Vivante Health Leads Charge in Digestive Health Completing $6 Million Series A Investment: NFP Venture Fund, FCA Venture Partners Invest in Digestive Disease Management
Houston, TX, December 10, 2018 – Vivante Health, the digestive health and disease experts and creators of the GIThrive® all-in-one solution for digestive health and disease, announced completion of their Series A investment this week with healthcare innovation leaders NFP Ventures of New York, and FCA Venture Partners of Nashville, TN.
Vivante will leverage the $6 million Series A investment and alliances with NFP and FCA to accelerate its bold efforts to serve a category that has been radically underserved and overlooked, particularly in the employer and health plan space.
Digestive disease affects approximately one in every six employees, according to Dr. Kimon Angelides, Vivante Health founder and CEO, yet to date, no employer health program exists to serve this group. GIThrive is the first-ever employer- program for digestive health and disease.
With more than 74 percent of all Americans living with GI discomfort and an estimated 70 million Americans struggling to manage a digestive condition, Angelides stresses the need for GIThrive is greater than ever.(1) “People are struggling,” he says. “First, there are so many people who have GI trouble and either do not seek help or simply have no resources or support for their
digestive issues.” (2)
As the founder of Livongo (formerly EosHealth), Dr. Angelides is experienced in chronic disease management. “Digestive disease is very different than diabetes or other chronic conditions. Other than invasive procedures or questionable remedies, there is nothing in between. The lack of much-needed psychosocial, nutritional, medication, and educational support creates gaps in care that leave people frustrated and suffering. It’s inevitable that this suffering seeps into the workplace, damaging productivity and sending healthcare costs even higher. We aim to change this,” he said.
Regarding the partnership with NFP and FCA, Angelides said, “Employers and health plans have responded well to our GIThrive offering. This partnership with NFP and FCA, both with longstanding experience in healthcare, couldn’t come at a better time. They’re absolutely great partners to have. Their deep experience will help us fill the unmet needs of so many.”
“As we strive to lead the health and benefits space by providing access to previously overlooked services, we are proud to invest in Vivante Health, a market pioneer in comprehensive technology and personalized support,” said Mike Goldman, president and COO of NFP. “We’re excited to introduce Vivante to NFP’s clients.”
“Digestive health is a growing issue, and one that individuals often deal with silently, asking for little to no support,” said Shawn Ellis, managing director of NFP Ventures. “Digestive diseases impact not only employee health and financial well-being, but also a company’s bottom line. Left untreated, employees will require time off to refocus their attention on recovering from day-to-day complications. We share Vivante Health’s mission to increase access to services, decrease cost barriers, and positively impact employees’ personal and professional lives.”
“Vivante squarely fits our investment thesis that in many cases, the outsourced care management model can better serve patients whose optimal care plans might fall through the cracks of the traditional healthcare system,” says Matthew A. King of FCA. “We are excited to support Kim and the Vivante team and expect to be able to add significant value as they scale the company by leveraging the knowledge and insights gleaned over the past decade from working with more than 20 portfolio healthcare companies.”
With offices in Houston, Nashville, and Athens, Greece, Vivante Health’s global team of experts in digestive disease, microbiome science, clinical care, medicine and technology came together to build the first comprehensive digital program that brings together, in one virtual healthcare hub, all the necessary tools, including instant, on-demand 24/7 support from a human care team, to effectively manage chronic digestive symptoms.
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About Vivante Health
Vivante Health is an innovative digital healthcare company reinventing the way chronic conditions are managed, starting with digestive disease. Our all-in-one gut health management program, GIThrive, empowers people, through brilliant technology and advanced science, to spend less time worrying about digestive symptoms and more time living life. For more information:
VivanteHealth.com, 832-548-4526, trodriguez@vivantehealth.com
About NFP
NFP is a leading insurance broker and consultant that provides employee benefits, property and casualty, retirement, and individual private client solutions through our licensed subsidiaries and affiliates. NFP’s expertise is matched by their commitment to each client's goals and is enhanced by their investments in innovative technologies in the insurance brokerage and consulting space.
For more information: nfp.com, Hot Paper Lantern nfp@hotpaperlantern.com, 212-931-619
About FCA Venture Partners
Founded in 1996, FCA Venture Partners is an early stage venture capital firm with a long history of investing in successful healthcare entrepreneurs pursuing the triple aim: lowering costs, improving the patient experience, and elevating the health of populations.
1 https://www.foxnews.com/health/survey-shows-74-percent-of-americans-living-with-gi-discomfort
2 https://news.abbvie.com/news/new-survey-reveals-more-than-half-americans-are-living-with-gastrointestinal-
symptoms-and-not-seeking-care-from-doctor.htm