The Digest for Health Transformers & Changemakers
Nine years ago, Dr. Yusuf Sherwani co-founded Pelago (then Quit Genius) as a virtual clinic for substance use disorder, long before telehealth was trusted, let alone expected. Since then, Pelago has cut the cost of treatment by 10x, raised $150M, and become a go-to partner for self-insured employers and health plans across all 50 states.
In this Health Moonshot Update, Sherwani talks about the failed pivots that came before Pelago found its model, why the company is "refounding" itself even after reaching scale, and Sona, its new AI mental health specialist built to triage and support care with a clinician always in the loop.
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From foundation models for drug discovery to smart rings that diagnose sleep apnea in three nights, this week's raises span the globe – and the stage.
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Toyin Ajayi, MD, CEO & Co-founder of Cityblock, on the company signing a definitive agreement to acquire Homeward Health in an all-stock transaction, alongside a $116 million Series E led by General Catalyst.
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Rafael López, CEO & Co-founder of Diagnostikare, on the company being awarded Mexico's ESR (Socially Responsible Company) distinction.
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Beth Sanders, CEO & Founder of LifeBio, on Apple Samsung tablets being shipped with LifeBio Memory app loaded.
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Silvia Zheng, COO & Co-founder of NeuDreamer, on the company’s team and collaborators publishing a new perspective in “Alzheimer’s & Dementia,” demonstrating that menopausal insomnia is a modifiable, sex-specific risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.
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