Melinda French Gates’ VC firm backs women’s health start-up Tia

Melinda French Gates’ venture capital firm will invest an undisclosed sum towards the California women’s health start-up Tia.

Pivotal Ventures aims to accelerate equality in the United States through investments, partnerships, and advocacy in areas where social progress has “stalled”.

With a commitment of US$1bn, the VC company’s goal is to expand women’s power and influence in the US.

Its undisclosed investment towards the San Francisco-based Tia comes as the firm seeks to scale up its support for women-led businesses.

Founded in 2017 by Carolyn Witte and Felicity Yost, Tia aims to bring a new standard of care for women for women across New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Phoenix.

Its “Whole Woman, Whole Life” care model currently provides virtual and in-person services, including primary care, mental health, and gynaecological care.

Research has shown that almost half of women in the US do not have a stable relationship with a primary care physician for routine preventive care.

“My vision is that every primary care provider starts delivering mental health as routine primary care and that every primary care provider clinic eventually looks and feels like Tia’s,” Tia co-founder and CEO, Carolyn Witte told Fast Company.

After opening its second Los Angeles-area clinic in Santa Monica, Tia plans on opening more centres across the US.

The investment, following a partnership with the healthcare company Cedars-Sinai in January, will bring the start-up’s total funding to approximately US$150m.