Japan: Digital health venture CureApp closes $3.4m

By Shiwen Yap

February 8, 2017

Japan’s digital health startup CureApp announced on Monday that it has raised 380 million yen ($3.4 million) from existing investor Beyond Next Ventures, and new investors Keio Innovation Initiative and SBI Investment.

The developments was initially reported by The Bridge.

This investment follows a 100 million yen (~$890,000) raised from Beyond Next Ventures in October 2015. Proceeds from the latest investment will see the firm enhances its research and development (R&D) system. This is part of an efforts to realise the creation of a disease treatment methods using mobile apps.

Founded in July 2014 by CEO Kota Satake and CTO Shin Suzuki (CTO), who have a professional medical background, the enterprise operates in the medical services mobile app segment and is currently conducting clinical trials with one of its apps, which deals with nicotine addiction.

Recently, the enterprise developed a NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis remedy) treatment app in partnership with the University of Tokyo and has been conducting clinical trial wit the app as well. According to Satake, the firm is planning a horizontal spread of medical apps for treeing and managing lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, depression and lung cancer.

As part of its mobile app orientation, it has adopted React Native, an app development platform developed by Facebook that facilitates simple app development for the iOS and Android platforms using only JavaScript. The firm plans to use this for all future apps

CureApp is also seeking to expand its footprint into the US market through collaborating with local medical institutions. If approved by the US FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) following clinical trial, this will see the enterprise engage in a global roll-out to.

Recently, its investor, Beyond Next Ventures, entered into a partnership with San Francisco-based bio-science accelerator IndieBio. This could ease CureApp’s entry into the US market.

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Singapore Reporter/s

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Singapore Reporter/s

In Singapore, we are looking to double our reporting team by this year-end to comprehensively cover the fast-moving world of funded startups and VC, PE & M&A deals. We want reporters who can tell our readers what is really happening in these sectors and why it matters to markets, companies and consumers. The ability to write precisely and urgently is crucial for these roles. Ideal candidates must have to ability to work in a collaborative, dynamic, and fast-changing environment. We want our new hires to be digitally savvy and ready to experiment with new forms of storytelling. Most importantly, we are looking for hard-hitting reporters who work well in a team. Collaboration and collegiality are a must.

Following vacancies can be applied for (only in Singapore).

Following vacancies can be applied for (only in Singapore).   

  • A reporter to track companies/startups that have raised private capital, and have the potential to become unicorns. SEA currently has over 40 companies with a valuation of over $100 million and under $1 billion.
  • A reporter who can get behind the scenes and reveal how funding rounds are put together, or why they’ve failed to materialise. She/he in this role will largely focus on long-format stories. 
  • A journalist to track special situations funds, distressed debt and private credit (from the PE angle) across Asia.
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