Northwell Holdings and Aegis Ventures are teaming up to launch Upliv, a women’s virtual care start-up that aims to raise the bar for clinical menopause support. Upliv will partner with employers to offer virtual telemedicine services and whole-person care to employees experiencing perimenopause and menopause symptoms. Initially, Upliv will offer services to select nurses through a pilot program at Northwell Health, followed by an expected enterprise-wide rollout in the first quarter of 2023. Upliv will be offered as an employee benefit at zero cost to employees.
Upliv is the joint creation of Aegis Ventures and Northwell Holdings, the for-profit investment arm of Northwell Health. In April 2022, Aegis Ventures announced the intention to invest at least $100 million in seed-stage funds towards the development of joint ventures with Northwell Health. The projected seed funding for Upliv through the end of 2023 is $8.4 million. Allison Schoeneck is Upliv’s Chief Executive Officer.
“Many women going through menopause are not getting the care they deserve. The symptoms of perimenopause and menopause can range from moderate to debilitating,” said Schoeneck. “Too often, those symptoms are dismissed. Menopause can disrupt our daily lives and has serious implications for our health. Through Upliv, we are providing evidence-based treatments and whole-person support to help women manage their health.”
“Today there are safe, effective, and science-backed medications and non-pharmacologic treatments to manage the symptoms of menopause. However, many women still struggle to access this care,” said Dr. Stacey E. Rosen, Senior Vice President of the Katz Institute for Women’s Health at Northwell Health. “By leveraging virtual care solutions, we can create access to specialized medical professionals, so women can receive the necessary support to explore treatment options.”
Upliv wants to equip and empower women with clinical tools and guidance to make informed decisions about their health. Upliv’s offerings will include video consults with multidisciplinary menopause experts and coaches, prescription and treatment paths, online resources, and patient-to-patient communities. The aim of the company is to provide care to address the specific needs of women in mid-life, and to empower women to lead healthier, more joyful lives.
Upliv is the first offering in a portfolio of virtual care companies that Northwell Health and Aegis Ventures are developing to address gaps in care and promote equity in women’s health, which are expected to launch over the course of 2023.
