Alex Wolkomir

Plural exists to invest in startups solving the hardest problems out there, and one of those is how to look after our sick and elderly as populations age, rates of chronic disease rise and the cost of global healthcare grows each year. That’s why we’re doubling down and leading a $20m Series A for Teton, which is building world-class technology for a sector that has seen barely any disruption, even in the face of a growing labour shortage. Teton’s technology automates routine checks on wards, combining specialised cameras with computer vision AI models that continuously monitor patients around the clock and alert nurses when someone needs attention. This system reduces menial work, allowing healthcare workers to spend more time on what they are best at: the human job of attending to patients in need of help, leading to happier staff who are less likely to experience burnout. The technology also shifts care from reactive to preventative, meaning better health outcomes for patients and residents. As an example, implementing Teton reduces falls - the leading cause of injury-related death in adults aged 65 or over - by 82%. The end result is a product that replaces one-off patient spot checks with more detailed ongoing assessment, improves patient outcomes and reduces resource for healthcare providers. This means that in a sector with a serious labour shortage, providers can safely look after people with a smaller number of nurses. For patients, that has the benefit of lowering the overall cost to access the very best care. Co-founders Mikkel Wad Thorsen and Esben Thorius spent more than 100 nights in hospitals to see how healthcare professionals can be helped best by technology, and the value they’re creating speaks for itself: Teton is now live in five countries across 35 care providers. Read more about why we invested in Teton here: https://lnkd.in/gwdcCczx With coverage in Reuters here: https://lnkd.in/g_eqiyex

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I’m thrilled to announce defy.vc’s investment in Birches Health as part of their $20M combined Seed and Series A funding round, alongside incredible partners like AlleyCorp, General Catalyst, Will Ventures, and others. As someone deeply passionate about backing companies that tackle important problems for our society, I couldn’t be more excited about what Birches is building—a national virtual clinic dedicated to treating gambling addiction and related behavioral disorders like gaming, sex, porn, and internet addictions. What excites me most is Birches’ innovative health assurance model: proactive, accessible, and affordable care that’s evidence-based and delivered right at home. With the explosion of legal sports betting—think nearly $1.5 billion wagered on this year’s Super Bowl alone—we’re staring down a looming public health emergency. Traditional options like hotlines or generic therapy fall short for this high-acuity issue, but Birches changes that by offering specialized therapy from trained clinicians, multimodal treatment, and peer support, all covered by major insurers like United Healthcare, Cigna, Aetna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. It’s available in all 50 states, breaking down geographical and financial barriers that have left so many without help. The impact is already profound: 96% of patients report an improved quality of life, and 94% give Birches a 5/5 rating. By partnering with state governments, payors, and policymakers, Birches is pushing gambling addiction into the spotlight of behavioral health conversations, where it’s been neglected for too long—often leading to shame, worsened outcomes, and higher suicidality risks. This funding will supercharge their growth: expanding the provider network, boosting clinical excellence, scaling infrastructure, and deepening insurance and state partnerships to meet surging demand. Very excited to partner with Elliott Rapaport and the entire Birches team! See more about our POV in the blog post linked in the comments. #GamblingAddiction #BehavioralHealth #HealthTech #VentureCapital #Innovation

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How do you build a fund that makes 40 new investments a year—and still stays high-conviction? I sat down with Charles Hudson, Founder and Managing Partner at Precursor Ventures, who has quietly built one of the most prolific early-stage portfolios in VC—nearly 500 investments and counting, including The Athletic, Juniper Square, and Carrot Fertility. We discuss what he’s learned from 600+ investments, how to evaluate “founder taste,” why central casting is surging again, and the surprisingly strong performance of his consumer bets. Charles also breaks down their unconventional reserve strategy, why they rarely take board seats, and how they’re preparing for a changing venture landscape. The link to Episode 488 is in the comment section below.

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