Born from its founder’s own experience with cervical cancer, FemTech startup Hyivy Health has secured $1.1 million in pre-seed funding to improve womens’ pelvic health.
Threshold Impact, Beresford Ventures, Equation Angels, Zambon Research Venture, The51, OCI, iGan, Arch Angels, and Velocity all participated in the oversubscribed round, along with a number of individual angel investors. The round closed in December.
Hyivy Health is developing the first smart, holistic pelvic health rehabilitation product for the one in three women who will develop pelvic health complications in their lifetime.
Hyivy claims its pelvic health system is the first fully ergonomic, remote monitoring device collecting multiple data sets and connecting patients to their clinicians and pelvic floor therapists virtually.
The startup has ambitious plans for its new capital. Hyivy Health plans to use the funds to help with manufacturing of its device, safety testing, certification, and to move through regulatory approvals with the FDA and Health Canada.
It plans to complete an upcoming clinical trial in May 2022 with McMaster University to further explore the device’s use for pelvic pain with endometriosis patients and tracking chronic pelvic pain.
The startup is also setting up a clinical trial with Grand River Cancer Centre in Kitchener in which the device will be used for rectal as well as gynecological cancer patients, helping them with post-radiation treatments. Rachel Bartholomew, Hyivy’s founder and CEO, said she hopes that trial will begin in the summer of 2022.
As well, Hyivy Health intends to launch the first private, anonymous online pelvic health community where women can have a safe space to ask their pelvic health questions and can connect with Hyivy-accredited clinicians.
Hyivy Health’s rehabilitation system aims to provide a prescribed protocol from Hyivy accredited-clinicians for patients to use at home. It features auto-dilation, hot and cold contrast therapies, and self-lubrication.
The startup claims it is the first technology to connect clinicians with patients as well as the first to collect both objective and subjective data about the pelvic floor. Patients will also have access to a Hyivy app where they can track their progress, and have on-demand virtual sessions with their therapist.
Full Article: betakit.com