London-based healthcare startup Univa, which focuses on developing accessible and effective solutions for the global management and treatment of eating disorders, has secured £1 million in a pre-seed funding round led by YZR Capital and Calm/Storm Ventures. This investment will support Univa's first clinical study with the UK's NHS, set to begin in October, and will help build the technology and clinical teams needed for the platform's launch in early 2025.
- Founded in 2024 by Richard Andrews and Jose Santos, Univa develops accessible and effective solutions to mitigate the profound impact of eating disorders on individuals and their families, aiming to reduce global morbidity and mortality rates.
- The startup provides a variety of digital tools aimed at improving the management, monitoring, and treatment of eating disorders, ensuring that high-quality services are accessible to everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic background.
"We aim to keep people out of hospital and enable better long-term recovery while saving costs for the healthcare system. Univa’s platform will augment the overwhelmed clinical workforce by providing evidence-based tools to reach more patients and families, enabling earlier intervention, improving monitoring, and faster recovery," Co-founder and CEO at Univa, Richard Andrews, commented.
- Univa’s platform features tailored therapeutic programs, AI-driven health monitoring, and personal stories, accessible through interconnected apps for patients and caregivers. By involving families in care. Clinicians can create personalized treatment plans and monitor patient well-being in real-time, ensuring timely support and efficient resource allocation.
Details of the deal
- The lead investors in this funding round are YZR Capital, a Munich-based venture capital firm focused on supporting European health tech founders, and Calm/Storm Ventures, an Austrian VC that has developed a digital health portfolio in Europe, including companies like thymia, suvera, Hi.health, and HealthForce. Several angel investors also joined the round.
''At Calm/Storm, we seek out founders tackling systemic healthcare challenges with innovative, cutting-edge technology, and Univa Health exemplifies this with their transformative approach to eating disorder care," Principal at Calm/Storm, Johannes Blaschke, stated.
- With the capital raised, Univa plans to develop and commercialize its platform, conduct a clinical study, and expand its tech, product, and clinical teams in preparation for the platform's launch in early 2025.
