Growing up with an OB-GYN father, Rachel Blank assumed that most women received excellent gynecological care. She regularly witnessed her dad’s patients thanking him for delivering their child when they would bump into him around town.
But Blank realized that not all women’s health issues are treated equally when, at the age of 21, she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS. That’s a reproductive and hormonal condition that can cause irregular periods, infertility, and weight gain.
Although Blank had access to top-tier care, she discovered that most OB-GYNs are not trained to treat hormonal conditions. “There weren’t a lot of places for me to go, because the concept of a specialist for my condition didn’t exist,” she told TechCrunch.
Blank had to do her own research, which involved seeking help from various specialists, including dieticians and endocrinologists to find a treatment.
That’s why more than four years ago, Blank left her job as a director of strategy at Ro, an online clinic that offers treatment for erectile dysfunction and menopause, to start Allara, a telehealth platform for women who suffer from hormone conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, and hypothyroidism. At Allara, patients receive in one place the type of care that Blank had to piecemeal together when she was first diagnosed with PCOS.
allAnd it seems that the startup’s approach is working, especially for treating young women – the company’s average patient’s age is 30, Blank says. In 2024, Allara grew its revenue by four-times, and has just raised $26 million in Series B funding led by Index Ventures, with participation of GV just 14 months after raising a $10 million Series A.
Allara started as a subscription service for which patients paid out of pocket. But over the last year the company formed partnerships with most major health insurance providers, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, and United Healthcare, who now cover Allera’s services in 10 states. Blank said that the company will use some of its Series B capital to expand its insurance coverage nationwide.
But it’s not only the patients who find Allara’s comprehensive care, which includes appointments with various specialists, helpful. Doctors, nurse practitioners, dermatologists, and registered dieticians, many of whom are working mothers, like that they can see patients remotely without having to travel to clinics.
While many startups including Tia, Midi Health, Gennev, and Ro offer online treatment of hormonal conditions, they focus primarily on infertility or menopause.
But Allara tends to see women who are dealing with chronic conditions before they are ready to have children.
The company’s young patient population is just one aspect of Allara that attracted Index partner Martin Mignot. He hopes that these patients stay with the company as they grow older and have other healthcare needs.
“If you have a relationship with your care providers since you are 20 or 25, it is very natural to stay over time,” Mignot said. This, of course, means that Allara may eventually expand its offering to infertility and menopause.
