Counsel Health has announced an $11 million seed funding round, led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) Bio + Health, with additional backing from Asymmetric Capital Partners, Floodgate Fund, and Pear VC. The funds will fuel Counsel’s national expansion, enabling the company to extend coverage to millions more patients.
Addressing a Healthcare Access Crisis
In the U.S., approximately 60 million Americans face shortages in primary care, with patients waiting up to 38 days for appointments. Founded by physicians and engineers, Counsel Health aims to solve this problem by providing on-demand, high-quality, personalized medical advice from expert physicians within minutes. This approach reduces unnecessary hospital visits and alleviates the burden on providers, improving overall patient care.
AI-Powered Clinician Cockpit
Counsel’s platform leverages an AI-native “clinician cockpit,” which integrates medical records, specialty guidelines, and academic research to enable faster, more efficient responses from physicians. Nancy Chou, partner at Asymmetric Capital Partners, emphasized that Counsel’s unique hybrid model combines software, research, and medical expertise to offer a care experience that is unparalleled.
Expansion Plans and Future of Asynchronous Medicine
Currently operational in California, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, and Texas, Counsel plans to expand nationwide within two years. Julie Yoo, general partner at a16z Bio + Health, highlighted that Counsel’s integration of AI and asynchronous care is paving the way for a new medical specialty—Asynchronous Medicine—allowing physicians to deliver care through messaging-based platforms in a sustainable and effective manner.
