Tempest Secures $10 Million Series A Funding to Expand Digital Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder Among 46 Million Americans

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that digital health company Tempest completed a $10 million Series A financing round on October 10. The round was led by Maveron Capital, with participation from Slow Ventures, Female Founders Fund, AlleyCorp, Refactor, Green D Ventures, and several individual investors.

Anarghya Vardhana, a partner at Maveron Capital, will join Tempest’s board of directors. This financing round brings Tempest’s total funding to $14.3 million.

Tempest’s Series A funding will be used to promote the “Tempest Membership Program.” This program provides recovery-related content and care resources to help individuals overcome alcohol use disorder more quickly and maintain longer-term sobriety. Tempest is also committed to reducing barriers to accessing recovery treatment through reimbursement mechanisms and will expand its operations team.

Tempest is a women-founded digital recovery platform established by Holly Whitaker. Tempest primarily provides alcohol cessation treatment to the 46 million Americans struggling with alcohol addiction. As a modern alternative to recovery programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Tempest focuses on placing individuals at the center of their own recovery through empathy and empowerment.

Holly Whitaker, Founder and CEO of Tempest, stated, “From the outset, we decided that we must partner with investors who understand our vision to build a rehabilitation care platform that is both satisfying and accessible. We are delighted that Maveron Capital led the Series A financing round, and we welcome Anarghya to the Board of Directors. In the next phase, we will focus on enhancing our product, technology, and infrastructure to provide broader membership services and increase accessibility as we enter the private payer market.”

Tempest’s core product is an eight-week program that lowers the barrier to treatment for individuals seeking to change their relationship with alcohol. Compared with traditional intensive treatment protocols, Tempest offers a more cost-effective solution. By leveraging the advantages of technology and social media, Tempest reaches a broader population of drinkers than conventional rehabilitation methods, thereby enhancing the accessibility of addiction treatment.

Julia F. Bernstein, Chief Operating Officer of Tempest, stated, “Tempest combines mature technologies with innovative service models, enabling us to collaborate with payers and providers and drive a revolutionary impact on addressing both personal and economic costs.”

Julia Bernstein also stated, “As health systems increasingly assume responsibility for providing comprehensive care to patients, the ability to offer continuous treatment options is critical to improving patient experience and recovery outcomes, particularly for individuals with alcohol use disorder. While medical institutions are currently conducting screening, broader access to follow-up treatment remains limited.”

“Access to treatment and rehabilitation resources should not be limited to a select few. We believe that Tempest can deliver more accessible solutions to a diverse audience,” said Anarghya Vardhana.

Maveron Capital primarily invests in consumer-only businesses centered on technology-driven products and services in commerce, education, healthcare, and other sectors. Previously, Maveron Capital has invested in companies such as Allbirds, Everlane, Two Chairs, and Modern Fertility.

Slow Ventures was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, USA. The firm primarily invests in core technology companies as well as those at the forefront of science, society, and culture.

Female Founders Fund is an early-stage fund established in 2014 and headquartered in New York, United States. Female Founders Fund has built a well-known brand, primarily investing in internet and software startups founded and operated by women.

AlleyCorp, founded by entrepreneur Kevin Ryan, operates as both a venture studio and a fund, responsible for founding companies and investing in early-stage startups. AlleyCorp specializes in investing in transformative companies based in New York City. Since its inception, AlleyCorp’s total investments have exceeded $100 million.

Refactor is a technology company specializing in software, hardware, and website development, founded in 2008.

Green D Ventures is a Dartmouth alumni startup fund established in 2014, headquartered in Manchester, New Hampshire. Green D Ventures primarily invests in companies led by Dartmouth alumni.

(Compiled by Cheng Xiaoqin)