What You Should Know:
– Culina Health, the digital platform that makes clinical nutrition care inclusive and accessible for everyone, announced today that it has raised a $7.9 million Series A funding round on the strength of 117 percent year-over-year growth and exceptional patient engagement and clinical outcomes.
– The round brought Culina Health’s total capital raised to $20 million, led by Healthworx, the innovation and investment arm of CareFirst. The investment underscores Healthworx’s commitment to the company, following a 2022 investment that made Culina Health the first and only digital nutrition company to be backed by a strategic payer.
Revolutionizing Nutrition Care: Culina Health’s Mission to Make Quality Nutrition Accessible
Culina Health is dedicated to making clinical nutrition accessible, sustainable, and effective for everyone. By providing personalized, one-on-one virtual nutrition care through a nationwide network of registered dietitians, the company bridges gaps in healthcare with services that are:
- Science-based, ensuring evidence-backed interventions.
- Inclusive and culturally competent, tailored to diverse populations.
- Integrated with healthcare providers, enhancing patient outcomes through coordinated care.
Founded in 2020 by registered dietitians Vanessa Rissetto and Tamar Samuels, Culina Health has established itself as a leader in digital nutrition care, partnering with major insurers and Medicare to reach 70% of the U.S. population. Its services span specialty areas, including weight loss, chronic disease prevention and management, and overall wellness.
Industry Impact and Clinical Outcomes
Culina Health’s proprietary Culina Health Method™ combines evidence-based nutrition protocols with non-judgmental, culturally affirming care to deliver measurable results:
- 100% prevention of prediabetes progression for patients.
- Significant reductions in A1c, cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure.
- Cost savings of $7,000 per patient per year, equating to $10.3 billion in potential annual savings at scale.
With more than 1,000 referring providers and over 10,000 patients served, Culina Health is setting new standards in clinical nutrition care and demonstrating its potential to transform healthcare delivery.
Strategic Growth and Future Innovations
Culina Health’s latest funding round, supported by Rethink Impact, Collab Capital, Collide Capital, Vamos Ventures, Tensility Venture Partners, Cake Ventures, and GW Ventures, positions the company for continued growth. The capital will fuel initiatives to:
- Expand offerings to better support dietitians and patients.
- Develop AI platforms to improve care efficiency and outcomes.
- Strengthen leadership with key hires to drive strategic goals.
Bridging the Nutrition Gap
Despite research showing that 90% of Americans would benefit from seeing a dietitian, only 0.02% have done so. Vanessa Rissetto, Co-founder of Culina Health, emphasized the importance of empowering dietitians to lead “Food as Medicine” interventions:
“Nutrition is a vital function of long-term health, and registered dietitians should be at the forefront of providing this care. Culina Health is uniquely positioned to support patients and providers with the most effective and connected nutrition journey. With the support of our investors and health plan partners, we are one step closer to making world-class nutrition care accessible to everyone.”
Culina Health’s commitment to evidence-based, patient-centered care is shaping the future of nutrition as an integral component of healthcare, paving the way for better health outcomes and sustainable healthcare solutions.