Sibel Health, a healthtech company, has secured a significant grant of $17.5 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This grant is set to propel the development and deployment of Sibel Health’s FDA-cleared wireless monitoring solution, ANNE One, in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs), aiming to tackle obstetrical morbidity and mortality head-on.
Sibel Health’s ANNE One platform harnesses the power of advanced wearable sensors and AI-enabled analytics. With over 12,000 pregnancies already monitored in LMICs, the company is poised to expand its reach through strategic partnerships with the University of Edinburgh and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Global Surgery Unit.
“Ensuring every pregnant person has their vitals checked is paramount,” stresses Dr. Steve Xu, CEO and Co-Founder of Sibel Health. “With this grant, we aim to integrate AI-driven clinical decision support and point-of-care ultrasound into our monitoring platform, amplifying our impact on maternal health outcomes.”
Founded in 2018, Sibel Health has been steadfast in its commitment to maternal health innovation, earning recognition from esteemed organizations such as the Health Resources and Services Administration and the National Institutes of Health. However, despite advancements in healthcare, global progress in reducing obstetrical mortality has stagnated since 2016, posing a significant challenge to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The collaboration between Sibel Health, the University of Edinburgh, and the NIHR Global Surgery Unit holds promise for developing and implementing advanced maternal monitoring solutions in key regions such as India, Pakistan, and Nigeria. Professor Ewen Harrison, co-lead of the NIHR Global Surgery Unit, emphasizes the urgency of this effort, stating, “This presents a unique opportunity to deliver life-saving solutions.”
The grant from the Gates Foundation builds upon existing initiatives aimed at improving maternal health in LMICs, including investments in point-of-care ultrasound technology. By engaging leading experts from partner countries as equal partners, Sibel Health aims to address the critical need for vital signs monitoring in maternal healthcare.
