Hiya Founder Showcases Mental Health Research at 2025 ICAN Summit in Montréal, Québec

We’re beaming with pride this week as one of our youngest and boldest clients takes the international stage again.

Alejandra Wells, teen entrepreneur and founder of Hiya (GoShopHiya.com), is presenting her research on youth-led mental health advocacy at the 2025 ICAN Summit, an international conference unlike any other, dedicated to amplifying youth voice in science, wellness, and innovation.

This moment feels especially full circle. Last year, Alejandra shared her work on peer-led support strategies at the ICAN Summit in Bari, Italy. Her findings showed that 65% of teens felt more comfortable engaging with peer-based mental health models than traditional therapy. That insight became the cornerstone of a movement, and in just one year, Alejandra and the Hiya team have turned ideas into action.

This year, she returned to the ICAN Summit in Montréal to present the evolution of her research in a poster symposium, highlighting real-world impact:

The “Check On Your People” Campaign – A teen-designed suicide prevention initiative encouraging youth to look out for one another. The campaign includes colorful PSA posters with QR codes linking directly to crisis resources and has already sparked conversations across schools and communities.

Hiya The Magazine – A digital platform where teens share honest, relatable stories about mental health, stress, identity, and resilience. It's a publication written by teens, for teens — a space where young people can be seen, heard, and supported.

Workshops & Teen Talks – Informal virtual and in-person spaces for peer connection, emotional skill-building, and open dialogue.

Ambassador & Blogger Programs – Hiya’s growing network of youth advocates now extends across regions, with students leading awareness campaigns in their own schools and neighborhoods.

And this is just the beginning.

The hope for the future? To build strategic partnerships with clinics and healthcare providers who believe in working hand-in-hand with youth. By aligning the peer-led approach of Hiya with professional support systems, we can create a more compassionate, accessible, and inclusive mental health ecosystem for teens. Together, we can bridge the gap between community-based support and clinical care, and meet young people exactly where they are.

We are incredibly grateful to the ICAN organization for its unwavering commitment to empowering youth researchers and advocates. There is no other summit quite like ICAN. It fosters global collaboration, celebrates young leaders, and proves that teens are not just the future, but the now of innovation and impact.

Alejandra’s journey with Hiya shows us what’s possible when we invest in youth voice.

✨ Want to dive deeper into her research? Click here to learn more.
Or follow the movement at goshophiya.com.