Allara for women: 'Feel at home in your body again'

Addressing PCOS and hormonal imbalance, telehealth startup raises $10M in new capital

Among reproductive-aged women, up to 13% suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – and 70% go undiagnosed. It’s one of the main causes of infertility and is linked to several long-term health issues that weigh on her wellbeing, both physical and mental. To address the lack of care in PCOS and other chronic hormonal conditions, Allara is building a “compassion-first” virtual care platform “that treats you as a whole person – not a set of symptoms.”

This week, Allara announced it closed its Series A round of funding after raising $10 million. GV (Google Ventures) led the round; other participants were NYC-based early-stage investors Great Oaks Venture Capital and humbition, Vanterra, Gaingels in Vermont, and individual investors, including Tom Lee (One Medical) and Maggie Sellers.

Based in New York, Allara is a telehealth platform for women of reproductive age who suffer from chronic hormonal conditions that are often treated ineffectually or late. These include endometriosis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, hypothyroidism, PCOS, and generic hormonal imbalances. Imbalances are present in an estimated 80% of women – and they control our mood, health, and behavior. And while it may be possible to deal with some of the lighter issues on our own, like managing stress levels, it’s always best to get professional help and find out the root cause of the issue.

Allara CEO Rachel Blank said in the statement this week: "Women's health is often misperceived as limited to pregnancy and fertility, failing to acknowledge the intricate web of health conditions that affect women's daily lives and long-term health.”

Blank founded the company in 2021, after she experienced first-hand the troubles of navigating a PCOS diagnosis. “At Allara, we finally take the burden off the patient to navigate a siloed care system and empower her with a whole-body, preventative approach to her health,” she said.

Through its platform, Allara offers: medical expertise from physicians and nurse practitioners specializing in women's health; nutrition and lifestyle support from dieticians; blood tests and imaging to get to the root cause of troubling symptoms; personalized plans that involve unique lifestyle, exercise, and nutrition options; and community support as you connect with other women in the network. According to company website, after one month of working with Allara, 75% of women see improvement.

Allara partners with major insurers like United Healthcare, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, and Anthem, in eight states. The new capital will allow the startup reach more coverage and scale its operations. The latest round brought Allara’s total funds raised to $17.5 million.

General partner at GV, Frédérique Dame, joins Allara's board in this investment round. In a release this week, Dame said: “Women of reproductive age have complex hormonal care needs, and Allara raises the bar for clinically driven, personalized hormonal healthcare. Allara has built a brand and community that hundreds of thousands of patients trust, and we're excited to support CEO Rachel Blank and the team as they provide women with compassionate, modern healthcare.”

Among other perks, GV’s involvement gives Allara the access to some top technology; Alphabet has been GV’s sole limited partner, while the firm counts over $8 million in AUM and 400 active portfolio companies, including Uber, Nest, Slack, and GitLab.