SA国际传媒

, a Madison, Wisconsin-based startup that is using artificial intelligence to analyze the human body to diagnose health conditions, today announced the close of $9 million in funding.

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and co-led the Series A, which brings EnsoData鈥檚 total raised since its 2015 inception to $11.1 million, according to SA国际传媒 . SleepScore Ventures, , Necessary Ventures, and some existing backers also participated in the latest round.

The company鈥檚 trio of co-founders met nearly a decade ago while attending the University of Wisconsin where CEO told me they 鈥渇ell in love with the confluence of AI, massive data sets and working with bright clinicians to support problems in health care.鈥�

Over the years, they have developed technology they claim simplifies the process of analyzing the human body to accurately diagnose health conditions. EnsoData uses AI to analyze millions of data points collected from sensors on the human body (think heartbeats on an EKG or eye movements through an EOG) that output as waveform data. It then uses that information to deliver diagnoses via 鈥渁n easy-to-read printout.鈥�

In a nutshell, the company automates sleep data analysis using machine learning.

The startup claims its AI technology replaces a workflow that today requires thousands of hours from clinicians to manually mark dozens of complex events on reams of complex data by hand. Its AI analysis, by contrast, allows clinicians to perform the same tasks in minutes.

EnsoData is starting with diagnosing sleep apnea and other sleep disorders but plans to ultimately expand to other neurological conditions.

In fact, the company says it has developed 鈥渢he first artificial intelligence technology cleared to aid clinicians in sleep disorder diagnosis.鈥� Over time, it has amassed a database of more than 400,000 users and analyzed more than 350 terabytes of data, which it says is 50 times larger than any public dataset.

After receiving Food and Drug Administration clearance in 2017, EnsoData has primarily sold its software service to more than 300 sleep clinics in the United States. It recently launched in Latin America.

The company has seen impressive growth as of late. In both 2019 and 2018, EnsoData quadrupled the size of its customer base, according to Fernandez. Since inception, it has seen 100 percent customer retention, he said.

EnsoData plans to use its new capital in part to continue to 鈥渁ggressively鈥� hire to build out its engineering and sales teams. It has about 15 employees today. It also plans to launch new AI products in sleep and neurology and expand partnerships with sleep clinics, enterprise health systems, academic medical centers, home sleep testing providers, and integrated diagnostic testing facilities.

鈥淭his is a story about patient access to care,鈥� Fernandez told SA国际传媒 News. 鈥淲e are democratizing information about health and sleep for clinicians and patients, so that we can all play a more active role in understanding and managing our own health. We鈥檙e using AI to further humanize health care, rather than taking it away with technology.鈥�

Investor POV

, managing director at Zetta Venture Partners, described EnsoData as 鈥渢he early mover to the market.鈥�

鈥淲e spend a third of our lives asleep, yet the majority of disorders that disrupt it go undetected–a problem of this scale translates to an enormous opportunity for the company,鈥� he said. 鈥淓nsoData has resonated with the entire industry. We think they have the opportunity to set the gold standard in sleep disorder diagnosis.鈥�

, managing director of Venture Investors, said he first met EnsoData鈥檚 co-founders when they were students at the University of Wisconsin.

鈥淪ince that moment, I have been impressed with their unbridled passion, infectious enthusiasm, and desire to improve patient care using medical waveform artificial intelligence,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ot only can they help diagnose sleep apnea in the 16 million Americans who are undiagnosed, their platform will improve treatments for the 6 million who are diagnosed. The potential global impact is astounding.鈥�

Moving forward, Button believes what EnsoData is doing has 鈥渕uch broader applicability鈥� than just sleep apnea.

鈥淭heir platform and algorithms can be applied to all medical waveform analysis including EEG and critical care management,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t will allow doctors to spend more time caring for patients and less time interpreting medical waveforms.鈥�

Photo: EnsoData co-founders Nick Glattard, Chris Fernandez and Sam Rusk. Photo courtesy of EnsoData.

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