Zeit Medical, a Redwood City, CA-based startup that makes early warning systems for strokes during sleep, has raised $2 million in seed funding. The funding round was co-led by SeedtoB and Digilife, with participation from Y Combinator, Northsouth Ventures, Gaingels, Axial, Tamar Capital, Citta Capital, as well as angels Greg Badros, Theodore Rekatsinas, and a few others in the healthcare business.
The company said it will use the money to expand operations, build the team, and apply for FDA approval.
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“This funding will enable us to conduct our clinical studies and pursue FDA clearance,” said Orestis Vardoulis, Zeit Medical co-founder and CEO. “We’re excited to partner with SeedtoB Capital given their unique expertise in the clinical AI space and their shared belief in our vision to improve care and quality of life for anybody at risk for stroke.”
“Stroke remains a leading cause of death in the U.S., and millions of at-risk Americans fear experiencing a stroke when asleep or alone. The Zeit Medical team is tackling this issue with an innovative platform that will not only help improve outcomes but also the quality of life. We’re thrilled to partner with them on this journey,” said Ritesh Sharma, managing partner at SeedtoB Capital. Zeit’s wearable device is a soft headband with a lightweight electroencephalogram (EEG) in it. It works with a smartphone app to analyze brain activity and, using a machine learning model trained by human experts, watch for signs of an impending stroke.
Co-managing partner at Digilife Fund, Bobba Venkatadri, adds, “As science identifies ever more risk factors for stroke, breakthrough risk management options utilizing algorithms and AI have become of paramount importance. Zeit is at the forefront of a global effort to minimize preventable disability and suffering.” The device could be available as early as 2023.
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Zeit Medical is an early-stage medical technology company combining the power of wearable sensors and AI to provide immediate at-home stroke detection. More than 90% of strokes in the U.S. go untreated each year, leading to lifelong disabilities and financial burdens for stroke survivors. Zeit Medical was founded by Orestis Vardoulis, a biomedical engineer and digital health expert, and Urs Naber, a critical care physician, after seeing the devastating effects strokes had upon their families. They began addressing this unmet clinical need during their Stanford Biodesign Innovation Fellowship. The company participated in the YCombinator S21 batch.
