Culina Health secures $7.9M to expand AI nutrition platform

Culina Health, a digital platform for clinical nutrition care, has secured $7.9 million in Series A funding to expand its AI-driven nutrition services and dietitian support network.

Funding details and growth metrics: Healthworx, CareFirst’s innovation arm, led the Series A round that brings Culina Health’s total funding to $20 million.

• The company has demonstrated strong growth with a 117% year-over-year increase
• Notable investors include Rethink Impact, Collab Capital, Collide Capital, and Vamos Ventures
• The 2022 investment marked Culina Health as the first digital nutrition company backed by a strategic payer

Strategic expansion and technology integration: The new capital will support multiple growth initiatives aimed at enhancing patient care and operational efficiency.

• Plans include implementing new AI platforms to improve care delivery
• The company will expand support services for dietitians and patients
• Key leadership positions will be filled to support the company’s growth trajectory

Service reach and accessibility: Culina Health’s platform provides virtual nutrition care services across all 50 states through partnerships with major insurance providers.

• The platform is accessible to 70% of the U.S. population through insurance coverage
• Services are accepted by major insurers including Cigna Healthcare, Aetna, and Medicare
• Over 90 registered dietitians have conducted more than 80,000 telehealth sessions

Clinical outcomes and methodology: The company’s proprietary Culina Health Method has demonstrated significant success in patient care and cost reduction.

• Achieved 100% prevention rate for prediabetes disease progression
• Documented improvements in A1c, cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure metrics
• Generated $7,000 in cost savings per patient annually, with potential annual savings of $10.3 billion at scale
• Maintains relationships with over 1,000 referring healthcare providers
• Has served more than 10,000 patients since its 2020 founding

Looking ahead: As digital health platforms continue to evolve, Culina Health’s combination of AI technology and personalized nutrition care positions the company to potentially reshape how nutrition services are delivered and accessed in the healthcare system, though the effectiveness of AI integration in clinical nutrition care remains to be proven at scale.