Alex Hogan/STAT; Adobe When Alex Alvarado and his co-founders started their virtual therapy company Daybreak Health in February 2020, they saw a “massive need” for better mental health options for teens. Then the pandemic hit, and the gap they were trying to fill grew even bigger. “The need has really obviously skyrocketed in this population, as well as the need for technology-based solutions,” he said. “So it was fortunate for us to be able to help as many kids as we have been during this time.” Following in the footsteps of now-giant companies working to address the roaring mental health crisis for adults, Daybreak and another startup, Brightline Health, have turned their attention to providing mental health care for kids, tapping into the surging interest for telemedicine.