Femtech Startup Tia Expands to LA, Aiming to Make Women’s Health Care Affordable

Francesca Billington

Francesca Billington is a freelance reporter. Prior to that, she was a general assignment reporter for dot.LA and has also reported for KCRW, the Santa Monica Daily Press and local publications in New Jersey. She graduated from Princeton in 2019 with a degree in anthropology.

Femtech Startup Tia Expands to LA, Aiming to Make Women’s Health Care Affordable
Photo by Monica Wang

For $15 a month plus insurance, your doctor's office could look like the inside of a trendy restaurant in New York City or an office at Bloomberg's headquarters.

Welcome to the well-decorated world of women's health care, as envisioned by Carolyn Witte, a CEO in the booming femtech market buoyed by new VC money. That funding has only picked up since the pandemic began.


Last year, Witte raised $24 million in a Series A round for her women's health care company Tia, which opened its first L.A. location in Silver Lake this week.

Branding itself as the "modern medical home," Tia is a New York-based startup with ambitions to spread along the West Coast. The app lets members book gynecology, primary care, acupuncture and mental health appointments from an app.

"Normally, in L.A., you may go to an acupuncture place in Venice and to a hospital for an ultrasound and somewhere else for a pap smear," said Witte, a former Google product designer. "We're doing that all in one physical space."

It wasn't until recently that women-focused health care startups began drawing investor attention. Last year, funding for digital health startups aimed at women jumped 105% to $418 million, Bloomberg reported this week. In Los Angeles, women-founded health companies like Loom, a wellness startup co-founded by a former doula, have attempted to address reproductive and other health issues in a less clinical environment than a traditional doctor's office.

"There's really only one stat that VCs need to know," Witte said. "Women control more than 80% of U.S. health care dollars. There's a very, very clear financial reason to invest in women's health. It's not niche."

Members pay either the $15 per month fee or $150 annually (plus a first time fee) for a combination of virtual and in-person appointments. Still, 70% of sessions take place online first.

Tia

The company expects most patients won't need to drive through L.A. traffic to visit a physician or obstetrician-gynecologist in the office. But for those who do stop by, Witte wanted the experience of seeing a doctor to feel different than what patients may expect.

Bright colors, light hardwood floors, a sleek break room with booth seating for employees: It was designed by the architecture firm behind the upscale coworking chain The Wing and San Francisco's Rent the Runway storefront.

"We want to make the doctor's office a place where women want to engage in preventative health," the executive said. "Where preventative health is a cool thing."

It's Tia's second physical location since launching a clinic in New York City. By the end of 2021, the company plans to open two new spaces, in San Francisco and Phoenix, to grow on its 7,000 members. About 800 of them live in L.A. and joined Tia for chat messaging and telehealth services when the app launched in November.

https://twitter.com/frosebillington
francesca@dot.la

Subscribe to our newsletter to catch every headline.

LA Tech ‘Moves’: Mapp Gains New CPO and CTO, Prodoscore Taps Boeing Exec

Decerry Donato

Decerry Donato is a reporter at dot.LA. Prior to that, she was an editorial fellow at the company. Decerry received her bachelor's degree in literary journalism from the University of California, Irvine. She continues to write stories to inform the community about issues or events that take place in the L.A. area. On the weekends, she can be found hiking in the Angeles National forest or sifting through racks at your local thrift store.

LA Tech ‘Moves’: Mapp Gains New CPO and CTO, Prodoscore Taps Boeing Exec
LA Tech ‘Moves’:

“Moves,” our roundup of job changes in L.A. tech, is presented by Interchange.LA, dot.LA's recruiting and career platform connecting Southern California's most exciting companies with top tech talent. Create a free Interchange.LA profile here—and if you're looking for ways to supercharge your recruiting efforts, find out more about Interchange.LA's white-glove recruiting service by emailing Sharmineh O’Farrill Lewis (sharmineh@dot.la). Please send job changes and personnel moves to moves@dot.la.

***

Read moreShow less

This Week in ‘Raises’: GITAI Lands $30M, Steno Gains $15M

Decerry Donato

Decerry Donato is a reporter at dot.LA. Prior to that, she was an editorial fellow at the company. Decerry received her bachelor's degree in literary journalism from the University of California, Irvine. She continues to write stories to inform the community about issues or events that take place in the L.A. area. On the weekends, she can be found hiking in the Angeles National forest or sifting through racks at your local thrift store.

Raises
Image by Joshua Letona

A local space robotics startup raised fresh funding to expand the flight model manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S. and increase employment, while a remote litigation platform raised more funding to continue growing its footprint in new markets across the country, develop service channels for its clients and continue expanding its tech team.

***

Read moreShow less

Gitai Secures $30 Million in Funding to Continue Space Robotics Developments

Samson Amore

Samson Amore is a reporter for dot.LA. He holds a degree in journalism from Emerson College. Send tips or pitches to samsonamore@dot.la and find him on Twitter @Samsonamore.

Gitai Secures $30 Million in Funding to Continue Space Robotics Developments
\u200bPhoto: Gitai

Space robotics company Gitai raised a $30 million Series B extension this week, bringing the total value of the round to roughly $47 million.

The funding will be used to further develop Gitai’s suite of space robots as well as build out its manufacturing footprint in Torrance. Previously Gitai announced it raised a $17.1 million Series B in March 2021; this additional raise is still part of that round.

Read moreShow less
https://twitter.com/samsonamore
samsonamore@dot.la
RELATEDEDITOR'S PICKS
LA TECH JOBS
interchangeLA
Trending