Kinsa: Real-Time Tracking of the COVID-19 Outbreak

Today’s Portfolio Company: Kinsa

Kinsa, an AVG portfolio company, is an illness tracking system that uses predictive modeling, real-time health data, and smart thermometers to help users manage symptoms. Now the company may also be one of the leading real-time trackers of the COVID-19 outbreak. The company helps families, communities, and public health officials make smarter, data-driven decisions. Kinsa was recently featured in the New York Times and in numerous national media outlets.

Kinsa processes data from the use of its smart thermometers to track the spread and intensity of influenza-like illnesses. On their U.S. Health Weather Map site, you can examine their flu-activity data county by county.

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Kinsa’s Focus 

1. Help people access appropriate care early, right when they fall ill: Their network helps people get healthy by offering tailored guidance and care as soon as illness strikes.
2. Help communities respond to curb the spread of illness in schools and beyond: Their school-based illness prevention program, FLUency, helped produce a 21% decrease in avoidable ER visits based on claims data.
3. Track and predict the spread of infectious illness across the U.S. in real-time:
   Kinsa is able to detect outbreaks at least three weeks ahead of the CDC, even at sub-state levels (NYT)

Our Investment

Alumni Ventures Group’s fund for the MIT community, Castor Ventures, invested in Kinsa in 2016, alongside Kleiner Perkins. AVG provides smart, simple venture portfolios with community to accredited individuals.