Empo Health has raised $7 million in fresh funding to support the commercialization of its home-based diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) monitoring system. The round was led by Story Ventures with support from VTC Ventures, Ulu Ventures, SeaX Ventures, Arben Ventures, and Gaingels. This brings the total capital raised by the company to $15 million.
More than 20 million Americans suffer from diabetic neuropathy, putting them at high risk for DFUs—a condition that can lead to amputations and drives up to $80 billion in U.S. healthcare spending each year. Empo’s goal is to prevent these outcomes by enabling early detection and intervention, right from a patient’s home.
Empo’s system combines the Empo® Footprint imaging scale with its HIPAA-compliant Remote Health Link service. Patients simply step on the scale, which captures a full-color visual image of their feet. That image is automatically shared with their care team, allowing providers to remotely monitor foot health and act early if issues arise. In a pilot study, nearly half of participants showed early signs of ulcers detected through the system, with near-daily engagement.
Empo CEO and co-founder Anuj Khandelwal emphasized that the company is targeting a population that typically lacks easy access to consistent care. “We founded Empo to meet patients where they are—in their homes—and give clinicians actionable tools to prevent avoidable amputations,” he said.
The funding also comes with the addition of three new board members: Brian Yormak of Story Ventures, Steve Reale of Ulu Ventures, and Partha Ray, formerly of Dexcom and Johnson & Johnson.
Yormak noted the importance of connected hardware that powers real-world software solutions. “Empo’s Footprint scale delivers meaningful data that providers can act on—improving care for millions of people at risk,” he said.
The device is designed with usability in mind. According to co-founder and Chief Product Officer Eric Dahlseng, “The Footprint scale takes just seconds to use and gives providers clear, visual information they can trust—at exactly the right moment.”
Empo also received backing from SeaX Ventures and VTC Ventures. Dr. Kid Parchariyanon of SeaX praised the team’s mission-driven approach to solving a critical healthcare challenge with empathy and precision. James Ramey of VTC Ventures highlighted the startup’s collaboration with Carilion Clinic and noted a study is set to launch involving their patients and providers.
Empo’s combination of patient-centered design, actionable clinical data, and real-time connectivity positions it as a promising solution in the effort to reduce DFU-related complications and improve outcomes for millions of patients.
