U.K. startup, Vira Health gets $12M to dial-up personalized menopause support
- ByStartupStory | March 15, 2022
A U.K. startup, Vira Health, offers personalized digital therapeutics for women going through menopause, has closed a second round of funding from lead investor Octopus Ventures, along with participation from U.S.-based VC firm Optum Ventures, taking $12 million as it gears up to hop over the pond.
In the latest round of financing, existing investors in April 2020 who founded the business also joined. Last summer, Vira announced a £1.5 million seed, which was also backed by LocalGlobe, MMC Ventures, Amino Collective, and other angels. Using standard fundraising terminology the startup is reluctant to label this “second raise” but when pressed, it pegs as equivalent to a Series A.
Last August, Vira’s app named Stella launched in the U.K., delivers a piece of information and targeted support for women who have been experiencing menopausal symptoms, supporting them to make lifestyle and behavior changes aiming at whatever blend of physical they are tackling and/or psychosocial issues they have been experiencing.
To combat insomnia or mood-related issues, or indeed another combination of customized support programs, the app may be serving up exercise programs alongside diet advice or a course of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
To further expand the support with the help of a community approach, with opportunities for users to be brought together for Q&As/Zoom chats around discussion topics so that they can quiz experts and/or share related experiences.
Given the decade-plus, this sort of digital therapeutics formula looks very familiar as they have seen a variety of established therapeutics for problems with sleep, mindfulness and mental health, diet, addiction, sex, musculoskeletal conditions, and even aging, to name a few are being digitized to scale and reach more people in need of targeted support via their mobile device.
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