A medtech startup with strong Tampa ties has secured seed funding from former executives at Facebook, Google, and more.
Rocket Doctor, a remote digital health platform company with bases in Toronto and San Francisco, announced Friday it received $2.7 million in seed funding, led by Silicon Valley-based f7 Ventures and and Dr. Irv Edwards, founder and president of Emergent Medical Associates.
Two of the company's co-founders live in Florida, with Adam Teitelman recently moving from Washington D.C. to Tampa in late 2020.
"We had a shortlist of cities including Charlotte and Charleston," he said. "But [Tampa] seemed like a cool place; we thought, 'We will give it nine months, and if we don't like it, we’ll move back up north.' Within the first month, it was solidified we’re not going anywhere for a very long time."
The company is now also a member of Tampa-based innovation hub Embarc Collective.
Rocket Doctor is a digital health platform that has worked with more than 130 doctors to care for nearly 40,000 patients. It was founded in March 2020 and launched in June.
The company had raised $1.1 million of pre-seed funding, making its total amount with the newest round $3.8 million. The funding will expand its "geographic growth ambitions," expand its direct-to-patient diagnostics program and further develop its proprietary technology platform.
“We believe [Rocket Doctor's] approach, proprietary platform, and in-home medical device strategy can transform the accessibility, scope, and quality of care available through their network of virtual providers," f7 general partner Kelly Graziadei said in a statement. "Their lived experience as doctors building for doctors is resulting in a model of differentiated and comprehensive care that will build trust and broad adoption. We look forward to seeing them reaching and improving healthcare for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of patients over the coming months and years."
While the company employs people from across North America, Teitelman hopes to add some local Tampa Bay residents to the mix.
"Since I moved down here, I've noticed an amazing talent pool, and we’re hiring for a lot of positions," he said. "And it's great when multiple team members can be in the same city, to have a hybrid of virtual and in-person experiences. So, we're definitely looking for talent — and Tampa has good talent."
He joins a recent wave of entrepreneurs who have moved from larger metros to make their mark in the Bay Area.
"Beyond the weather, tax benefits, the walkability of the city, great restaurants ... there is an eagerness to help each other," he said. "There are a lot of smart and successful people that are willing to share more than you would typically see in the larger cities in the U.S."
Teitelman added he was unconcerned about the impact a potential move to Tampa Bay could have while raising capital and continuing to build the company.
"We have an amazing leadership team and knew we were very investable no matter where you’re located," he said. "And Tampa is a hub in the sense of, if they don't have the ability to offer what you need, they make the inroads or connections needed."
