New AI Platform Targets Women's Healthcare Gaps

When Kelly Lacob's mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer for the second time, Lacob left Stanford Business School to become her full-time caregiver. The experience opened her eyes to a shocking reality: even with access to top healthcare, women still struggle to get answers about their own bodies.

The problem runs deeper than one family's story. Women's health receives just 6% of private healthcare investment, leaving countless women searching years for diagnoses that should have come sooner.

Two and a half years ago, biotechnology executive Jesus Ching brought Lacob an idea. Together with another biotech leader, Adriana Dantas, they mapped out every gap in Lacob's mother's healthcare journey and asked a simple question: what if technology could fix this?

Their answer launched Wednesday morning. Xella Health is an AI-powered precision health platform built specifically for people with XX chromosomes, now available in 48 states.

The platform uses artificial intelligence to enable earlier detection of conditions affecting women. It tackles the questions that keep patients up at night: What should I ask my doctor? What does the latest research say? What else could help?

The company secured $4.7 million in funding from investors including Precursor Ventures, Swizzle Ventures, Capital F, and Ulu Ventures. That backing signals growing recognition that women's health deserves the same innovation and investment as other medical fields.

The Ripple Effect

When half the population struggles to access timely healthcare, everyone suffers. Faster diagnoses mean better outcomes, lower costs, and fewer families watching loved ones fight battles that could have been prevented.

Xella Health plans to expand into New York and New Jersey by 2027. For now, millions of women across 48 states have a new tool in their corner, one born from a daughter's determination to transform her family's struggle into hope for others.