News and Analysis

What You Should Know: 

– Optain Health, a healthcare technology company specializing in AI, robotic retinal imaging, and teleophthalmology secures $26M in Series A funding round led by Insight Partners with participation from existing investors. 

– The significant investment will enable Optain to scale its platform, expand into new markets, and advance the use of the eye as a window into whole-body health.

Leveraging Oculomics to Detect Systemic Diseases

Optain’s platform is based on the science of Oculomics, which uses the eye to detect systemic diseases. The company’s portable robotic camera can rapidly capture retinal images without the need for pupil dilation. AI workflows then analyze these images to detect sight-threatening eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration, as well as to assess cardiovascular disease risk.

“Our mission is simple: faster, easier, more equitable disease screening,” said Jeff Dunkel, CEO, Optain. “After two years of major international growth, we are ready to scale in the U.S. This Series A funds our enterprise deployments, opens new markets, and pushes the frontier of what the retina can reveal.”

Strategic Partnerships to Close Care Gaps

The funding round included investments from seven leading health systems, including Memorial Hermann Health System, Northwell Health, Novant Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, and UPMC. These systems collectively serve 28 million patients across 25 states and will begin deploying Optain’s platform to expand screening access and improve outcomes.

Expansion Plans 

Optain’s technology is built on more than a decade of research led by Professor Mingguang He in Australia. The company plans to make significant investments in Australian R&D and grow its local team to lead global expansion outside of the U.S.

“We’re proud to be translating world-class Australian science into real-world impact,” said Dr. Zachary Tan, President of Optain. “Exporting Australian AI innovation to improve equitable access to healthcare and patient outcomes around the world is a mission we are proud to lead.”