Oula Health
Overview
Oula Health is a modern maternity care startup that integrates obstetrics with midwifery to enhance pregnancy and childbirth experiences. Founded in 2019 by Adrianne Nickerson and Elaine Purcell, the company is based in Brooklyn, New York. Oula Health has secured a total of $50.3 million in funding, with its latest Series B round raising $28 million in February 2024. Oula differentiates itself by providing a hybrid model of in-person and virtual care using technology to deliver personalized maternity care.
Recent Developments
- February 2024: Oula Health raised $28 million in a Series B funding round, intending to expand its service offerings and increase its reach beyond New York City. This round was co-led by Revolution Ventures and Maverick Ventures, with notable participation from GV (formerly Google Ventures) and several existing investors such as Female Founders Fund and Great Oaks. The company plans to utilize these funds to establish more clinics and enhance its service offerings to provide comprehensive maternity care and preconception coaching and miscarriage support.
- 2023: Oula Health outperformed city benchmarks with a 26% better C-section rate, a 61% lower preterm birth rate, and a 50% improvement in rates of low birth weight within its operating clinics in New York. Oula planned to extend its collaborative care model utilizing its successful pilot programs.
- 2022: Oula Health announced partnerships and explored opportunities to further integrate technological solutions into obstetric care, planning to address discrepancies prevalent in the standard maternity care system across the U.S.
Company Information
| Attribute | Information |
|---|---|
| Founding Date | 2019 |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn, New York, USA |
| Founders | Adrianne Nickerson, Elaine Purcell |
| Revenue | Not publicly disclosed |
| Profits | Not publicly disclosed |
| Key Investors | Revolution Ventures, Maverick Ventures, GV, Female Founders Fund, 8VC |
| Industry | Healthcare, Maternity Care |
| Number of Employees | 256 |
Early History
Oula Health was launched in 2019 with its first clinic in Brooklyn, New York. The founding idea was to bridge the gap between medicalized and non-medicalized maternity care by combining traditional obstetrics with midwifery. By 2020, Oula had raised $3.2 million in seed funding led by Collaborative Fund, with participation from Female Founders Fund and influencers like Chelsea Clinton’s fund Metrodora. By focusing on personalized patient care and outcomes, the company quickly established a loyal client base, demonstrating its collaborative care model's efficacy by significantly reducing rates of C-sections and preterm births.
Company Profile and Achievements
Oula Health’s business model emphasizes a hybrid approach, integrating in-clinic and virtual care to provide patient-centered services catering to expectant mothers' diverse preferences. The company prides itself on a holistic model that combines the best aspects of obstetrics and midwifery, using technology to enhance its service delivery framework. Major achievements include establishing the first tech-enabled maternity clinic and significantly improving maternal health outcomes compared to New York City benchmarks.
- Milestone 1: Raised $19 million in Series A funding in January 2023, which was critical for scaling operations across New York.
- Milestone 2: Opened a third clinical location in partnership with Mount Sinai West scheduled for 2024.
- Milestone 3: Innovated national coverage plans to fill systemic gaps in prenatal and postpartum care, focusing on underserved communities and Medicaid-based patients.
Current Operations and Market Position
Oula Health currently operates several clinics in New York City, employing a patient base diversifying in ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. By matching significant market needs for less medicalized, comprehensive maternity care, Oula is expanding its operational reach. It holds a strategic advantage in integrating traditional care with telehealth, a feature enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic but sustained as part of its long-term model. Oula positions itself against competitors like Maven Clinic by emphasizing personalized maternity care supported by technology.
Conclusion
Oula Health revolutionizes maternity care by blending traditional obstetrics and midwifery with modern healthcare technology. The company has made significant strides in addressing critical gaps within standard maternity practices, outperforming benchmarks and building sustainable care models. As they continue to expand geographically and enhance their services, Oula Health is well-positioned to redefine maternity care standards across the U.S., emphasizing improved outcomes and inclusivity as key differentiators.