Helping Women take control of their health with Teal Health
Written by: Ilankir Matungulu and Grisel Hernandez
Now that they are finally out of stealth mode, we are excited to announce that Teal Health is part of the Chingona Ventures family! Teal Health is looking to modernize healthcare for women by creating an at-home cervical cancer diagnostics and health platform. We are proud to be an early investor in Teal’s seed round alongside other investors such as Serena Ventures, Felicis Ventures, Metrodora, and the Emerson Collective. Congratulations to Kara Egan and Dr. Avnesh Thakor (MD, PhD) on their progress thus far!
In order to undergo screening for cervical cancer, women need to set an appointment and visit a doctor’s office, where a procedure is performed (also referred to as a pap smear and/or an HPV test) by a clinician using a speculum and stirrups. Cervical cancer is a leading cause of death for women nationwide, and early detection is key for successful treatment. The best way to find cervical cancer early and improve outcomes is through regular screening tests. Unfortunately, however, the rate of overdue cervical cancer screenings is steadily increasing; 1 in 3 women are not up to date on their screening. Despite expanded cervical screening healthcare coverage through Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, an estimated 9.4 million screening tests that normally would have taken place in 2020 didn’t happen. Common barriers to screening include socio-cultural barriers, knowledge barriers, psychological barriers, and socioeconomic barriers.
Teal Health seeks to reduce screening barriers and modernize the oftentimes unpleasant exam experience by creating the first FDA-approved at-home cervical cancer screening kit* that is comfortable, convenient, and covered by insurers and government-funded screening initiatives. The at-home screening kit aims to increase the number of women who get screened for cervical cancer, with a special focus on those who may not have access to regular screenings due to financial barriers, logistical barriers, and those who feel uncomfortable with the current screening process. With Teal Health, users can request a kit to be sent directly to their home, perform the self-collection with access to live after hours text, phone, or video support, and receive next steps following the exam results. According to early internal study data, 89% of women reported that if a Teal collection wand was available, they’d be more likely to get screened on time.
Teal Health is strongly-aligned with Chingona’s FemTech investment thesis by giving women greater control over their bodies and personal health. Teal Health’s deep understanding of their users’ needs, coupled with their modern screening technology and strong founder-market fit made them stand out as a compelling business addressing a large need in women’s health offerings. Kara and the rest of the Teal Health team are acutely aware of the disregard for women’s pain and the lack of investment, awareness, and research dedicated toward women’s health. In fact, the company’s ethos is centered around placing women, their preferences and their experiences at the center of every product they build.
Congratulations, again to Kara, Avnesh and the entire Teal Health team for their accomplishments so far. We’re excited for what’s to come now that you are out of stealth mode!
Teal Health’s self-sampling kit will be available for purchase soon. Sign up on the company’s website to be the first to know when the product is available in your state!
*The Teal Health Cervical Cancer Screening device is an Investigational Device and is not yet approved by the U.S. FDA.
