• CARÁ Health, the Estonian HealthTech for expectant and recent mothers, receives EUR 620K in Seed
• The startup combines online and offline assistance and has recently expanded to Germany
• The funding will be used on further app development and strengthening the foothold in Germany

In late May, the well-known Estonian VC fund Tera Ventures (invested in BotGuard, among others) led the EUR 620K Seed round of the Tallinn-based provider of multi-layer maternal healthcare assistance CARÁ Health. The round was shared with Burak Büyükdemir of Startup Istanbul.

Mothers’ Problems to Tackle

According to Lancet’s open-access clinical journal, eClinicalMedicine, every year more than 40 million women experience long-term health issues lasting months or even years after childbirth. Examples of such long-term health issues experienced by women after childbirth include pelvic floor disorders, chronic pain, postpartum depression, and hormonal imbalances. Other issues can include incontinence, diastasis recti (separation of abdominal muscles), and ongoing fatigue and anxiety.

Without tackling these issues adequately, mothers face increased stress and insufficient support, leading to a range of adverse outcomes for mothers and their babies. These include postpartum depression, anxiety, and even more severe mental health issues in mothers. For babies, this can result in developmental delays, attachment issues, and increased susceptibility to illnesses due to the mother’s compromised well-being and ability to care effectively.

CARÁ Health’s CMO Carina Vantsi believes that today’s advances in technology, increased awareness of maternal health issues, and a growing demand for personalized healthcare solutions have only recently made comprehensive maternal healthcare possible. Up until recently, the nature of maternal healthcare had been historically fragmented and traditional healthcare systems were focusing only on clinical outcomes.

An All-Encompassing Maternal Healthcare Solution

In 2022, Ms Vantsi teamed up with Anna Strubel (CEO) and Keiro Vantsi (CPO) to start CARÁ Health – a one-stop shop for health and wellness of pregnant women and recent mothers that provides them with support and guidance throughout their maternity journey, from pregnancy to postpartum.

The name ‘CARÁ’ came up during a brainstorming session. Ms Vantsi recalls that initially the team simply liked how it looked and sounded. Soon enough, they found out that it means ‘dear’ or ‘beloved’ in several languages, which resonated deeply with their understanding of the company’s mission.

Today, according to CARÁ Health, one in every two pregnant women in Estonia are using its app and the startup has supported over 1,000 pregnancies in the country to date. The App was launched just over a year ago, and the team continues to expand awareness daily.

Going Offline

In addition to the app, CARÁ Health also operates in physical locations in Tallinn, Tartu, and – since April – Berlin. These locations offer women’s health services ranging from gynecology to nutritionist counseling, pregnancy yoga, midwife and doula services, and more.

Ms Strubel is German and has a background in the medical system, providing valuable insights into the local healthcare landscape and established connections in Berlin. The city is renowned for its vibrant startup ecosystem and leadership in digital health innovation, offering an ideal environment for introducing advanced maternal healthcare solutions. Also, Germany has one of the highest birth rates in Europe, presenting a significant opportunity to address the healthcare needs of expectant and new mothers.

‘Whole Woman’

‘As a mother myself, I know firsthand some of the situations women find themselves in during the maternity process. They’re very personal, and a lot of these stories don’t get out. Still, a lot can be done during the preparation for the birth, and this is what we’re offering with our ‘whole woman’ approach during the pregnancy period. This can also prepare women for the postpartum period,’ Ms Vantsi.explains.

CARÁ Health’s ‘whole woman’ approach presupposes a holistic view of women’s health, focusing not only on physical well-being but also on emotional, mental, and social health. It involves personalized care plans, continuous support throughout pregnancy and postpartum, and addressing all aspects of a woman’s life to promote overall wellness.

‘We were already impressed by CARÁ Health’s traction in its home market of Estonia, and as a relatively recent parent, I saw a huge opportunity in what they were building, and the feedback we had from their customers and users made the stars align and made the investment decision easy,’ Tera Ventures’ general partner Eamonn Carey comments.

CARÁ Health plans to use the major part of its newly raised Seed funding for developing the app: enhancing user experience, adding new features, and improving functionality. Additionally, the investment will be used to expand further in Germany.