Seeking to improve long-term health for women everywhere, Vira Health raises £1.5 million

London-based digital health platform Vira Health has raised £1.5 million in seed funding. The startup aims to improve the long-term health of women through personalised menopause care. The seed round will provide for further product development and expansion of the team.

Founded in 2020 by Andrea Berchowitz and Dr. Rebecca Love, Vira Health is taking on an under-recognised issue for women in the workplace. With the transition to senior-level positions often coinciding with menopause, typically around age 51, there’s often a steep dropoff. In the UK alone, menopause accounts for 1 million premature career exits, not to mention the 14 million lost working days.

In addition to arriving at a critical point in the career path of women, if left unmanaged, the symptoms of menopause can cause long-term health problems including heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and dementia.

In order to support and ensure the health of women everywhere, Vira Health’s first product, Stella, is a personalised menopause support app. Based on specific symptoms, the Stella app provides a scientifically rooted, personalised treatment plan that includes articles, recipes, mindfulness meditations, exercise suggestions, and access to virtual events such as yoga classes or a Q&A with a gynaecologist. Additional support is available, with users having access to a trained coach.

“Every woman’s menopausal experience is different. The symptoms she deals with are unique and fluctuate, she has her own preferences around treatments. What most women seem to have in common is that there is never enough time,” comments co-founder Dr. Rebecca Love. “A digital solution that is personalised to her symptoms and brings high-quality specialist advice such as pelvic floor physiotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and nutrition guidance to her on her own device and own time is critical to her finding relief.”

Vira Health's £1.5 million seed funding arrives via LocalGlobe and MMC Ventures, and angel investors including Hearst Ventures' Megumi Ikeda, Andrea Zitna of Elvie, Cherry Ventures Partner Sofia Bendz, GoCardless founder Matt Robinson, and former Moo.com and Treatwell CTO Simon Lambert.