Stethoscope startup that uses AI to detect heart failure gets $41 million in funding
Stethoscope startup that uses AI to detect heart failure gets $41 million in funding Bruce Gil
The centuries-old tech behind the stethoscope is getting an AI-upgrade — and investors are intrigued.
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Eko Health, the maker of digital stethoscopes, announced Wednesday that it has raised $41 million in series D financing.
The Bay Area-based startup said the new funding builds on recent clinical milestones of the company’s stethoscopes, which use AI to help healthcare professionals detect heart failure and lung diseases during routine check ups. The company develops its algorithms for detecting heart and lung conditions through its large collection of chest sounds and electrocardiogram data.
“Eko has spent the past decade building an unparalleled dataset of digital heart and lung sounds, which it leverages to develop clinical AI for the physical world,” said the company’s chair Vas Bailey in a press release. “I am deeply inspired by the team’s dedication to saving lives by equipping hundreds of thousands — and soon millions — of clinicians worldwide with our groundbreaking early detection platform.”
In 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Eko’s algorithm for detecting low ejection fraction, a key heart failure indicator that occurs when the heart’s left ventricle doesn’t pump out enough blood. Previously, the FDA also approved the company’s algorithm for identifying heart murmurs.
A 2023 study from the Massachusetts General Hospital found that Eko’s murmur algorithm more than doubled the rate of murmur detection compared with using traditional methods at primary care office.
Heart and lung diseases are among the leading causes of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Eko said it will use the new round of funding to deepen its presence in the United States and expand to key international markets like Singapore and South Korea.
Since launching in 2023, the startup has raised a total of $165 million from ARTIS Ventures, Highland Capital Partners, NTTVC, Questa Capital, the Mayo Clinic and other investors. Its digital stethoscopes have been used by over 500,000 healthcare professionals around the world.