Cardiologist-founded startup raises $2M in the name of women’s heart health
Systole Health, a new Boston-based heart health startup focused on providing personalized care to women, has raised $2 million in pre-seed funding. The round included investments from Benchstrength, an early-stage venture capital firm, as well as January Ventures, J Ventures and Tox X. Lee, the founder of One Medical.
Systole Health is designed to help women, who are often underdiagnosed and undertreated when it comes to cardiovascular disease (CVD), receive high-quality care. The company offers hour-long appointments, giving patients the opportunity to ask questions and have extended conversations with their healthcare providers, as opposed to being rushed in and out of the door.
Simin Lee, MD, MBA, a cardiologist with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, co-founded Systole Health with Lauren McConnell, an operations leaders with years of experience helping healthcare startups thrive. While Lee is the company’s CEO, McConnell serves as its chief operations officer.
“Our mission is to bend the curve of heart disease in women by introducing a new care model that prioritizes outcomes and connection,” Lee said in a statement. “As a cardiologist, I have witnessed firsthand the struggles women face in managing their heart health. Our solution is built for women by women, addressing the unique challenges we experience and expanding access to the kind of care we want for our mothers, aunts, sisters, and daughters.”
“We know there's a lot of women looking for help with their heart health, without the option to get into their existing providers as much as they need to,” added McConnell. “I'm excited to build a supportive, community-driven space for those women, extending their lives and by extension—improving the health of their families.”
Systole Health’s virtual care offering is already being piloted in Massachusetts and Florida. It hopes to use this additional round of funding to expand its reach, bring in more employees and seek additional partnerships.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.