11 health tech startups to watch in the new year

Health tech had a big year in 2021, with the combined global value of the sector reaching a staggering $491B. While things slowed down in 2022, the industry continued to progress by leaps and bounds, focusing more on innovation rather than valuation. As the sector matures, more platforms are investigating various utilities and experimenting with cutting-edge technologies. One common trend is health tech platforms integrating AI to better connect with consumers and patients in a purposeful and personalized way. 

In an industry that has long been dominated by bureaucracy and determined by rules connected to insurance policies, technologies such as AI are helping healthcare professionals meet people everywhere. Nowadays, that means working remotely and redefining the parameters of what defines a healthy lifestyle. 

These 11 health tech startups are pushing the boundaries of the industry, bringing creative solutions to consumers to keep everyone healthy in 2023.

WeWard It’s often pointed out that walking is one of the most underrated ways to keep fit. It’s been proven that walking lowers cholesterol, keeps your heart healthy, and can be just as good as running, if not better. The Parisian startup, WeWard, is on a mission to “(re)bring” walking into people’s daily lives. With 10 million users to date, WeWard’s app incentivizes users to walk by offering rewards that can be converted into cash, gift certificates, or donations to charity. 

Users are motivated to get moving for a good cause, simultaneously encouraging them to adopt better habits. WeWard has already donated over $600,000 to organizations supporting reforestation, women’s rights, and children’s education. The popular app is bringing the giving spirit overseas after recently launching in the United States in 2022. 

SafetyWing If any trend took off in recent years and is still going strong, it's remote work. While some businesses can only partially transition (it would be impossible to build a house from a laptop), many others have fully adopted the WFH model. Despite the hesitation that employers may have had, there has been consistent evidence that shows working from home increases productivity, as shown in an Owl labs report published in 2021, which showed that 47% of workers were more productive out of the office. The increase in remote work has forced employers to prioritize employee health and find unique solutions to keep remote teams insured. 

That's where SafetyWing comes in, offering “insurance by nomads, for nomads." Consumers can choose between comprehensive health insurance packages, from remote health insurance to incident insurance, and access to remote doctors. SafetyWing considers the various types of remote workers, offering plans for those hopping from country to country to remote workers who have a home base but travel frequently. The remote-friendly platform also offers insurance packages for remote teams. 

Doctolib

French startup, currently available in France, Italy, and Germany,  Doctolib is a platform designed to serve both the patient and the healthcare professional. With over 320,000 health professionals made available to patients through the website and phone app, users can book appointments, search for labs and specialists, and access online consultations. The platform also considers doctors’ hectic schedules, allowing them to refer patients to colleagues and exchange patient information online, streamlining an often time-consuming process.  In January 2022, TechCrunch reported that Doctolib had over 300,000 medical professionals who pay to use the platform each month. With a monthly rate starting at €129, Doctolib generates millions each month.

Spring Health Spring Health is a mental health platform for employers, providing resources and mental health support for companies, employees, and their family members. Services include adult therapy, digital cognitive behavioral therapy, pediatric care, and more. A significant Series C funding round skyrocketed Spring Health to Unicorn status, bringing its overall valuation to $2 billion.  There's no doubt that mental wellness in the workplace is a hot topic this past year; in a 2021 report from “Gallup's: State of the Global Workplace,” 57% of workers in the United States reported feeling daily stress, and this number was up by eight percent from the year before. Implementing Spring Health is a great place for companies to start when looking to prioritize wellness in the workspace in 2023.

Tempo

It’s hard to stay motivated when working out from home, and Tempo knows the struggle. The at-home fitness platform uses AI and a combination of equipment, training, and community motivation to give users a personalized fitness experience. Tempo guides users in real-time, offering customized recommendations, counting reps, and guiding you just as a personal trainer would. You can choose several options, like Tempo Studio, which offers coaching focused on weight and form. For those with limited space, Tempo Move offers a discrete set-up where you can store the AI-sensed weights that help users keep in shape and still have enough room to host a dinner party.

Zero Longevity Science (ZLS) A one-stop shop for all your health needs. ZLS is not just a fitness app but a habit-builder that pushes users to implement lifestyle changes. The platform focuses on intermittent fasting inspired by founder Mike Maser’s bout with cancer and the positive outcome he experienced while fasting.   As ZLS has expanded, consumers can tap into various services to achieve a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle. ZLS has also implemented emotional support resources, including curated roadmaps for staying fit, and meditation guidance. To get users started on their journey, ZLS offers a quiz that highlights individual concerns and goals that help users map out their fitness journey. 

Tia Founders Caroyln Witte and Felicity Yost were determined to create a "modern medical home for women." Witte herself went through a multi-year journey searching for a proper diagnosis before being told she had PCOS, an endocrine disease that can create hormonal havoc. She left her position at Google's creative lab and, with her best friend, Yost, set out to create Tia. Inspired by their own experiences and the long-standing history of women being dismissed within the medical sphere. Even today, women are more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety when experiencing a heart attack. 

 Tia aims to provide an all-in-one medical platform for women offering products, tools, and services that function like a personalized WebMD. As the company grew, Tia's founders quickly realized that their users wanted Tia to be their healthcare provider and opened a physical clinic in NYC in 2019. 

Zebra Zebra jumped on the health tech bandwagon in 2014 and disrupted the space in a significant way. Building consumer trust in machine learning showed the public that there were intelligent solutions to antiquated digital imaging technologies that were no longer cutting it.  In our case study, we highlighted how our work positioned Zebra’s approach to swift and cost-effective disease detection. By leveraging developments in MedTech, Zebra became a key player in addressing heart disease diagnostics, breast cancer detection, and CT scan upgrades. Ultimately raising $57.4 million in funding, Zebra was acquired by Nanox, which is still pioneering accessible medical imaging to this day, with the goal of "providing worldwide end-to-end medical imaging solutions."

Via Surgical Minor surgeries, such as a hernia repair, can become big problems if not addressed correctly, possibly leading to mesh migration and persistent pain. Via Surgical aims to change that, providing the next generation of soft-tissue repair solutions. Via Surgical's FasTouch™ system offers "deployable transfascial suture fixation that is strong and consistent." With just a tiny amount of material in the open wounds, there is the expectation that it will reduce inflammation, the body's response to foreign or harmful substances, and in the long run, leave less chronic pain. 

Founded in 2012 by Lena and Ofek Levin, and Arik Levy, the company was built with a dedicated and experienced team that also founded and led PolyTouch Medical, a mesh-positioning device for greater accuracy and shorter procedure time. The health tech pioneer has received $12 million in funding, led by OTV VC, and received additional investment from Asian manufacturing giant Catcher Technology. was voted one of the Top 10 Surgical Solutions by MedTech Outlook Review and received the Seal of Excellence from Horizon 2020, the EU's research and innovation funding program.

CURE 

There's something comforting about knowing you can receive health care without getting up from the couch. For those with anxiety about visiting a doctor in person or are homebound for any reason, CURE has got just you covered. With over 3,000 services and products available, such as prescription, nutrition consultation, homeopathic solutions, and numerous testing solutions, CURE lets users book appointments with medical professionals through their app and provides a swift delivery service (within 30 minutes). For more in-depth questions, CURE partners with various pharmacies to help advise users on medical-related questions. Users never have to worry about delivery fees or hourly limitations, they deliver 365 days a year, and it's all completely free.

Founded in 2021, Founder Manuel Aberle and Ali El-Ali have a mission to "facilitate access to healthcare - without having to leave home."  After receiving €15 million in Series A funding from French venture capitalist Breega, the health app is expanding its reach and will be available in 15 cities in Germany, in addition to Paris, France.

Before Health Intelligence

For patients with chronic health problems or who are at risk for developing certain diseases, Before Health Intelligence is a godsend. A "research-driven start-up" founded by scientists from MIT and the Max Planck Society, BHI employs proprietary AI technologies to flag early warning signs of critical events that can often mean the difference between life and death.

Highly accurate, users use any standard wearable health technology, like an Apple Watch or Bellabeat, to collect health data. Health Intelligence then analyzes information stored on these devices and, using an algorithm that translates the intensive longitudinal data, provides a prediction based on flagged changes, no matter how subtle. 

While BHI is effective in predicting common physical ailments, such as cardiovascular issues or strokes, it can also be effective for those who suffer from more amorphous health issues, such as MS or an addiction. This information is a massive step in the right direction for preventative medicine, which is increasingly becoming a standard assessment of one's health, as we move away from treatment methods and embrace more holistic approaches to our health. 

While industry valuation dipped slightly this year, health-centric startups show no signs of slowing down. As we enter 2023, the leaps and bounds made by health tech are changing how we receive healthcare, providing more streamlined services and a more holistic approach towards our health. You don't have to renew a gym membership you never use at the start of every New Year. Your fitness resolution this year can have a more creative solution. These health tech startups provide comprehensive coverage, nutrition tips, personal training, and much more to keep you on the right track this year and beyond.