Two Stanford grads raise $11M to build a noninvasive wearable for hormone tracking

Jenny Duan and Abhinav Agarwal, two graduates from Stanford University, are on a mission to transform women's health with their innovative startup, Clair Health. They aim to address the challenges of creating an aesthetically pleasing wearable device that effectively measures hormonal levels to enhance women's understanding of their health. Clair Health's groundbreaking wearable technology focuses on tracking inflammation and bloating markers, energy levels, and accurately classifying menstrual cycle phases. This approach will provide valuable insights into cycle irregularities, hormonal fluctuations, and the transition into perimenopause. Recently, the startup secured $11.6 million in funding, spearheaded by Khosla Ventures, alongside contributions from a16z speedrun, Brydge Club, Treehub, Cartan Capital, AGI House, Insiders VC, and notable investors like Anne Wojcicki and Stephanie Coleman. To ensure personalized data collection, Clair Health employs voice-based onboarding that helps capture users' health markers. The startup has developed its own artificial intelligence system designed to analyze voice-based biomarkers, enabling it to identify which phase of the menstrual cycle a user is experiencing after just a few minutes of conversation. Duan highlighted the limitations of existing women's health apps, stating, "Women often struggle to communicate a wide range of symptoms because many apps are designed for only a few. Our voice stack empowers users to express their health concerns in their own words." By utilizing its wearable technology, Clair Health can investigate the causes of hormonal changes and the body's responses to them by analyzing biomarkers detected by its sensors. The device continuously monitors changes throughout the four phases of the menstrual cycle, rather than relying solely on the day of menstruation. Users will receive insights regarding aging, inflammation, bloating, and their overall exertion levels. Furthermore, Clair Health aims to assist women experiencing menopause and perimenopause by providing detailed data that they can share with healthcare providers, improving the quality of care they receive. Duan's interest in women's health was sparked during her time at a nonprofit in Portland, Oregon, and was further nurtured through her studies at Stanford, where she met Agarwal. Unlike conventional health tracking devices like the Apple Watch or Pixel Watch, which depend on basic sensors, Clair Health's wearable features ten biosensors, including a unique biomagnetic sensor for hormonal data. Duan emphasized that no existing device, invasive or noninvasive, has been able to continuously capture real-time hormonal insights and pinpoint underlying issues. Clair Health is currently testing its wearable with a limited group of beta users, with plans to launch the device in November at a price of $369, complemented by a $9.99 monthly subscription. Pre-orders are available now. Investor Mary Minno from Treehub praised Clair Health for providing women with actionable insights into their hormonal health, stating, "Users are seeking a reliable product that delivers on its promises. Current hormonal health measurement methods are outdated, and Clair is stepping in to offer a solution that requires no invasive blood draws." As the market for hormone tracking continues to evolve, startups are exploring various methods to measure hormonal health. For instance, Level Zero Health emphasizes continuous tracking through glucose monitor-style devices, while Hormona offers home testing solutions, and Ourself Health leverages AI to generate insights from user manual logs.