Babylon invests in Higi to extend access to affordable, quality healthcare in every neighborhood across North America
Babylon has made a strategic investment in consumer health engagement company Higi, leading its Series B funding
With a shared focus on democratizing access and affordability in healthcare, Higi and Babylon will work together to bring the information, resources and services people need to stay healthy – including remote monitoring and virtual care – to all populations across North America
Babylon and Higi’s combined services will enable more people to access healthcare during their daily routines and activities – such as visiting the grocery or drug store – complementing and increasing the effectiveness of healthcare services offered in pharmacies
Babylon’s investment will support the expansion and enhancement of Higi’s station network and further development of its digital capabilities, assessments and programs
CHICAGO, IL — May 27, 2020 – With the importance of accessible health information and affordable healthcare becoming more palpable by the day, Babylon, the globally-leading technology company aimed at putting digital-first care into the hands of every person on Earth, announces its investment in consumer health engagement company Higi. This investment will deepen the effectiveness and expand the reach of care offered through Higi’s Smart Health Stations and digital programming.
Higi – through its 10,000+ FDA-cleared self-service Smart Health Stations – provides access points that can help people learn about health conditions, assess their risks, and receive personalized recommendations for local care resources and services. Conveniently located within 5 miles of 73% of the US population and free to use, the Higi Smart Health Station experience is complemented by a suite of digital programming focused on awareness, prevention, and condition management. Higi stations are located at trusted grocery, drug store, mass merchant and community centers throughout North America. They have been used by 62 million people to date, often providing one of the only accessible, nearby healthcare resources available to communities.
By offering a bundled care solution that combines Babylon’s symptom checking and remote digital health tools with Higi’s consumer reach and assessment capabilities, the companies will together be able to offer a more end-to-end solution to meet the needs of payers, providers and retailers on the front lines of care delivery.
Dr Ali Parsa, CEO & Founder, Babylon, said:
“We love Higi’s mission of making the steps toward health more accessible, affordable and convenient for all, and we are proud to back their brilliant management team to deliver on this mission by meeting people inside the communities where they live. Higi’s Smart Health Stations are already located in thousands of towns across North America, and by integrating Babylon’s digital first healthcare services into Higi’s station experience, we can make the healthcare services that people need that much more accessible and affordable across North America.”
“Whether it be for chronic conditions, which already place a heavy burden on patients and the healthcare system, to the everyday support of a person’s health and wellbeing, Babylon and Higi’s offerings place greater emphasis on prevention and tackling issues earlier, helping millions of people proactively tend to their health and connect them to the information and medical support they need.”
Jeff Bennett. CEO, Higi said:
“With Babylon as one of our investors and strategic partners, we are beautifully positioned to drive real change in the delivery of primary care across the U.S.”
“Our commitment is to provide consumers, anywhere they might be in, with smart medical tools like unique diagnostics to support their health and wellbeing. Our partnership with Babylon broadens our clinical capabilities and ability to support consumers with acute medical problems or those with chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, thereby allowing us to better meet the needs of payors, retailers and health systems. The U.S. healthcare system has many virtues, but it is simply too expensive and hard for consumers to access care. Together, we will get patients to the right care, faster and far less expensively.”
Babylon’s lead investment in Higi’s Series B is supported by additional funding from Higi’s Series A investors 7Wire Ventures, Flare Capital Partners, Jumpstart Capital, Rush University System for Health and William Wrigley Jr.
With a 50-state network, Babylon aims to reach everyone, everywhere with digital care services to help people lead healthy lives – from educational health content and symptom checking tools, to options to book video appointments with providers. Babylon is already providing access to healthcare services through its app to members of certain health plans in Missouri, New York and California.
The urgency for digital-first, end-to-end healthcare – from accurate information about a health issue to actual diagnosis and remote care – is greater than ever before. Together, Babylon and Higi will be able to provide higher value services and will continue to develop innovative ways to fill this critical gap in public health.
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Notes to Editor
About Babylon
Babylon is a globally-leading technology company with the ambitious mission to put an accessible and affordable health service in the hands of every person on Earth.
We combine technology and medical expertise to bring doctors and people closer together, with digital health tools designed to empower people with knowledge about their health. Through a range of digital health services – such as an AI-backed app and video doctor appointments – we provide around-the-clock access to affordable, holistic healthcare services and information. We work with governments, health providers and insurers across the globe, and healthcare facilities from small local practices to large hospitals.
With a $2B valuation, Babylon has over 4 million registered patients and has completed nearly 2 million consultations globally. We have teamed up with 170 impactful worldwide partners — including Mount Sinai Health Partners, the NHS, Telus Health, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Government of Rwanda — to fulfill our vision of accessible and affordable healthcare, for all. For more information, visit https://www.babylonhealth.com/us.
About Higi
Higi is a consumer health engagement company making it easier for all people to measure, track and act on their health data by bridging physical and digital touch points of the healthcare ecosystem. In service of health systems, health plans, retailers and consumer healthcare brands, Higi’s omni-channel platform meets consumers in their communities, at home and on the go. Partners connect with the consumers they care for through our nationwide network of 10,000 FDA-cleared, free-to-use self-screening Smart Health Stations, home health devices, digital and mobile tools. Our platform drives engagement through out-of-the-box assessments, cohort-driven programs and configurable, partner-branded health surveys that identify health risks and needs and inform our digital referral engine to match and connect consumers with the appropriate partner programs. With the ability to move this data into healthcare’s workflows, Higi delivers digital health engagement at scale, creating actionable connections to the healthcare organizations that provide care and support through personalized healthcare journeys. To date, more than 61 million people have used a Higi Station to conduct over 372 million biometric tests. For more information, visit us at www.higi.com.
For all media inquiries, please contact Adam Davison or Kayleigh Winslow at press@babylonhealth.com or Ariana Bennett at media@higi.com.