US-based paediatric care provider Brightline has secured $20m in series A funding from investors including healthcare provider Boston Children’s Hospital and health insurers Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Blue Shield of California.
Venture capital firm Threshold Ventures and growth equity firm Oak HC/FT co-led the round, which also featured SemperVirens VC, Rock Health and City Light Capital. It came after $5m of seed capital from Oak HC/FT in December 2019.
Founded in 2019 as Emilio Health, Brightline offers behavioural healthcare tailored for children and their families through a model that utilises technology and virtual care.
The company’s services include behavioural therapy, psychiatric evaluation, speech and language therapy in addition to coaching and classes for parents. It will put the cash into hiring and technology development as well as growing its telehealth practice.
Emily Melton, Threshold Ventures’ co-founder and managing partner, is taking a seat on Brightline’s board of directors while Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts CEO Andrew Dreyfus and Jeff Semenchuk, Blue Shield of California’s chief innovation officer, will be board observers.
Paul Markovich, Blue Shield of California’s president and chief executive, said: “Behavioural health, particularly for children, is not yet worthy of our family and friends and sustainably affordable.
“We need innovative solutions in this field, and we believe Brightline’s family-focused, high-tech and high touch model will deliver care that meets this standard in California and beyond.”
