Microbes are essential to all life on earth and, in fact, the most dominant form of life on Earth. The study of microbes has historically advanced society in countless ways such as the creation of the first smallpox vaccine, identifying the causes of cholera, tuberculosis, and anthrax, and the discovery of penicillin. Today, microbes in controlled settings can improve healthcare, food production, and agricultural output. Seed Health is a microbial science company that is focused on developing next-generation probiotic and live biotherapeutics for consumer use. Unlike traditional biotech companies that work to solve a single, isolated problem, Seed Health is structured as a platform that is able to synthesize its findings into a growing number of consumer use cases, following a rigorous process that handles development, validation, research, deployment and scaling up. LA TechWatch caught up with Cofounder and Co-CEO Ara Katz to learn more about the importance of microbiomes, the company’s strategic plans, and latest round of funding from investors that include The Craftory, ARTIS Ventures, GISEV, Founders Fund, and 8VC.
Healthcare
Belliwelli Raises $1M for its Line of Gut-Friendly Snack Bars
The old adage is “you are what you eat”. But also important is how what you eat, affects your body. The human gastrointestinal tract contains trillions of bacteria and there is growing interest in understanding how the microbiome impacts health. BelliWelli is a snack brand that’s launching this month and is focused on gut-friendly, plant-based bars. The company’s products are all gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, contain probiotics, and are also low-FODMAP – a short-chain carb that is not easily absorbed by the body. Currently available in four flavors – Minty Chocolate, Cinnamon Swirl, Lemon White Chocolate, Fudge Brownie, BelliWeather bars are available for pre-order from the website with a box of 8 costing $26.96. LA TechWatch caught up with CEO Katie Wilson to learn more about how her own personal journey to find snacks that her body could tolerate led to the founding of the company, the company’s future plans, and recent round of funding.
ConsejoSano Pulls in Another $17M for its Multichannel Patient Engagement Platform Built for Traditionally Underserved and Vulnerable Populations
Providers are turning to patient engagement to steer results in value-based care models, leading to better outcomes for both patients and physicians. Yet many of these engagement programs focus on providing a one-size-fits-all approach that does not truly engage patients due to cultural and socio-economic differences. ConsejoSano is a multicultural patient engagement platform that leverages 2M+ cultural data points to provide a tailored approach in a patient’s native language, leading to improved outcomes. Launched in 2017, the company is already working with four of the top five managed care plans in the US.
LA TechWatch caught up with Founder and CEO Abner Mason to learn more about his experience in Mexico sparked the launch of ConsejoSano, the company’s plans to scale its platform, and latest round of funding from investors that include Magnetic Ventures, The American Heart Association/Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund, DaVita Venture Group, Salesforce Ventures, NBA All-Star Victor Oladipo, 7wireVentures, Impact Engine, Tufts Health Plan, and Wanxiang America.
TigerConnect Raises $45M to Improve Communication Across Healthcare
Experiencing 30% revenue growth since the onset of COVID-19, TigerConnect realized that the healthcare system is ready to embrace a modern care collaboration and communication platform. The company’s platform allows healthcare professionals across various teams – urgent care, imaging centers, SNFs (registered skilled nursing facilities), etc – to instantly interact with each other and receive the latest updates and critical information on patients. The solution is trusted by than 7K + healthcare organizations to communicate and coordinate care quickly and securely via video, voice, or text. LA TechWatch caught up with CEO Brad Brooks to discuss TigerConnect’s rapid growth, the launch of its latest products, and recent funding round from investors that include HealthQuest Capital, with additional investment coming from New Leaf Ventures, Montreux Growth Partners, Norwest Venture Partners, Invus, and Industry Ventures.
Beyond Limits Raises $133M for its Industrial and Enterprise AI Platform
Much of the focus of AI has been on data-intensive applications and consumer-facing implementations. Beyond Limits’ cognitive AI platform unleashes the power of AI for some of the most demanding verticals like energy, utilities, and healthcare. The company’s solutions are used to boost operational insights, improve operating conditions, enhance performance, and ultimately, increase profits. The company’s technology originated at Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA space missions and is now being leveraged to help some of the largest industrial enterprises and companies address their most pressing challenges with a combination of machine learning and human knowledge. LA TechWatch caught up with CEO and Founder AJ Abdallat to learn more about the state of the enterprise and industrial AI market, the company’s future plans, and recent funding round.
Science 37 Raises Another $40M to Make Clinical Trials Fully Virtual
Technology allows us to instantly message or video chat with people halfway across the world, and now companies like Science 37 makes it possible to participate in clinical trials from the comfort of your own homes. Science 37 partners with pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions to design flexible, decentralized clinical trials. By making the barrier to participate lower, organizations can recruit participants faster, increase retention rates, include a representative patient population, drastically reduce the cost of trials, and accelerate the speed to market. CPO Christopher Ceppi shares more about Science37 and its plans to expand to 30+ countries, the company’s response to the pandemic, and recent funding round from investors that include PPD, Novartis, Amgen, Sanofi Ventures, GV, Glynn Capital, LifeSci Ventures, Mubadala Ventures, Lux Capital, and Redmile Group
Uniper Care Raises $4M to Reduce Loneliness in Older Adults by Helping Them Age in Place with Tech
COVID-19 is exacerbating the loneliness and isolation and this is even more true among seniors. Uniper Care is the startup that helps older adults age in place, while simultaneously reducing feelings of social isolation through technology. Uniper Care’s multi-modular platform transforms any TV or mobile device into a social assistant that enables older adults to video chat with family and friends, access remote health care, participate in interactive programs, browse photo albums, connect with peer-led groups, and meet new people. CEO and Cofounder Rami Kirshblum shares more insight about how his cofounder’s experience with his aging mother led to the founding of Uniper, how the company is growing rapidly and alleviating loneliness for seniors during the pandemic, and the company’s latest funding round led by Zeev Ventures.
Ready, Set, Food! Raises $3M For a Proactive Approach to Reducing Food Allergies
Witnessing the stress and worry severe food allergies caused young children and their parents, Daniel Zakowski founded Ready, Set, Food! a daily supplement that protects infants from developing peanut, egg, and milk allergies. The company just closed $3M in funding from Danone Manifesto Ventures, Mark Cuban, AF Ventures (formerly AccelFoods), and other investors. Zakowski shares more about how the company is making food allergies preventable, the company’s giving partnership with Cuban, and much more…
Cake Raises $1.435M for Its All-Inclusive Sexual Wellness Brand
Cake, a direct-to-consumer startup, is taking on the sexual wellness product. Its first product, a line of lubricants, is available for delivery straight to your door, eliminating the awkwardness of visiting the drug store to get confusing, outdated, and intimidating products that in no way are designed for modern sexuality. CEO and Cofounder Hunter Morris shares more on the company’s inspiration, future plans, and recent funding round from investors that include Brand Foundry Ventures, Finn Capital, and several notable angels.
Wellth Raises Another $10M to Incentivize Patient Adherence With Rewards Using Behavioral Economics
Wellth CEO and Cofounder Matthew Loper witnessed his aunt and uncle with the same diagnosis face different fates when confronted with Diabetes. The differing outcomes were a result of adherence to treatment plans. This motivated him to found Wellth, a platform that incentivizes those suffering from chronic conditions to follow their treatment plans and build new habits using rewards. Matthew shares more about Wellth, which just closed a $10M Series A round.
Embodied Labs Raises $3.2M to Help Caretakers Connect with Patients through VR
Being a caretaker for elderly or sick patients, especially ones with Alzheimer’s, can be extraordinarily difficult emotionally and mentally. However, being able to empathize with patients is essential and Embodied Labs has created an immersive VR experience that puts caregivers into the body and mind of those who are dealing with aging issues and cognitive decline. Embodied […]