The healthcare industry is one of the highest grossing industries in the United States, even before the global pandemic. To compete in an industry like healthcare, it is essential that companies display innovation and creativity combined with cutting edge technology and competitive pricing. So it’s no surprise that these six Austin healthcare startups caught our eye.

Each startup is unique in its approach to addressing industry needs as well as the needs of consumers. These five healthcare startups are not only making waves in the Austin market but throughout the entire industry. 

Sana 

Sana Benefits, also known as Sana, is shaking up the healthcare insurance marketplace by offering self-funded insurance plans to small businesses. The plans they offer are as low as $0 deductible and $1,250 out of pocket maximum expense for individuals. And they’ve clearly proven a demand—their membership base has grown 10x in the last year and Sana recently closed a Series A funding round for a total of $20.8 million. Their recent growth and funding will allow them to expand into additional markets outside of Texas and Kentucky. Originally founded in San Francisco, the healthcare startup moved to Austin last year. 

Sana is able to compete with health insurance giants such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna and Anthem by eliminating unnecessary administrative costs and nonessential spending. Cutting unnecessary costs in combination with automation is what enables the healthcare startup to provide top quality health care to small businesses in America. 

EverlyWell

EveryWell may have recently disrupted the market with their at-home Covid-19 tests but the novel coronavirus is not the only thing this Austin healthcare startup is able to test. EverlyWell offers over 30 at-home kits that test for allergies, food sensitivity, fertility, Vitamin D levels, and more, with digital results delivered directly to users in just days. The tests span over three categories: general wellness, energy and weight, and sexual health. The laboratories EverylyWell uses for the tests are both CLIA certified and CAP accredited. 

EverlyWell was founded in 2015 by Julia Cheek in response to the overwhelming cost of lab testing, slow testing process, and confusing results. The Austin healthcare startup has raised a total of $50 million in funding. EverlyWell’s test kits can be purchased directly from their site as well as Amazon, Target, and CVS Pharmacy. 

ClearData

ClearData is a top cloud computing solution for the healthcare industry. The HIPAA-compliant, HITRUST-certified cloud service helps protect health professionals’ sensitive data and power their most critical applications across the major public cloud platforms. Over 350,000 healthcare professionals trust ClearData to safely guard their patient data and power medical applications. In addition to protecting data, ClearData also strives to improve data management and scale healthcare IT infrastructure. In everything ClearData does, their goal is to enable the healthcare industry to focus on improving healthcare quality, system, and delivery. 

Though ClearData is just a startup, they are a leader in the healthcare public cloud security and compliance industry. They recently placed in on the Inc. 5000 list for 2020 and won “Best Compliance Solution” in 2019 MedTech Breakthrough Awards Program. The Austin healthcare startup is currently in a Series E round having raised a total of $80.4 million to date. 

Omaiven Health

Currently, about $150 billion is spent annually in the U.S. on missed medical appointments. Austin healthcare startup Omaiven Health strives to reduce the amount of no shows for medical appointments by making contact with people through their AI software called Mia. 

Mia is able to answer people’s questions about the healthcare system, the healthcare industry and more. In addition, Mia is able to help people make their appointments by providing them with the necessary resources. For example, Mia can send text reminders and if a patient might miss their appointment because they don’t have a ride, Mia can send them one. Patients do not need to download an app. They simply have to text “askmia” to get the answers that a clinic has. 

Wheel

Wheel is a virtual telemedicine company that is working toward creating a better experience for both clinicians and patients. After realizing that those at the frontline of telemedicine, clinicians, could benefit from a more efficient system, founders Michelle Davey and Griffin Mulcahey developed a model to deliver high-quality virtual healthcare at scale. Formerly Enzyme Health, the Austin healthcare startup changed its name to Wheel after announcing it landed a $13.9 million funding round in January, according to Austin-American Statesman. 

Babson Diagnostics

Babson Diagnostics is on a mission to make diagnostic blood testing convenient and accessible. Using proprietary technology, the Austin healthcare startup is focused on making each stage of the process—collection, sample handling, and analysis—a better customer experience. They recently closed on a $13.7 million Series A funding round led by Siemens Healthineers, Prism Ventures, Genesis Merchant Capital, and Lago Consulting Group. 

Medici

Medici, Latin for ‘doctor,’ is a telehealth company striving to transform the healthcare industry by redefining the patient-doctor relationship. Medici enables patients to connect with professionals through text, video, and voice chats using leading mobile technology. Through Medici, medical professionals can provide healthcare whenever, wherever and however they choose. 

The Austin healthcare startup is currently in a Series B round of funding with their total funding amount at $70.6 million dollars. Furthermore, the mobile communication platform is completely secure with SOC2 Type 2, HIPAA and VCPR compliance. Founded in 2016, Medici eliminates the need for waiting rooms, paperwork, travel, and other administrative processes. 

There are three membership plans: basic, professional and practice. Medici differentiates themselves from other communication platforms by offering $1 million malpractice/liability insurance per consult, clinical workflow management, physician directories, chat assignment to triage or specialty staff, and multi-patient management. In a society that is currently facing a global pandemic, Medici is the future for reliable and transformative healthcare communication.

About Savannah Burns: Savannah is a marketing and communications intern for Swyft, which is a tech PR firm in Austin and Houston and a top digital marketing agency in Denver since its founding in 2011. Swyft recently opened a satellite office where it offers PR in San Francisco.