Rachael Blank, who grew up with a father who was an obstetrician-gynecologist, believed that most women received excellent gynecological care. She regularly witnessed her father's patients thanking him for having their children when they bumped into him around town.
But when Blank was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) at age 21, she realized that not all women's health issues were treated equally. This is a reproductive and hormonal disease that can cause irregular periods, infertility, and weight gain.
Although Ms. Blank had access to the highest level of care, she realized that most obstetricians and gynecologists were not trained to treat hormonal disorders. “There weren't many places for me to go because the concept of a specialist for my condition didn't exist,” she told TechCrunch.
Blank had to do her own research, enlisting the help of various experts such as nutritionists and endocrinologists to find a cure.
That's why, more than four years ago, Ms. Blank left her position as strategic director at Ro, an online clinic offering treatments for erectile dysfunction and menopause, to become a remote clinic for women suffering from hormonal disorders such as PCOS and endometriosis. He launched Allara, a medical platform. , hypothyroidism. At Allara, Blank can get the kind of care that patients had to receive piecemeal when she was first diagnosed with PCOS in one place.
And the startup's approach appears to be particularly effective in treating young women — the average age of its patients is 30, Blank said. In 2024, Allara has quadrupled its revenue and just raised $26 million in Series B funding led by Index Ventures. GV joins just 14 months after raising $10 million in Series A funding.
Image credit: Rachel Blank /
Allara began as a subscription service that patients paid out of pocket. But the company last year partnered with most major health insurance companies, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana and United Healthcare, and now covers Alera's services in 10 states. Blank said the company will use some of the Series B capital to expand insurance coverage nationwide.
But patients aren't the only ones who find Arara's comprehensive care, which includes appointments with a variety of specialists, helpful. Doctors, nurses, dermatologists, and registered dietitians, many of whom are working mothers, love the ability to see patients remotely without having to go into the clinic.
Many startups, such as Tia, Midi Health, Gennev, and Ro, offer online treatments for hormonal disorders, but they primarily focus on infertility and menopause.
But Alara often sees women dealing with chronic illnesses before they're ready to have children.
The company's young patient population is just one aspect of Allara that attracted index partner Martin Mignot. He hopes these patients will remain with the company as they age and have other medical needs.
“If you've had a relationship with your care provider since you were 20 or 25 years old, it's natural for you to stay long-term,” Mignot says. This, of course, means Allara could eventually expand its services to infertility and menopause as well.