Augment Therapy, a digital health startup, has landed a $1 million investment from CareSource, the Dayton, Ohio-based managed health care organization.
The Chagrin Falls, Ohio-based startup was founded in 2017 by Lindsay Watson, a physical therapist, and Steve Blake, a medical and tech-education software expert.
Since then, Augment Therapy has developed immersive technology that makes a game out of doing physical therapy, first, for children, and then for adults, the startup says at its website.
For instance, the company has created Mocast, a patent-pending technology that offers full-body skeletal tracking during interactive therapy sessions by using computer vision technology rather than wearable technology, Augment Therapy said in a statement.
The latest investment is expected to strengthen Augment Therapy's partnership with CareSource, which began a pilot program with the technology maker in four Ohio locations in March.
The investment is aimed at expanding the pilot into new markets in Ohio, Georgia, Indiana, Arkansas, Texas, Florida, Kansas and Michigan, said Rebecca Turk, marketing specialist for Augment Therapy, in an email.
"We are proud to work with an organization that invests in innovation designed to particularly address the needs of marginalized groups including children, disabled and elderly populations,” said CEO and co-founder Watson said in a statement.
The ongoing pilot is intended to research and demonstrate how Augment Therapy encourages children and adults to exercise more and get more out of physical therapy and rehabilitation in both the clinical and at-home environments, CareSource said.
"CareSource believes Augment Therapy’s innovative, immersive technology can transform the health care industry’s approach to physical therapy and significantly improve rehabilitation outcomes for patients with significant disabilities and complex health needs," said Josh Boynton, senior vice president for complex health solutions at CareSource, in a statement.
Augment Therapy has raised $3.4 million during four funding rounds, including $2 million raised in March, according to Crunchbase.
The CareSource investment is part of the March funding round, led by BlueTree Capital Group in Pittsburgh, which now stands at $2.5 million and is expected to close at the end of the month, spokswoman Turk said.
Augment Therapy has been nominated for an Auggie Award in the Best Healthcare and Wellness Solution category at Augmented World Expo 2023, starting May 31 at the Santa Clara (California) Convention Center.
The public can vote on its favorite augmented reality projects at the world expo's website until May 4.
