Chinese Health Tech Startups Gengmei and MaiMai Elderly Care Secure Tens of Millions in Funding

[Today's Highlights]

○ HTC to Delay Launch of HTC Grip Smart Band
○Limelight Health Raises $3 Million to Build a Mobile Health Insurance Quoting Platform
○ Rite Aid’s first web-based telehealth station, HealthSpot, debuts in Ohio
○ 41% of consumers have not heard of telemedicine
○ Aesthetic Medicine O2O Platform Gengmei and Maimai Elderly Care Secure Multi-Million Yuan in Financing

1. HTC to Delay Launch of Smart Band HTC Grip
According to CNET, HTC has announced a delay in the launch of its smart wristband, the HTC Grip. The HTC Grip made its debut at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in March and was originally scheduled for release this spring.


Grip is HTC’s first activity-tracking smart wearable product. In collaboration with Under Armour, the wristband features built-in UA Record to integrate data from other health applications and devices.

“We are continuously refining our vision and fitness-related approach,” HTC said in a statement. “Our goal is to deliver best-in-class products to customers and partners. Following extensive wear-and-tear testing and user feedback, we have decided to adjust our entire fitness product portfolio and will launch the products later this year.”

The HTC Grip offers a variety of features, including monitoring speed, distance, calories, running, cycling, fitness, and sleep activities. The device is also equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS), enabling it to track speed and distance. Furthermore, even without a mobile phone present, the wristband can sync data to the user’s smartphone.

2. Limelight Health Raises $3 Million to Build a Mobile Health Insurance Quoting Platform
Limelight Health, a health insurance provider, announced that it has raised $3 million in Series A funding. The investors were AXA Strategic Ventures, Launchpad Digital Health, and MassMutual Ventures. The company will use the funds to help its engineering team improve products and accelerate sales, actively expanding its layout across China.


Limelight Health’s first commercial product, quotepad, was launched in January 2015. It provides a mobile, data-driven quoting and modeling platform that enables health insurance professionals to quickly and easily generate quotes and compare employee medical insurance benefit information. quotepad eliminates redundant, offline, and paper-based processes by offering robust, real-time analytics capabilities. Brokers, carriers, and underwriters can respond immediately to customer quote requests.

“People spend $37.5 billion annually on billing and insurance-related administrative tasks. Providing appropriate technological solutions presents a significant opportunity to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens and inefficient workflows,” said Jason T. Andrew, CEO and Co-Founder of Limelight Health.

3. Rite Aid’s First Telehealth Kiosk, HealthSpot, Debuts in Ohio
Rite Aid, the largest pharmacy chain in the United States, announced today that HealthSpot telemedicine kiosks will be launched at 25 of its pharmacies in Ohio. Through these HealthSpot telemedicine kiosks, customers can conveniently access a wide range of high-quality medical services, including pediatric care.

HealthSpot enables users to interact with nationally accredited providers within a 40-square-foot medical kiosk, utilizing high-definition video conferencing and interactive medical devices, including a stethoscope, an otoscope, a pulse oximeter, and a digital imaging camera. Each medical kiosk is staffed by a trained health facilitator who attends to patients’ needs throughout the entire process.

Patients aged 3 and older can receive treatment for minor and common health conditions at the medical station, including colds, rashes, eye conditions, earaches, and seasonal allergies. Patient visit records will be maintained to ensure seamless communication and continuity of care. The software platform also interfaces with insurance eligibility verification, electronic medical records (EMR), and billing systems.

4. 41% of consumers have not heard of telemedicine
According to a Healthmine survey of 1,200 consumer representatives, 41% of consumers had never heard of telemedicine. Among millennials (aged 25 to 34), only 30% were unfamiliar with telemedicine, while this figure rose to 46% in the 45-to-64 age group.


In the survey, when consumers were asked whether they would accept telemedicine as an alternative to traditional in-person consultations if offered by their physicians, 45% of respondents indicated they would accept it, 16% said they would not, and 39% were uncertain. Among Millennials, 58% expressed willingness to accept telemedicine, whereas the proportion dropped to 37% among individuals aged 55 to 64. Additionally, the percentage of respondents who were uncertain was 15% among Millennials and 17% among older adults.

Earlier this month, TechnologyAdvice conducted a survey of 500 individuals and found that approximately 35% of consumers indicated they might opt for virtual tours when alone. The survey also revealed that 56% of respondents felt somewhat uncomfortable with doctor visits conducted via telemedicine services. On the other hand, 75% stated that they did not trust diagnoses made by doctors through video consultations.

5. Gengmei App Secures Tens of Millions of Dollars in Series B Funding

On July 21, Gengmei App, a social networking and service platform for medical aesthetics, announced that it had secured tens of millions of dollars in Series B financing, led by U.S.-based VIVO Capital and participated by Sequoia Capital. The Gengmei team stated that following this new round of funding, the app would evolve from a medical aesthetics platform into a comprehensive consumer healthcare platform. It plans to expand its offerings to include consumer healthcare services such as dentistry and ophthalmology, and begin exploring other vertical markets including dermatology, anti-aging, and nutrition.

From the perspective of medical aesthetics, this marks the first major financing round in the medical aesthetics O2O sector this year. As a segment of the medical aesthetics O2O market driven largely by the “she-economy,” product risks and consumers’ safety concerns constitute the primary industry challenges; addressing these issues is key to truly satisfying the consumer base.

On the same day, another company, MaiMai Elderly Care, also announced its financing news.

Maimai Elderly Care Secures Multi-Million RMB Angel Investment from Beijing Tongdu Venture Capital. The investment agreement was officially signed in June, and the funds will be used for team recruitment, product development, and the establishment of wholly-owned subsidiaries in Beijing and Shanghai.