Cayaba Care, a new maternal healthcare startup, launched today with $3.2 million in seed funding.

The financing round was led by Flare Capital and had participation from Digitalis Ventures, Kapor Capital, SteelSky Ventures and additional angel investors.

WHAT IT DOES

Cayaba Care was created to address the maternal health crisis that’s occurring worldwide, but especially in the U.S.

In 2018, there were more than 17 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in the U.S., a figure that is more than double that of most other high-income countries, according to the Commonwealth Fund. For instance, that same year the maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births was 8.6 in Canada, 6.5 in the U.K. and 4.8 in Australia.

The company is initially launching in Philadelphia and targets maternal health by combining community-based clinical and social partnerships with technology-enabled multidisciplinary care teams.

"Moms and babies are at the centers of many communities. At Cayaba Care, we believe moms deserve to be heard, and we are focused on designing empathetic solutions specifically rooted in the patient voice and bringing high-quality care that fits into their complicated lives," Olan Soremekun, CEO and cofounder of Cayaba Care, said in a statement.

Cayaba Care aims to meet the full scope of maternal health needs by offering care coordination, benefit sign-up, routine maternity care throughout the pregnancy journey, mental health services, breastfeeding support and patient education.

WHAT IT’S FOR

Cayaba Care plans to invest in its data and technology integrations with health systems partners to further engage users, a company spokesperson shared via email. It will also grow its care teams to deliver on its home-based care model.

MARKET SNAPSHOT

Digital maternal health tools can improve access for people who may not have care options readily available near them, especially during the pandemic.

Today, there are a number of femtech companies focused specifically on the needs of pregnant people and new parents. Women’s digital health company Maven recently expanded its services beyond fertility and maternity care into a broader family-care space. Last fall, the hybrid maternal health company Oula launched with services available in-person or virtually.

Experts predict that the femtech market will reach new heights in coming years. However, they say companies that focus on currently untapped market areas will be a driving force of growth. Areas within menopause, geriatric care, mental health, fibroids, endometriosis and personalized holistic care are particularly ripe for innovation.