Montreal-based women’s digital health startup Coral has secured CAD $4.1 million in seed funding to launch its virtual menopause care platform. The round was led by Brightspark, with participation from Diagram and The51, along with several angel investors.
Founded by Anna Chif (Chairwoman), Fiona Lake Waslander (CEO), and John McCalla (CTO), Coral aims to address the health decline women experience in mid-life due to inadequate menopause care. Chif brings significant expertise from co-founding Dialogue, Canada’s largest telemedicine provider, which went public in 2021 and was acquired by Sunlife Financial in 2023.
“Women navigating menopause should live their best years. Yet, far too many of us unnecessarily struggle with health issues,” said Anna Chif, Co-Founder and Chairwoman of Coral. “We offer effective solutions for women to achieve optimal health by leveraging the latest validated research and best practices.”
The platform’s launch comes at a critical time, with 95% of women experiencing menopause symptoms, some for over 10 years. Statistics show that one in 10 women leave their jobs due to unmanaged menopause symptoms.
“Coral aims to solve the health impact of menopause symptoms by empowering women with accessible, personalized care. It integrates a medical-first approach with lifestyle behaviour change support, all delivered through leading edge technology,” said Fiona Lake Waslander, Co-founder and CEO of Coral. “Our digitally-powered platform and seamless experience ensures our members feel supported and thrive during their menopause journey and beyond.”
The platform offers comprehensive care including at-home blood testing, body composition scan analysis, health questionnaires, and personalized care plans supported by medical doctors, nurse practitioners, and health coaches.
“We’re proud to back Anna, Fiona, and John—visionary repeat founders with exceptional D2C and digital health expertise,” said Sophie Forest, Partner at Brightspark Ventures. “Women’s digital health has long been underserved, and Coral is set to redefine care, improve millions of lives, and seize a massive opportunity.”
