By 2030, the world population of menopausal and postmenopausal women globally is projected to ... [+]
This week, Lisa Health, a digital health company creating advanced technology solutions for menopause and healthy aging, launched Midday: an app that leverages AI, sensor technology, and digital therapeutics to support women on their menopause journey. Midday is a personalized digital health solution that illuminates what is happening physically and emotionally during menopause and provides the right intervention at the right time to promote healthy aging. As part of a collaboration with Mayo Clinic, the app combines Lisa Health’s advanced technology with expert medical guidance from the nation’s top health care organization, providing a 360-degree approach to managing menopause symptoms.
On top of its launch, the company has also announced the close of its $2.5 million (oversubscribed) seed round. AI-focused fund Radical Ventures led the round which included participation from SRI International and Broadway Angels, including the experienced business leader, Margo Georgiadis. Mayo Clinic is also an investor in Lisa Health.
Lisa Health was founded by its CEO, Ann Garnier, and Chief Scientific Officer and neuroscientist, Massimiliano de Zambotti, Ph.D., who’ve both ‘clicked’ together around the same mission and realization of how the impacts of menopause on women and society are wide-ranging and have been ignored for too long.
“As a senior healthcare technology executive who was thriving in the workplace, I experienced firsthand just how debilitating menopause can be and the potential for it to derail my career and personal relationships. From that moment, I became passionate about using advanced technology to transform the menopause experience,” Lisa Health’s co-founder and CEO, Ann Garnier, shares with me in an email.
AI holds enormous potential for a highly complex life stage like menopause. By leveraging advanced technology in the Midday app, we can now deliver personalized therapeutic strategies that provide real-time and long-term relief to women and females going through menopause,” explains Dr. Massimiliano de Zambotti, cofounder and Chief Scientific Officer at Lisa Health.
Lisa Health was founded by its CEO, Ann Garnier, and Chief Scientific Officer and neuroscientist, ... [+]
1.2 Billion Menopausal Women By 2030
By 2030, the world population of menopausal and postmenopausal women globally is projected to increase to 1.2 billion, with 47 million new entrants each year.
Starting in perimenopause, more than 75% of women will experience bothersome symptoms like hot flashes that last 7-9 years on average, and a decade or longer for some women. In one of the research studies conducted among family medicine, internal medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology residency trainees, 93.8 % of them recognized the importance of training in menopause management, but only 6.8% of participants reported feeling adequately prepared to manage women experiencing menopause. Moreover, menopause has long been shrouded in shame and silence, and few women feel adequately prepared for the physical and emotional changes that occur during this complex life stage.
“A digital health solution like Midday can bridge these gaps, using personalized insights that illuminate what is happening physically and emotionally during menopause, and providing the right intervention at the right time to manage menopause symptoms and promote healthy aging,” continues Garnier.
Midday is an app that leverages AI, sensor technology, and digital therapeutics to support women on ... [+]
A Collaboration With The Mayo Clinic
Through the Midday app, users will be able to get access to a Mayo Clinic-powered technology platform that delivers education to women about menopausal hormone therapy and helps them determine whether it may be right for them based on Mayo Clinic’s algorithm. Women may also have the option to schedule a virtual visit with a Mayo Clinic menopause specialist through the Midday app, and can also connect their Fitbit to the app to aggregate their data in one place and get personalized menopause-specific insights.
Lisa Health and Mayo Clinic are also collaborating on research to advance the understanding of menopause and the role technology can play in helping women navigate this life stage and get the care and support they need.
As an established leader in women’s health, and specifically in the care of women across the menopause transition, with this collaboration and investment, Mayo Clinic is on a best way to ensure that more women have access to a high-quality, personalized, evidence-based solution they can trust. “Menopause is a critical life stage and a window of opportunity to use technology to improve women’s quality of life and health span,” Dr. Stephanie Faubion, MD, MBA, Director of Mayo Clinic Women’s Health, shares with me.
Several of Lisa Health’s investors are top-tier funds focusing on deep tech (Radical Ventures and SRI International). As Garnier admits, their support signals not only that menopause is a massive market opportunity, but one that can “create transformational change for women through the thoughtful use of AI and sensor technology”.
Sanjana Basu, an Investor with Radical Ventures joined the board of Lisa Health and has agreed that the time was ripe for a disruption in the menopause space. “Providing a comprehensive care solution to a demographic that is traditionally underserved by both the healthcare and technology industries is something that was very much needed, and we are excited to join Lisa Health on this journey.”
The Premium version of Midday, launching later this year, will include an additional novel, patent-pending algorithms that use commercial wearable technology for advanced symptom tracking, including the ability to detect and measure hot flashes and their adverse impact across different aspects of women’s health and to deliver relief in real-time.
Midday is currently available to Apple users via the App Store for a quarterly and annual subscription.
