relief — now used in 190 countries by over 70 million people.

Its approachable, cartoon-guided meditation sessions and "mindful minutes" tracking help users cultivate calmer, healthier minds in daily life. Headspace's emphasis on science-backed techniques and accessible design has normalized meditation for the mainstream.

By focusing on outcomes like reduced stress, better sleep, and happier outlooks (instead of time-in-app per se), Headspace has high subscriber retention and lifetime value.

Launched in 2012, Calm grew into "the leading digital health brand for mental fitness, meditation, and sleep," now with over 100 million downloads worldwide. The app's signature offerings — from guided meditations and breathing exercises to Sleep Stories narrated by celebrities — directly target users' psychological and emotional flourishing.

Calm's founders attribute its success to framing the product as a daily "mental health vitamin" — not just a luxury app, but a necessity for coping with modern stress. Calm's $2B valuation and profitable growth demonstrate the business case for nurturing users' mental well-being over maximizing ad clicks.

Fitbit helped ignite the quantified-self movement by giving everyday users gentle nudges to move more, sleep better, and eat mindfully. Fitbit's activity trackers and app translate wellness goals into playful metrics like step counts, badges, and social challenges.

A meta-analysis of 37 trials found that interventions with a Fitbit device led to an average increase of ~950 steps per day, a boost in moderate exercise, and 3.3 pounds more weight loss compared to groups without Fitbit. The technology reliably motivated people toward healthier behaviors.

Across these sectors, a clear pattern emerges: technology products that "design for flourishing" tend to foster deep, enduring engagement and trust. Whether it's an app teaching new skills, a platform supporting mental health, or a device promoting fitness, users reward tech companies who look beyond narrow usage stats to improve users' lives in tangible ways.

Even mainstream tech firms have begun adopting "well-being metrics" — for example, Google now evaluates some products by their ability to support "healthy balance" and long-term user happiness, rather than just short-term clicks. As one Google UX lead put it, success means shifting from "focus on short-term impressions or engagement, to observing long-term attitudes, behaviors, and relationships" with technology.

The past 5–10 years show that purpose-driven innovation — in healthcare, education, work, mental health, and consumer wellness — can yield strong business performance while advancing human thriving. Companies like those above have not only built lasting brands and steady growth; they have also measurably improved people's physical health, emotional resilience, knowledge, and communities.

This alignment of profit and purpose is a heartening trend: by going beyond pure engagement and productivity metrics to support psychological, social, and moral well-being, tech businesses are proving that human flourishing and long-term value creation go hand in hand.