Serena Ventures—Williams’ VC firm participated in a $10 million seed funding for Teal Health – a women’s health startup founded by Kara Egan (CEO) and Dr. Avnesh Thakor. The company, founded in 2020, was formed to create an at-home-self collect cervical cancer screening kit, which is under FDA review for the time being.
During Thakor’s medical experience, he witnessed inadequate change in cervical cancer screenings and formed a self-collect prototype. “Teal Wand™ will provide women with an alternative to the traditional screening method with stirrups and a speculum, making it easier for them to stay on top of their health – and eliminate cervical cancer as a public health concern for all women,” Egan told AfroTech.
How Will The Kit Work?
Once a user requests a kit, it starts a vetting process to confirm eligibility. After a user is approved, the kit will be delivered to your home for sample collection. After this, the sample will be mailed to a lab, where the results will be shared through Teal Health’s application. If users want additional help, they can request to speak to a provider.
The device will be crucial for Black women as they are 41% more likely to develop cervical cancer and 75% more likely to die from it compared to their white counterparts.
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