Testmate Health, a startup focused on sexual health diagnostics, has successfully raised $6 million in seed funding to revolutionize STI testing. The funding round, led by RH Capital with participation from The Helm, Amboy Street Ventures, Liechtsteiner Foundation, Zürcher Kantonal Bank and Dartlabs.io, marks a significant milestone for Testmate’s mission to improve access to essential diagnostics while ensuring accuracy and privacy.
Unlike traditional at-home STI tests that require mailing samples to a lab and waiting days for results, Testmate’s innovative urine-based test promises reliable results in under 30 minutes, right from the comfort of home. With an estimated 85% of STIs being asymptomatic, Testmate’s rapid testing solution addresses the challenge of undiagnosed infections, which can lead to severe health complications if left untreated.
Siew-Veena Sahi, Founder of Testmate Health, and the remaining leadership team have combined experience in clinical development, regulatory strategy, and commercialization of at-home diagnostics tests. This seed round will enable Testmate to speed up product development, testing, and market validation.
Sahi shares: “Our goal is making a positive impact on global public health by helping end the silent epidemic of sexually transmitted infections for chlamydia and gonorrhea. Through Testmate’s low-cost urine-based DNA platform detection technology, we’re empowering individuals to take control of their sexual health with accessible, accurate, and convenient testing solutions, from home.”