Kinsa: Monitoring Outbreaks in Real Time
Revolutionizing disease detection and tracking.
VENTURE VERSUS THE VIRUS
In times like this, we all need to hear — and share — constructive news about work being done to tackle problems caused by COVID-19. Here’s what some AVG portfolio companies are contributing.
Today’s Portfolio Company: Kinsa
About a month ago, we initially reported on smart thermometer company Kinsa. Today, we’re pleased to bring you an update on this portfolio company that’s tackling a critical challenge in COVID-19 crisis: detection and tracking the disease. Their success in being a fast, accurate detection tool of coronavirus has brought them to the attention of outlets such as the New York Times and MSNBC.
How It Works
Kinsa’s mission is to stop the spread of contagious illness through early detection and response — presently through its smart thermometer. They are focused on three things:
- Help patients access appropriate care early, as soon as they fall ill. Kinsa’s network helps people get healthy by offering guidance as soon as illness strikes.
- Help communities respond to curb the spread of illness in schools and beyond. Their school-based illness prevention program, FLUency, helped produce a 21% decrease in ER visits based on claims data.
- Track and predict the spread of infectious illness across the U.S. in real time. Kinsa can detect outbreaks at least three weeks ahead of the CDC (NYT).
AVG was fortunate to have Kinsa Founder and CEO Inder Singh host a webinar to explain what his company is doing to respond to COVID-19, as well as retrace Kinsa’s entrepreneurial journey.
See video policy below.
Join Kinsa’s Efforts
Recently, Kinsa launched two programs to improve our country’s ability to detect outbreaks and stop the spread of COVID-19. They’re inviting you to become involved.
- They’ve made their U.S. Health Weather Map free to the public. You can see the level of local illness here and add your own data to build out the map. Just use your Kinsa thermometer or their free Kinsa app.
- Kinsa is donating a thermometer to a family in need for every thermometer purchased on their website. You can purchase here, and Kinsa will donate an additional thermometer through their FLUency school health program next fall.
How Are We Involved?
Alumni Ventures Group’s fund for the MIT community, Castor Ventures, led AVG’s investment in Kinsa’s Series B round. We’re grateful to be a witness and small contributor to the continuing good work of Heal and others who are supporting front-line efforts in the fight against COVID-19.
New: Post-COVID Fund
AVG’s new Post-COVID Fund will invest in ventures that are both promising businesses and either directly or indirectly address the multiple impacts of the virus in healthcare, technology, services, data monitoring and analysis, learning, payments, communications, entertainment, and more.
Contact [email protected] for additional information. To see additional risk factors and investment considerations, visit av-funds.com/disclosures.