The interest in gaming technology as a way to help consumers make better health and wellness decisions has led Welltok to acquire Seattle-based gaming developer Mindbloom for an undisclosed amount. The digital health company, which works with insurers to provide content to guide and motivate their members to adopt healthy behaviors, will add Mindbloom’s mobile health gaming apps to its Café Well platform.
Jeff Margolis, chairman and CEO of Welltok, explained in a statement why it acquired Mindbloom: “We were impressed by the Mindbloom team’s ability to integrate behavioral science and user-centered design principles with health-related content to deliver a superior consumer experience.”
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Mindbloom was founded by gaming producer Chris Hewett and former Amazon executive Brent Poole in 2008. It’s goal is to help people improve the quality of their lives and learn how to prioritize what’s important to them. Aetna offers the game to employees and plan members. In an interview with Nextcast, Hewett said the recession helped make the company more disciplined about how it raised and spent money. Among its angel investors are Keith Kegley and Jon Kiehnau.
Aside from its flagship product, Mindbloom also has a mobile health app which sets up personal health challenges between friends and employees called Proof. Momentum directs users to focus on positive life experiences. JUICE encourages users to track their energy and daily activities.
Mindbloom is Welltok’s second acquisition. In October it purchased incentive management program IncentOne.
It marks the third significant exit in the past month for a digital health startup. UnitedHealth acquired a majority stake in Audax Health Solutions in February, paying $350 million for it, according to a source. Castlight Health’s IPO raised $180 million
