Health tech | WRAL TechWire

Health tech

Cary-based natural health, wellness startup Vital Plan raises $125,000

The father-and-daughter founded Vital Plan, a startup focusing on the global nutraceutical market that is forecast to top $100 billion this year, has raised $125,000 in new financing. The funding from two investors was disclosed in a securities filing. Vital Plan raised $800,000 last year and was among the presenters at the CED TechVenture Conference. North Carolina investor John Replogle was among the backers along with Burt’s Bees General Manager Jim Geikie in the 2016 funding. The identity of the latest investors was not disclosed. The company said the 2016 investment would go toward product development, new hires, strategic...

Read More

Former FDA chief takes on new roles at Duke, Duke Health, Google’s Verily Life Sciences

Robert M. Califf, M.D., who in January stepped down as Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has been named to new leadership roles at Duke Health, Duke University and Verily Life Sciences. Effective immediately, Califf becomes vice chancellor for Health Data Science at Duke Health and director of a newly created cross-campus center focused on integrated health data science. On June 1, he will also join the senior management team for Verily Life Sciences, an Alphabet [Google] company. His time will be evenly split between his Duke and Verily responsibilities. “Dr. Califf is one of the most...

Read More

Telehealth: Delivering on Long-Promised Solutions to the Healthcare System’s Inherent Pain-Points

This is the first in a series exploring the telehealth sector and the Triangle-based companies behind its rise as a complement to traditional healthcare delivery.  Before my son reached his second birthday, we visited his pediatrician’s office at least 40 times. Some of those visits were scheduled, monthly or bi-monthly check-ups. But most were unscheduled—ear infections, common colds, and more ear infections left me scrambling to get to the doctor’s walk-in hours at least once a month. The inconvenience of visiting the pediatrician is always worth it—if it turns out my son actually is sick. When he’s not? Well,...

Read More

EyeScribes CEO on Raising a Strategic $100K

Digital health entrepreneur Jared Pelo knew he couldn’t launch a cutting-edge virtual record-keeping service in the small town of Lynchburg, Virginia. So he took a chance earlier this year, moved into the La Quinta Inn in Durham and entered Groundwork Labs. While learning how to build his company (he’s an emergency room doctor) and developing the product aimed at eliminating paperwork and allowing doctors more time with patients, he also made valuable connections in the local medical community. One particular connection led to the company’s first $100,000 from Triangle Orthopaedics and implementation by doctors in its offices throughout the region.  Pelo announced the investment at...

Read More