How one founder is building a new kind of mental health startup

Hello,

Welcome to Insider Healthcare. I'm Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer, and today in healthcare news:

• How Real founder Ariela Safira drew from past experiences to build the mental health startup;
• See the presentation microbiome startup Seed Health used to raise $40 million;
• 2 healthcare startups have a plan to simplify the digital health boom.

If you're new to this newsletter, sign up here. Comments, tips? Email me at [email protected] or tweet @lydiaramsey125. Let's get to it…

A Cityblock alum raised $10 million for her app taking a preventive, group therapy approach to mental health

• Real, a consumer mental health startup "building for preventive care," raised $10 million in April.
• Its founder, a Cityblock alum and Columbia clinical psychology dropout, said Real has no plans to work with insurers.
• Current mental health provider training is outdated, she says, with no capacity to offer "focused" care.

Here's a look at what Real's up to>>

Seed Health wants to use bacteria to stop premature births and curb plastic waste. We got a peek at the slides it used to raise $40 million.

• Microbiome startup Seed Health has raised $40 million from Founders Fund, 8VC and others.
• The Series A round values the company at around $200 million, according to a company executive.
• The biotech is developing products that use good bacteria to address health issues and the environment.

See the presentation>>

A cost-saving healthcare startup is tapping Hinge to simplify the digital health boom for big companies

• Carrum and Hinge Health are teaming up to simplify benefits for big companies.
• Carrum's CEO said that large employers have too many options and are looking to bundle offerings.
• Hinge customers can access Carrum's surgery cost-bundling service at no extra cost, and vice versa.

Get the scoop>>

More stories we're reading:

• Watch: Insider answers your questions about the risk of rare but serious blood clots following some COVID-19 vaccines (Insider)
• The family that owns OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma are worth $11 billion (The Wall Street Journal)
• The FDA cited the vaccine plant that ruined millions of Johnson & Johnson doses for unsanitary conditions, finding 'brown residue' on the walls and peeling paint (Insider)
• The US is set to run out of adults who are excited to get vaccines in the next 2-4 weeks (Axios)

- Lydia