NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2025 — As cities grapple with congestion, parking and access challenges, the demand for tech-enabled, sustainable solutions has never been greater. Circuit’s last-mile shuttle systems address these issues with efficient and cost-effective microtransit services for cities and properties. The company announced the investment by MKB, with participation from existing investors Tribeca Venture Partners, Impact Engine, and others.

The new funding, part of Circuit’s Series B round, will support the company’s expansion, further enhance its proprietary tech platform, and strengthen partnerships with cities, properties, and businesses. This proven approach has already led to some of the most efficient microtransit systems in the industry. By leveraging this capital, Circuit aims to reach more riders with shorter wait times, engaging new features, and an elevated overall experience—while also creating new opportunities for advertising partners. With operations in over 40 cities, Circuit has demonstrated its ability to deliver scalable, impactful solutions tailored to the unique needs of urban communities.

“With a proven track record in scaling sustainable transit solutions, Circuit stands out as a leader in cost-efficient and rider-focused urban mobility,” said Antonio Occhionero, Managing Partner at MKB. “We are proud to support Circuit as it continues to lead the way in redefining short-range, electric mobility for cities, businesses and commuters alike.”

Since its Series A in 2022, Circuit has grown rapidly. Over the past year, the company has moved over 1.9 million passengers using 100% electric vehicles and avoiding more than 1,050 metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. 2024 saw expansion to new markets like Orlando, Avalon, Boca Raton, and Long Beach while strengthening and growing existing programs in areas such as San Diego, New York, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Huntington Beach. These achievements highlight Circuit’s commitment to delivering valuable solutions for last-mile transit, while scaling its impact and becoming the default short-trip solution for downtown ecosystems.

“This Series B round marks an important step forward as we execute on our vision to electrify downtown transit systems,” said Alex Esposito, CEO of Circuit. “We’re delivering the right solutions at the right time, as cities look for ways to efficiently address congestion and emissions while improving access and mobility. This capital enables us to expand our partnerships, enhance our technology, and continue scaling sustainable, cost-effective transit solutions.”

As cities, businesses, and communities embrace the shift toward on-demand, electric transportation, Circuit’s scalable public-private model positions it as a leader in short-range, tech-enabled mobility.

Ready to bring sustainable, on-demand transit to your community, boost brand awareness, or catch a ride? Contact Circuit to explore partnership opportunities, or download the Circuit App to experience eco-friendly mobility today.

About Circuit
Circuit is redefining urban transportation with short-trip, electric shuttle solutions that bridge last-mile transit gaps and connect communities in a sustainable, accessible way. Operating in NY, NJ, FL, CA, MA, and TX, Circuit has delivered over 9 million eco-friendly rides using 100% electric vehicles. By partnering with municipalities, developers, and advertisers, Circuit reduces congestion, creates local jobs, and provides turnkey solutions for urban mobility challenges. Discover how Circuit is transforming short-distance travel at www.ridecircuit.com.

About MKB
MKB is a North American private investment firm that specializes in providing growth equity to companies driving innovation in the energy, mobility, the built environment, and related industrial sectors. MKB takes significant minority positions in its portfolio companies and proactively assists management teams in reaching their full potential. To learn more about MKB, visit www.mkbandco.com.

SOURCE Circuit

Participants to Enjoy Access to 24^th Annual Bio-IT World Conference & Expo, Running Concurrently April 2-4

BOSTON, Feb. 13, 2025 — Cambridge Healthtech Institute, which produces the annual Bio-IT World Conference & Expo (Bio-IT World 2025), today announced that this global event, which highlights innovative collaborations between biotech and IT leaders, will also feature an exclusive investor conference.

The second annual Bio-IT World Venture, Innovation & Partnering Conference, taking place April 3 in Boston, will bring together 200+ venture capitalists, private equity professionals, bankers, government partners, and entrepreneurs who are advancing the growth of the TechBio, biotech, drug discovery and healthcare sectors.

Content will focus on all stages and types of investments and partnerships, including incubation, venture capital, private equity, and bank investments, with insights from 5AM Ventures, Bain Capital, Flagship Pioneering, F-Prime Capital, HSBC, Norwest Venture Partners, Sanofi Ventures, Third Rock Ventures, and more.

“With the recent upswing in biotech venture funding, this second annual event is particularly timely. This year, we will help investors to capitalize on the breakthroughs ahead by sharing how AI, quantum computing and other advanced platforms are reshaping drug discovery. Leaders from such companies as Google, Psivant Therapeutics, Novo Nordisk, and Qubit Pharmaceuticals will share important perspectives,” said Eileen Murphy, Conference Producer.

Additional highlights will include:

• A featured presentation by Steve Pagliuca, Chairman, CEO, and Founder, PagsGroup, on Boston’s Pioneering Investments in Technology and Drug Discovery
• A fireside chat with Derek Lowe, Ph.D., Director, Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, Novartis BioMedical Research, on Investing Beyond the Molecule: The Future of Drug Discovery. John J. Keilty, Venture Partner, Third Rock Ventures, will interview him.
• Insights from leading women in the vanguard of biotech and investments, such as Joanne L. Viney, Ph.D., Co-founder, President, and CEO, Seismic Therapeutic and Kimberly Nearing, M.S., Venture Partner, Investment Team, BVCF Management Ltd.
• Bio-IT World Venture, Innovation & Partnering registration information is available here

Media and analysts can request passes here. 

About Cambridge VIP
Cambridge VIP – Venture, Innovation & Partnering conferences unite senior-level investors, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and startup leaders from diverse sectors. These exclusive gatherings feature engaging industry panels and fireside chats, fostering meaningful networking and interactions. Join us at these innovative conferences to gain strategic insights, candid perspectives, and valuable business recommendations in your area of interest. Discover who’s investing, track funding activities, and witness the commercialization of emerging technologies solving real-world challenges. 

About Bio-IT World Conference & Expo
For over 20 years, Bio-IT World Conference & Expo has been the premier global event showcasing technologies and analytic approaches that solve problems, accelerate science, and drive the future of precision medicine. By uniting a community of experts in life sciences, pharmaceuticals, clinical research, healthcare, informatics, and technology, the event pushes the boundaries of biomedical research, drug discovery and development, and patient outcomes. The program features inspiring plenary keynotes, 200+ educational and technical presentations, interactive panels, hands-on symposia, technical workshops, unparalleled networking opportunities, and an exhibit hall showcasing cutting-edge technologies and solutions. Attendees are invited to engage in transformative conversations on the latest advancements in digital and data transformations; AI; generative AI; machine learning (ML); real-world data strategies; pilot programs; new product results; and biotech investment trends.

SOURCE Bio-IT World Conference & Expo

RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 13, 2025 — Vitalchat, an innovator of AI-powered ambient solutions for in-patient virtual nursing and procedural telehealth, today announced the successful closing of its $6 million Series A funding round, led by Green Harvest Capital Industries (GHC Industries). This investment will accelerate Vitalchat’s mission to transform inpatient telehealth and virtual nursing by expanding its scalable, cost-effective solutions that reduce administrative burdens placed on nurses and doctors, enhance patient and clinician safety, and help address the ongoing shortage of skilled care teams.

“Doctors and nurses enter the profession to heal, comfort, and care—not to be overwhelmed by paperwork or stretched thin due to staffing shortages,” said Michael Raymer, CEO of Vitalchat. “This funding enables us to scale our in-patient virtual care platform, allowing more health systems to give their care teams the time and focus to do what they love—connecting with patients and making a real difference in their lives. We’re grateful for the support of GHC Industries as we continue to innovate and expand our impact.”

The demand for virtual nursing and telehealth solutions has surged, driven by workforce shortages, rising patient acuity, and regulatory shifts supporting digital care adoption. In the U.S., the total addressable market for inpatient virtual care and AI-powered telehealth is estimated at $2 billion, yet fewer than 5% of hospital beds currently have video-enabled monitoring solutions.

Vitalchat is uniquely positioned to bridge this gap. Since its commercial launch in 2021, the company has rapidly gained traction for its ability to leverage existing hospital infrastructure to provide AI-powered virtual sitters for real-time patient safety monitoring, remote procedural support to enhance care team collaboration, and automated AI-driven workflows to reduce administrative burdens and optimize nursing efficiency. As a cloud-native SaaS platform, Vitalchat eliminates the need for additional hardware, making telehealth adoption more accessible and cost-effective for hospitals and health systems. Vitalchat is available in over 35 hospitals across medical-surgical units, ICUs, operating rooms, and post-acute care facilities.

The $6 million Series A investment will accelerate product innovation, market expansion, and deeper AI integration into clinical workflows. Ankit Patel, Chief Executive Officer of GHC Industries will join the Vitalchat board. GHC Industries Co-founder and Principal Saagar Parikh will also be taking a Board Observer role. This marks GHC Industries’ third significant investment in healthcare after acquiring Re-sources and Medical Equipment Source and is GHC’s launchpad into AI-powered virtual care.

“Healthcare systems are under immense pressure from staffing shortages and clinician burnout, making it more critical than ever to find scalable solutions that enhance efficiency without compromising quality of care,” said Ankit Patel, CEO at GHC Industries. “Vitalchat not only helps hospitals optimize resources and support care teams, but it also strengthens the human interaction between patients, providers, and families. By enabling seamless virtual engagement, Vitalchat ensures that loved ones can remain present during inpatient stays while giving clinicians the tools they need to focus on delivering exceptional care.”

Vitalchat will be showcasing its platform in the AI pavilion at the annual ViVE Conference (Grant Thornton Booth #883) on February 16-19, 2025.

About Vitalchat

Vitalchat delivers an AI-powered ambient virtual care solution designed to transform healthcare delivery by addressing critical challenges like nursing shortages, procedural telehealth and care coordination with clinical teams, patients and their family members. Our technology utilizes AI to perform continuous real-time analysis of video, audio, and sensory data collected in the care setting to identify trends, predict risks, and flag anomalies that are then turned into meaningful alerts and automated actions that support the clinical teams in delivering efficient, safe and coordinated care. For more information about Vitalchat, visit www.vitalchat.com

About Green Harvest Capital | GHC Industries

Green Harvest Capital (GHC) is a minority-owned private equity firm specializing in value and growth oriented investments across the multifamily, hospitality, and industrial sectors. With over $350 million in assets under ownership, GHC focuses on providing a better product and/or experience to the customer, revitalizing communities where assets are located, and fostering a workplace for team members to learn and excel.

The GHC Industries division is committed to revitalizing Midwest manufacturing and service industries, acquiring, nurturing and transforming legacy businesses into leaders in new technology. With an initial focus on the evolution in healthcare rapidly occurring throughout Northeast Ohio and beyond, GHC’s unique investment approach combines strategic insight with hands-on management to achieve the full potential of promising assets.

GHC Industries is led by co-founders: Ankit Patel, Bhavin Patel, Matt Soble, Michael Smith, and Saagar Parikh. They can be reached at [email protected]. For more information about GHC, visit www.ghc-lp.com

SOURCE Vitalchat

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Feb. 13, 2025 — Porter Capital, a trusted leader in specialty financing solutions, has provided a $15 million credit facility for a newly established entity in the transportation and freight services industry, headquartered in Georgia. The client, with nearly a century of operational history and a strong presence in the Midwest, required innovative financing to support its transition after forming a new LLC to acquire a division of a publicly traded Fortune 500 company.

The transaction underscores Porter Capital’s ability to deliver tailored financing solutions quickly, even in complex situations. The client, operating under a newly established LLC with no historical financials, turned to Porter Capital after being referred by a broker who recognized Porter’s expertise in addressing unconventional financing needs.

“This deal was unique in that it involved an entity with no historical financials or field exam to review, basically a startup,” said Andy Dillard, Senior Vice President and Business Development Officer at Porter Capital. “We competed with several other lenders, but our ability to make quick decisions and provide a tailored solution on a tight timeline set us apart. It’s a testament to our commitment to serving the unique needs of businesses in the transportation sector.”

Porter Capital worked closely with the client to structure the $15 million facility, enabling the newly formed company to effectively manage operations and pursue its growth strategy. “This transaction highlights our flexibility and speed in addressing complex financing challenges,” said Marc Porter, CEO of Porter Capital. “Our ability to move quickly and originate a large credit facility for a startup with no historical financials demonstrates why Porter Capital continues to be a trusted partner for businesses nationwide. We’re proud to play a role in helping this company achieve its operational goals and maintain its legacy in the transportation industry.”

The client’s acquisition of a division from a publicly traded company required immediate funding to maintain operational continuity. Porter Capital’s expertise in acquisition financing and corporate transitions made them the ideal partner. By providing the necessary funding in record time, Porter Capital ensured seamless operations and enabled the client to capitalize on new opportunities.

About Porter Capital

Porter Capital Corporation was founded in 1991 by brothers Marc and Donald Porter in Birmingham, AL. The company provides working capital solutions to businesses nationwide across various industries. As a direct lender and factoring company, Porter Capital has funded billions since its inception. It offers Invoice Factoring and Asset-Based Credit Lines of up to $25 million. Over the years, Porter Capital has expanded its services to include a specialized transportation division known as Porter Freight Funding. The Porter businesses continue to grow by delivering working capital solutions with a focus on personalized, dedicated customer service, while maintaining speed and efficiency. To learn more about Porter Capital Corporation and how it can support your business, call 1-888-865-7678, email [email protected], or visit www.portercap.com.

CONTACT: Michelle Milhoan, [email protected]

SOURCE Porter Capital

NIJMEGEN, Netherlands, Feb. 13, 2025 — Torrey Pines Investment, a specialty life-science investment company based in San Diego, CA, and Oost NL, a regional development agency supporting innovation-driven companies, announced the pre-seed funding and launch of Mair Therapeutics. Headquartered in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Mair Therapeutics is a biotechnology startup focused on developing transformative treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.

Mair Therapeutics brings together a team of entrepreneurs, researchers, and specialist investors to accelerate progress in therapies for Parkinson’s disease. The company’s platform is built on years of industrial experience in ion channel modulation. The company is dedicated to discovering compounds that regulate the lysosomal ion channel TMEM175, which controls lysosomal pH to maintain optimal conditions for degrading protein aggregates – hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease is prevalent worldwide and continues to grow, partly due to an aging population but also because of the use of certain pesticides in food production. In 2024, the number of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s is estimated to exceed 11 million, including approximately 63,500 in the Netherlands. Currently, there is no available treatment that cures the disease.

Mair Therapeutics wants to change that by focusing on the rapid identification and development of potential therapeutics using cutting-edge computational modeling and discovery technologies. This approach will be supported by the drug development expertise of Expert Systems accelerator, which incubated and developed the program ab initio.

“Parkinson’s disease represents one of the greatest unmet medical challenges of our time,” said Dr. Tudor Oprea, CEO of Expert Systems. “Combining artificial intelligence with human expertise could help identify disease-modifying therapies for Parkinson’s. We are excited to see Mair Therapeutics committed to advancing groundbreaking technologies to address this pressing medical need.”

Headquarters in Nijmegen

The company is establishing itself in Nijmegen, partly due to the presence of a strong knowledge cluster in the field of Parkinson’s disease. Radboudumc hosts a Parkinson expertise center led by Prof. Dr. Bas Bloem. Additionally, Mair will collaborate with the lab of Dr. Marijn Kuijpers, the Kuijpers Lab (http://www.kuijperslab.com/), which is part of the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior at Radboud University.

Björn Schaap, Investment Manager Health at Oost NL: “The combination of expertise and entrepreneurship, leveraging the latest techniques in R&D, with a focus on a very exciting target for the initial program makes a strong case for creating an impact in the field of Parkinson’s.”

About Torrey Pines Investment

Torrey Pines Investment, based in San Diego, CA, has focused on early to development-stage breakthrough medicines since 2002. Its therapeutic interests include oncology, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and more.

About Oost NL

Oost NL (East Netherlands Development Agency) is an agency that focuses its activities and projects on strengthening and stimulating the economy of the provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel, the Netherlands.

About Expert Systems

Expert Systems, an advanced accelerator platform, is equipped with a comprehensive, hybrid AI-based system that covers the entire spectrum of preclinical drug discovery and early development phases. Expert Systems has been pivotal in establishing Seed and Series A companies, organizing and managing over 30 research and development programs across various financial investors and strategic partners in North America, Europe, and Australia. To learn more visit www.expertsystems.inc.

Media Contact:
Vasily Kazey
CEO
[email protected]

SOURCE Mair Therapeutics

• Oversubscribed Series A Funding Round Was Co-Led By Quona Capital and PayPal Ventures with Participation from Citi Ventures
• Finmo Will Use Funds to Accelerate Product Development and AI Capabilities and Expand Global Reach

SINGAPORE, Feb. 12, 2025 — Finmo, the pioneering all-in-one Treasury Operating System (TOS), today announced its successful oversubscribed $18.5 Million Series A funding round, bringing its total funding to US$27 million. This investment underscores the growing demand for an innovative approach to modern treasury management. With the new funding, Finmo plans to accelerate its product development, invest in AI capabilities, and expand its global reach. The company aims to continue delivering cutting-edge solutions that not only improve operational efficiency but also empower organizations to make informed financial decisions by better harnessing the power of its treasury operating system.

The funding round was co-led by prominent investors Quona Capital and PayPal Ventures with participation from Citi Ventures. Known for their investment focus on cutting-edge fintech companies, these investors’ support is a strong validation of Finmo’s value proposition. Finmo offers a unified platform that addresses the complexities of modern treasury operations.

The Finmo TOS is uniquely designed to address the need for effective treasury management in a global context. It streamlines payment processes, enhances cash flow visibility, manages FX risks, ensures compliance, automates manual tasks, and optimizes financial decision-making, including excess liquidity management. With features such as real-time payment capabilities, modular design for scalability, and a strong emphasis on regulatory compliance, Finmo empowers organizations to optimize their cash management, enhance liquidity, and mitigate financial risks—all within a single platform.

Today’s organizations are global players that demand integrated solutions to streamline their treasury functions. Finmo was developed with a first-hand understanding of what treasurers and CFOs need, ensuring that the platform addresses real-world challenges faced by finance professionals today.

“We are thrilled to have the support of esteemed investors such as PayPal Ventures, Quona, and Citi Ventures,” said David Hanna, CEO and Co-Founder of Finmo. “This funding validates our vision of transforming how global businesses manage their treasury function and enables us to scale our platform, enhance our technology further, and expand into new markets. Underpinning all these developments will be our continued commitment to focus on our customers’ evolving needs to enhance operational efficiency, risk mitigation, and strategic financial decision-making.”

Ashish Aggarwal, Partner at PayPal Ventures, said, “Finmo is redefining treasury operations. Their innovative approach addresses critical pain points faced by businesses in today’s dynamic financial landscape. We are proud to support their journey as they continue to deliver transformative solutions that empower organizations globally.”

“Finmo’s innovative Treasury Operating System addresses critical pain points for businesses operating in multiple geographies, empowering them with seamless cash and FX management capabilities,” said Ganesh Rengaswamy, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Quona, which co-led the Series A. “With their exceptional founding team and strong financial discipline, we believe Finmo is well-positioned to redefine how businesses manage payments, liquidity and risk, and we are excited to support their vision to revolutionize treasury management and cross-border payments for businesses across APAC and beyond.”

About Finmo

Finmo is a global treasury operating system that empowers businesses to manage cross-border payments, optimize liquidity, and navigate financial complexities with ease. Founded in 2021, Finmo is committed to simplifying treasury operations for businesses of all sizes.

For more information about Finmo and its mission to redefine global treasury operations, visit www.finmo.net.

SOURCE Finmo

SpotDraft’s Series B funding round, spearheaded by Vertex Ventures and Trident Partners, will accelerate the company’s global expansion and drive the advancement of its AI-powered product innovation.

NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2025 — SpotDraft, the CLM platform that helps in-house legal teams manage their contract ecosystems, has raised $54 million in Series B funding. Vertex Growth Singapore and Trident Partners were the lead investors, the existing investors (Xeed VC, Arkam Ventures, Prosus Ventures, and Premji Invest) have also participated in this round.

SpotDraft is an AI-driven contract lifecycle management (CLM) platform built for in-house legal teams. The tool manages all aspects of contracting, including AI-assisted redlining, e-signatures, intelligent contract repository, third-party papers, clickwrap agreements and more.

“We believe 2025 will be an inflection point for team SpotDraft,” said Shashank Bijapur, CEO of SpotDraft. “Apart from market expansion and talent growth, we’re strongly committed to deepening the use of AI in the product to help legal teams unlock efficiencies and drive innovation.”

SpotDraft’s CLM platform has made a huge impact on our legal team’s time, workflows, and efficiencies, said Jonathan Franz, Head of Legal, Crunchbase. “It is easy to implement and gives us the confidence we need to manage reviews, automate high-volume contracts, close deals faster and navigate diligence.”

Over and above its end-to-end CLM offering, the team is sharpening its focus on product enhancements and AI functionality. SpotDraft has launched products like VerifAI and ClickThrough which are consolidating SpotDraft’s positioning as the preferred CLM partner for mid-market companies. With over 250 employees across its offices in Bengaluru and New York, SpotDraft is looking to further acquire key leadership talent in alignment with its growth strategy.

Shashank Bijapur, an alumnus of Harvard Law School and Madhav Bhagat, alumnus of Carnegie Mellon co-founded the company in 2017. Prior to this, Shashank practiced law in New York and Madhav was with Google. Augmenting the leadership team, Rohith Salim, Madhav’s batchmate at Carnegie Mellon joined as Chief Product Officer (CPO), and most recently, Akshay Verma, legal industry veteran, ex-Meta and Coinbase came onboard as Chief Operating Officer (COO). 

SpotDraft raised $26M in its Series A round of funding in March 2023. In the last two years, the company has seen explosive growth in its revenue and customer base.

“We see potential in SpotDraft being the first in class CLM solution globally,” said James Lee, Managing Partner, Vertex Growth. “SpotDraft’s product vision and go-to-market strategy is anchored on a deep understanding of enterprise legal teams’ painpoints and the unwavering commitment to delivering a world-class solution in enabling faster and more accurate contract processes. We’re excited to join and support SpotDraft as they continue to leverage AI to transform the legal tech landscape.“

To learn more about SpotDraft, visit www.SpotDraft.com.

About SpotDraft

SpotDraft is headquartered in Bengaluru, India with an office in New York, USA. Over 400 organizations and cross-functional teams across the world use SpotDraft to optimize time-consuming processes, refocus on strategic outcomes and maximize their impact through a contract lifecycle.

SpotDraft was featured in the Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list in 2024 and Forbes Asia’s 100 To Watch for in 2024. The SpotDraft mission is supported by prominent investors, including including Xeed Ventures (formerly 021 Capital), Xeed VC, Arkam Ventures, Prosus Ventures, Premji Invest, Riverwalk Capital and esteemed angel investors like Girish Mathrubootham and Satyen Kothari.

Media Contact
Annapoorna Ramanath
PR and Communications
[email protected]

SOURCE SpotDraft

A collaborative, team-based approach to providing unique cancer-specific behavioral health and care navigation to people undergoing cancer treatment.

WEST HARTFORD, Conn., Feb. 12, 2025 — Following a strong launch in 2024 with three large oncology practices, Cerula Care, a new oncology behavioral health and care navigation company, announced an oversubscribed Seed funding round of $3.7 million. The round was led by Esplanade Ventures, with participation from Amplify Capital, BrightEdge (the innovation and impact investment arm of the American Cancer Society), DigiTx Partners, SpringTime Ventures, and Mike Pykosz (former CEO and co-founder of Oak Street Health). The new funding will be used to expand services to more practices and invest further in patient-facing technology.

“At Esplanade Ventures, we invest in and empower founders that are solving meaningful gaps in healthcare and have a proven ability to execute.  Having supported family members in their cancer journey, Cerula Care’s vision and mission resonated with us instantly, and we are incredibly proud to partner with Supriya and Kyle. As a platform purpose-built for cancer patients, Cerula Care and its co-founders are uniquely positioned to become leaders in the cancer behavioral health space and transform the challenging journey for millions of patients,” says Ella Seitz, Esplanade Ventures Managing Partner and Cerula Care board member.

Twenty-two million people in the US have cancer and over 85% suffer from unique unmet behavioral health needs, causing unsatisfactory cancer outcomes, excess utilization, and lower survival rates.  Cerula Care seamlessly integrates with oncology groups to provide personalized, virtual-first, behavioral health and care navigation solutions – including counseling, health coaching, and psycho-oncology – to improve health outcomes for people living with cancer.

“BrightEdge is committed to investing in companies that have the potential to drive impact for cancer patients and help fulfill the American Cancer Society’s vision of ending cancer as we know it, for everyone,” said Stephen Curtis, Senior Director of New Ventures at BrightEdge. “We know that most people diagnosed with cancer experience symptoms of anxiety or depression, and that feelings of loneliness are linked to poorer outcomes. We are excited to support Cerula Care as they work collaboratively with providers to bring critical behavioral health resources, which have been shown to improve quality of life, to cancer patients.”

The company’s innovative care model involves the whole Cerula Care team working in concert with the oncology team to ensure that every patient has comprehensive coverage across cancer, behavioral health, and care navigation.

“When someone is going through one of the scariest moments of their life – being told they have cancer – they get an oncologist focused on eradicating the cancer.  However, the whole journey truly changes someone’s outlook on life, and no one is currently focused on improving the patient’s mental health.  Cerula Care exists to help everyone going through the cancer journey have a better quality of life and ensures one coordinated team with their oncologist,” says Supriya Laknidhi, Cerula Care co-founder and CEO.

With this collaborative, team-based approach, Cerula Care has already shown outstanding clinical outcomes.  Patients have seen a statistically significant improvement in somatic symptoms, quality of life, anxiety, and depression within three months in care – all leading to greater adherence to their cancer care plan and a decrease in unwanted hospitalizations.  Additionally, oncologists have found tremendous value in having an extension of their team focused on their patient’s behavioral health and care navigation needs.

“Cerula Care is making my job a lot easier because it goes back to that team aspect, where we have many people specialized in whatever the patient needs, whether it’s cancer and taking care of the physical symptoms or emotional or mental symptoms that come with a diagnosis like that. That’s where Cerula Care becomes an invaluable part of our team.” says Timothy Finnegan, M.D., oncologist at Cone Health.

The Seed round follows a strong Pre-Seed round with Flare Capital Partners, Healthworx Accelerator, and One Mind as participating investors.

About Cerula Care

Cerula Care is the first cancer-focused collaborative behavioral health and care navigation company that seamlessly integrates with oncology practices and is focused on improving quality of life and health outcomes for people living with cancer. For more information, visit cerulacare.com.

SOURCE Cerula Care

NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2025 — Equals 5, the leading AdTech platform revolutionizing pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing is excited to announce a strategic growth equity investment from Baleon Capital. This investment marks a significant milestone in Equals 5’s mission to provide unparalleled, precisely targeted, and attributable HCP marketing solutions for the pharmaceutical industry.

With this partnership, Equals 5 will further enhance its innovative platform, which empowers pharmaceutical companies and agencies to seamlessly build audiences, execute campaigns, and precisely engage HCPs across 20+ channels in one place. Unlike traditional marketing approaches, Equals 5 leverages 100% NPI-level targeting and reporting to deliver unmatched performance transparency and campaign attribution.

“Our platform is transforming pharmaceutical marketing by delivering precisely targeted HCP campaigns across social media channels and beyond, with clear, attributable performance insights at the NPI level,” said Roman Makukh, Co-Founder and CEO at Equals 5. “With Baleon Capital’s investment, we will accelerate platform advancements, introduce AI-powered solutions, expand HCP reach across more channels with superior PLD, and much more – all aimed at scaling to meet the surging demand from our clients. We’re excited about what’s happening now and even more about the opportunities ahead.”

Baleon Capital specializes in supporting high-growth healthcare and B2B technology companies, providing both financial backing and strategic guidance. Their investment underscores the unique value and market differentiation of Equals 5’s AdTech solutions in an industry where precise, data-driven engagement with HCPs is essential.

As social media and non-endemic digital channels become increasingly crucial for HCP marketing and engagement, Equals 5’s ability to bridge the gap with proprietary targeting capabilities and NPI-level insights positions it as the go-to platform for pharmaceutical marketers looking to power their HCP campaigns and maximize ROI.

For more information about Equals 5 capabilities, visit www.equals5.com.

About Equals 5
Equals 5 is a pioneering provider of marketing and media buying solutions for the Pharma and Life Sciences industries. The Equals 5 All-in-One Healthcare Marketing Platform enables to easily set up and launch HCP marketing campaigns on 20+ channels in one place while using a unique 100% NPI-level targeting technology to precisely reach the HCPs on your target lists and gather NPI-level reporting data on all engagements.

About Baleon Capital
Baleon Capital specializes in investing in early-growth stage healthcare and B2B technology companies, providing both capital and operational support to accelerate success. Focusing on businesses with strong revenue growth and innovative market positioning, Baleon Capital partners with founders to scale their companies from initial investment through exit.

Follow us on LinkedIn: Equals 5 | Baleon Capital

For press inquiries, please contact:
Julia Tsymbaliuk
Marketing Director
Equals 5
[email protected]

SOURCE Equals 5