Health in her HUE is taking the digital health world by storm, with a mission to reduce health disparities for women of color. Today, the company announced that it has raised a whopping $3 million in a Seed round, led by Seae Ventures.
The brainchild of Ashlee Wisdom and Eddwina Bright, Health in her HUE was founded in 2018. While Eddwina is no longer a part of the company, the focus still remains the same – connecting women of color with healthcare providers and content that specifically addresses their needs.
The company’s vision is more critical now than ever, with women of color, especially Black women, still facing discrimination in the medical field. There are several false beliefs that contribute to this discrimination, such as the myth that Black people have a higher tolerance for pain or that their skin is thicker. This mistreatment has resulted in a deep-rooted distrust of medical systems among many Black individuals.
“Health In Her HUE is uniquely positioned to address the existing racial health disparities and connect our members with providers who are committed to hearing and understanding their unique lived experiences while providing quality care accordingly,” Wisdom told TechCrunch.
With nearly 13,000 members and 1,300 healthcare providers across 60 specialties, Health in her HUE is making a significant impact. The company also offers educational health content and community forums for women to engage with each other. As CEO, Wisdom plans to use the Seed round to expand the company’s products and programs. This includes an expansion of their Care program, which offers culturally tailored health education classes, as well as adding new topics such as fertility, endometriosis, and postpartum recovery. Health in her HUE will also introduce a product that provides video consultations with clinical experts for health-related questions.
Raising funds for this seed round was a challenging task, according to Wisdom. Although the company technically began the process in 2022, the market retraction in the previous year made it feel like a “series of unfortunate events.” Wisdom had to maintain a delicate balance between fundraising and generating revenue, knowing that the business must thrive regardless of the outcome of the round.
Seae Ventures was one of the first investors Wisdom met in her early days as a founder, even before working full-time at her own company. Impressed by the company’s mission, the firm has been a part of Health in her HUE since its first pre-seed round in 2021.
Other participants in this seed round include Johnson & Johnson Impact Ventures, HBCU Founders Fund, Stanford Impact Fund, and Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Labs. To date, Health in her HUE has raised a total of $4.2 million in funding. The company is now a part of the rapidly growing digital healthcare market, with a focus that has become even more crucial due to the increasing politicization of women’s healthcare. Other health companies that cater to minority women include Meet Mae and Culture Care.
Looking ahead, Wisdom’s goal is to broaden the company’s impact by reaching more users and expanding the platform’s capabilities. She also plans to enhance the membership experience to improve customer retention. “I want to ensure that more women of color and individuals can benefit from the valuable offerings we provide,” she explained.
