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The seed funding raised by Arise will treat enormous numbers of people suffering from eating disorders.
FREMONT, CA: "Eating disorders are complex, and they look different for everyone. They're rarely about just food or body image alone, but also deeply connected to psychosocial factors, social determinants of health, and past experiences and traumas. Today's systems of care are not set up to address all of this together," said Arise co-founder and CEO Amanda D'Ambra (she/her). "We believe that by bringing together community and clinical care we can expand access to people who have been less likely to get support — because everyone should have the chance to heal."
With over $4 million raised in seed funding, Arise has started as a digital health company providing comprehensive treatment for eating disorders, mental health, and long-term healing. The Arise Foundation is developing a virtual-first care model to reach and engage the 30 million Americans who will suffer from an eating disorder in their lifetime. 80-90% will not receive treatment today unless they pay for it themselves. Graycroft Ventures and BBG Ventures led the round, with Wireframe Ventures, Iyah Romm (he/him) and Sylvia Romm, MD, MPH (she/her), as well as PatientPing founder Jay Desai (he/him) also participating.
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"The reality is that in today's world, it's a privilege to heal from an eating disorder. Stigma makes it difficult for people to identify their eating disorder and this is magnified when your families and communities don't have language to describe, let alone identify, the eating disorder. People who defy these odds and courageously seek out support are often confronted by how overwhelming, expensive, and inaccessible treatment can be — so they often end up struggling for years," said Arise co-founder and Chief Product Officer Joan Zhang (she/her). "With Arise, we aim to break down these barriers so that more people have access to care that validates their lived experiences and supports them on their path to long-term healing."
With Arise, people suffering from disordered eating and eating disorders can receive integrated community and clinical care, including binge eating disorders, bulimia, anorexia, rumination disorders, and avoidant or restrictive eating disorders (ARFID), among others. It also addresses traumas, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders that can contribute to eating disorders and exist alongside them.
"We've all felt the real mental health toll these past couple of years, and rates of eating disorders are skyrocketing," said BBG Ventures managing partner Nisha Dua. "Arise is tackling the enormous need for expanded care to populations who have been underserved. As our country takes on this growing mental health crisis, we are investing in solutions that offer effective care that can both meet people's individual needs and scale. Arise is positioned to do just that."
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