US virtual care startup raises US$10.5m to support university-aged women

Caraway, a women-focused virtual care startup providing mental, physical and reproductive healthcare for college students, has raised US$10.5m in seed funding.

The seed led by 7wireVentures and OMERS Ventures will help Caraway offer team-based virtual care for university-aged women with reproductive care needs.

The startup will offer a care team made up of gynaecologists, psychiatrists, family medical practitioners, adolescent specialists, therapists, nurses and care coaches.

Caraway aims to offer patients enhanced collaboration with their doctors as well as access care through the company’s app to contact nurse practitioners, get referrals to in-person care and order home tests for UTIs and STIs.

“Many college students are in crisis, and for women, getting the care they need is increasingly challenging. It shouldn’t be this way,” says CEO, Lori Evans Bernstein. “Our students go to college not only for an academic experience, but also to learn how to cope and flourish independently.

“Caraway combines an experienced clinical care team and passionate GenZers to support women+ in taking care of themselves in an increasingly complicated and hard to access healthcare system.”

On-campus college healthcare services do not meet the demand for the US population of approximately 10 million college women+. A 2021 Healthy Minds Network study of college student mental health found that 34 per cent of respondents had anxiety disorder and 41 per cent reported depression.

As the pandemic took a toll on young adults’ mental health, Caraway aims to improve care access and coordination particularly for college women, many of whom face a changed reproductive healthcare landscape after Roe v. Wade was overturned.

Even before the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, there were barriers and persistent inequities in women’s+ health and a need to ensure greater availability of care.  The new reality facing women in many states makes the need all the more critical.

“The need for robust health services for college women+ that provide high quality clinical care has intensified and has never been more clear,” explains Caraway chief health officer, Dr Cheryl Baggeroer. “We’ve known for a long time that physical health affects mental health and vice versa, and that the best care addresses these needs simultaneously.

“Now more than ever, we need healthcare solutions that uncover early diagnoses and set the course for lifelong healthcare habits and overall well being.”

Lee Shapiro, 7wireVentures managing partner, adds: “Today’s college women+ face far too many barriers in getting the care they need. As the first generation to grow up with the internet, they’re turning to digital care services for an experience that provides convenience and autonomy over their health.

“Caraway’s integrated care team does just that and meets them where they are.”

The company plans to launch in the US this autumn and will offer integrated virtual care services around the clock on its mobile app and care coordination to drive better outcomes.