Annika Sten Pärson has 25+ years of experience in management roles across the media, retail, and consumer goods industries. Seeking a deliberate shift in perspective, she moved to New York City with her family and started working at Seleni Institute, a mental healthcare non-profit. There, she witnessed the vastness of the mental health crisis, the dire lack of funding, and the far-reaching implications on both individuals and society at large. 

Upon returning to Stockholm, her sense of urgency grew, and it became clear that this crisis required immediate, sustained attention. The cost of inaction was too high. Annika trained as a therapist and founded the 1825 Therapy Centre for Emerging Adults in 2019. Through her growing involvement, she realised the need for a more structured and systematic approach to her investments.

In 2021, Annika leveraged her professional and personal experience to co-found The Inner Foundation. The Inner Foundation is committed to investing in solutions that strengthen inner health and address the pressing challenges of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The Inner Foundation operates as a catalytic hybrid finance investor, uniting for-profit and non-profit solutions in a diverse portfolio of over 35+ investments across three continents: Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and North America.  

Annika also serves on several boards, including First Close Partners, Strong Minds, Meela, Braive, EsterCare and Tiimo, among others.