Startups, MedCitizens

StartUPDATES: New developments with healthcare startups

Read about new developments at innovative healthcare startups such as Bright.MD, GYANT, and more.

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In response to the CDC’s release of clinical criteria to guide the evaluation of patients under investigation (PUI) for Wuhan coronavirus (2019-nCoV), Bright.md updated its Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) SmartExamTM modules to include coronavirus screening. SmartExam will automatically escalate positive screenings for further evaluation as well as continue to screen for flu diligently as we fly through one of the most destructive flu seasons in recent history.

Despite the hysteria, co-founder and CEO Dr. Ray Costantini is telling people that while “Coronavirus is a pandemic threat that is making headlines….it’s important…not to get caught up in a panic. The real threat facing a greater number of Americans is still the flu – especially those who haven’t yet been vaccinated this year. We’re up to at least 8,200 flu deaths already this year. There’s still time to get that shot.”


California based Cardinal Analytx Solutions has rebranded as Prealize. The name change reflects the transformation into a company that can support the delivery of proactive healthcare by connecting predictions of potential risk across entire populations to actions that enable payers, providers and patients to prevent or mitigate those health risks.

Acknowledging the evolution of its AI-based solution and the potential it holds for the future, Chilmark Research recently named Prealize a “Vendor to Watch” in its “Current Tools and Solutions for Healthcare Payers” market trends report. The report examines analytics technologies that payers and providers have begun to adopt in support of the transition from fee-for-service to value-based care that enable them to share a common understanding of cost, quality and utilization performance described in value-based care contracts.

“Our new name recognizes the broader capabilities we have developed by leveraging our machine learning engine to identify not only the rising risk members, but the timing and key drivers of that risk, as well as the ability to engage members and impact their health. Prealize AI predicts rising risk drivers as well as, or better than, clinicians and therefore make that critical connection between accurate predictions and meaningful actions, which enables our customers to realize better outcomes, lower costs and deliver an improved member experience,” said Prealize CEO Linda T. Hand.

Prealize’s evolution was fueled by a $22 million Series B round, which closed in May 2019 and was led by John Doerr, with GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation (GuideWell), Blue Shield California and Premera Blue Cross as strategic investors. With this funding, Prealize was able to extend its lead in using innovative machine learning to help drive the healthcare industry from reactive to proactive care to support the growing demand for a value-based approach.


GYANT has inked a deal with Cleveland Clinic which will see the health system deepen its relationship with the telemedicine startup. Cleveland Clinic will expand its use of the company’s software to communicate with patients after they are discharged. The system, called GYANT, is currently being used at 10 different Cleveland Clinic locations, and is being rolled out to its Women’s Health Institute to help new mothers after they leave the hospital.

The Cleveland Clinic first began working with GYANT in 2018, as one of the startup’s first customers. So far, GYANT said, the Cleveland Clinic has seen a 39 percent increase in patient contact rate.

“When we started to work with them, we were still thinking about whether seniors and older generations would adapt to this technology,” co-founder and CEO Pascal Zuta said.  Click here to read more.


South San Francisco, California-based Mammoth Biosciences said Thursday that it had raised $45 million in a Series B funding round, which brings the total amount of funding the company has raised to date to more than $70 million. Decheng Capital led the financing, with participation from Mayfield, NFX, Verily and Brook Byers.

The company, which is developing a way to use gene-editing technology to detect disease,  will use the new funding  to support development of its CRISPR-based diagnostics and extend its research to include applications of the technology to include gene editing and therapeutics. Click here to read more.


Time is running out to apply to the Pitch Perfect competition at MedCity INVEST in Chicago April 21-22. If you are a startup in biopharma, diagnostics, medical device, digital health or health services, click here to apply.


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