Women’s digital health start-up Coral has completed a $4.1m seed funding round and launched its virtual care platform.

The funding will let the Canadian company deliver integrated, personalised options for women navigating perimenopause, menopause and beyond.

Founded by Anna Chif (chair), Fiona Lake Waslander (CEO) and John McCalla (CTO), Coral was born out of a shared recognition of the health decline women experience in their mid-life due to the lack of preventative and effective menopause care.

Prior to founding Coral, Chif co-founded Dialogue (www.dialogue.co) – Canada’s largest telemedicine provider that went public in 2021 and was subsequently acquired by Sunlife Financial in 2023 – and, alongside her co-founders, is now leveraging her experience scaling healthcare to shape Coral’s model. The founding team is combining their expertise in healthcare innovation, product development and scaling technology to redefine how women access care in what should be the prime years of their lives.

Around 95% of women experience symptoms during menopause, for some lasting over ten years and being completely debilitating. Women make up almost 50% of the workforce, and an estimated one in ten will leave their jobs due to unmanaged symptoms of menopause.

“Women navigating menopause should live their best years,” said Chif. “Yet, far too many of us unnecessarily struggle with health issues. We offer effective ways for women to achieve optimal health by leveraging the latest validated research and best practices.”

Waslander added: “Coral aims to solve the health impact of menopause symptoms by empowering women with accessible, personalised care. It integrates a medical-first approach with lifestyle behaviour change support, all delivered through leading-edge technology. Our digitally-powered platform and seamless experience ensures our members feel supported and thrive during their menopause journey and beyond.”

Coral’s virtual platform includes:

• Detailed health assessments: At-home blood testing, body composition scan analysis and in-depth health questionnaires to get a detailed and complete picture of each woman’s health status
• Personalised care plans: Individualised health guides tailored by dedicated nurses and supported through consultations by medical doctors, nurse practitioners and health coaches
• Integrated support: Preventive team-based medical care, prescriptions when necessary and lifestyle guidance to optimise nutrition, fitness and mental well-being

The funding round was led by Brightspark, with participation from Diagram and The51 and joined by high-profile angel investors,

“Women’s digital health has long been underserved, and Coral is set to redefine care, improve millions of lives and seize a massive opportunity,” said Sophie Forest, partner at Brightspark Ventures.

Gaurav Kapoor, general partner at Diagram, added: “Coral’s innovative approach to menopause care aligns with our dedication to investing in companies that drive meaningful change. We are excited to support their work in providing personalised, technology-enabled options for women navigating this critical transition.”

Coral (www.coral.ca) is a women’s digital health platform on a mission to improve the lives of Canadian women by setting a standard for menopause care. It focuses on evidence-based treatments, holistic options and a team-based approach tailored to each individual’s needs.