Teal Health has secured $10 million in additional seed funding to support the launch of the Teal Wand, which is set to become the first FDA-approved at-home cervical cancer screening device in the US market. The round was led by Emerson Collective and Forerunner, with participation from existing investors Serena Ventures, Metrodora, and new partner Labcorp, bringing total funding to $23 million.
The funding follows the company’s recent achievements, including a $1.68 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Cancer Institute and FDA Breakthrough Device Designation. The device is currently under FDA review.
“This investment allows us to bring Teal Health’s vision to life, getting our transformational screening solution into the hands of women. We’re here to create a new path forward, enabling women to take control of their health with confidence and ease. We’re deeply grateful to our investors, who are as committed as we are to eliminating cervical cancer and breaking down barriers to essential healthcare,” said Kara Egan, CEO of Teal Health.
The company aims to address a significant gap in healthcare access: while 92 million U.S. women and people with a cervix are of screening age, 1 in 4 are not screening routinely due to limited access and discomfort with the invasive exam. In a recent nationwide clinical study conducted by Teal Health, 94% of women across all demographics preferred at-home screening over traditional in-clinic screenings with a speculum and brush.
“There is no shortage of reasons for wanting to improve on the traditional healthcare system, but one unequivocal truth is that many healthcare experiences are not built with the end consumer as the primary customer. This feels especially true for women’s health, despite women accounting for ~80% of healthcare spending,” said Nicole Johnson, a partner at Forerunner. “Teal Health represents a unique opportunity to recreate the experience for one of women’s most routine and critical health screenings, making cervical cancer screens remarkably more comfortable and convenient. Teal’s debut product is a prime example of how a dramatically better experience could mean dramatically better adherence, quality of care, and outcomes.”
For January’s Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, Teal Health is donating $1 to the American Cancer Society for every woman and person with a cervix who pledges to screen.
