A health startup focused on improving care for individuals who suffer from chronic digestive conditions closed a $31 million Series B this week.
Vivante Health CEO Bill Snyder said the company wants to help those suffering from conditions like ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) — conditions that he said can be "nebulous" and difficult to diagnose.
"There's no specific biomarker that applies to each individual, and they can be difficult to treat in an ongoing manner where patients feel supported," he told Chicago Inno. "I've had close family members and close friends who suffered from these conditions and have seen what it's done to their physical and mental health. We saw this as a massive unmet need."
Large employers that use Vivante's platform for advanced data analytics and some forms of artificial intelligence to understand individuals' needs. The platform offers food and symptom logging, online educational resources and 24/7 access to dietitians, health coaches and nurses, lab test orders, and prescriptions.
Snyder said Vivante provides "more than just a diagnosis" and helps build evidence-based clinical pathways based on users' goals to offer personalized experiences.
"We support them with a coordinated care team that includes health coaches, registered dietitians, gastroenterologists and internal medicine specialists," he said. "We're looking to optimize their care, reduce their symptoms and get them feeling better."
Employers that have adopted the platform have seen decreases of 15% or more in digestive-related health care spend, the company said.
The latest investment brings Vivante's total capital raised to $47 million, after a $16 million Series A in late 2021.
Led by new investor Mercato Partners, the Series B funding round included new capital from Health Catalyst Capital as well as returning investors 7wireVentures, Intermountain Ventures, Distributed Ventures, Human Capital and SemperVirens.
The company will use the money to continue to make technology upgrades to its platform to predict the onset and progression of GI conditions.
While AI platforms continue to receive the lion's share of venture capital investment amid a down market, Snyder said the way Vivante combines real-life practitioners and technology like AI to bridge the gap between virtual and real life care was the real draw for investors.
Vivante's investment in data security, something that is rare for a company of this size, also helped, he added.
