Optain is a technology company.
Optain has raised $26.0M across 1 funding round.
Optain has raised $26.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Optain is a healthcare technology company developing AI-powered oculomics solutions that use retinal imaging to detect eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration, as well as systemic conditions such as cardiovascular disease.[1][2][3] Its core products include Resolve, a portable robotic retinal camera that captures images without pupil dilation, and Assure, a diagnostic platform integrating AI workflows and teleophthalmology for point-of-care screening.[1][2][3] Optain serves health systems, primary care providers, optometrists, and underserved communities, addressing gaps in preventive care by enabling rapid, non-invasive testing to close equity disparities and reduce costs.[2][3][4] Founded in 2023, it has raised $38M total ($12M seed in 2023, $26M oversubscribed Series A in 2025), achieving strong growth through partnerships with major U.S. health systems like Northwell Health, Memorial Hermann, and UPMC, serving over 28 million patients across 25 states.[1][3][4]
Optain was launched in 2023 by Aegis Ventures and Northwell Holdings through their Ascertain platform, a company-creation initiative started in 2022 to build AI solutions for healthcare challenges.[2] The company stems from over a decade of research by Professor Mingguang (Ming) He, a global leader in oculomics based in Australia, backed by 30+ peer-reviewed publications.[1][3][4] Jeff Dunkel serves as CEO, emphasizing the shift from reactive to proactive care, while Dr. Zachary Tan is President, overseeing Australian R&D and global expansion.[2][3] Early traction came from Northwell Health as its flagship customer, with the $12M seed funding enabling initial deployments focused on ophthalmology and health equity in underserved areas.[2] The 2025 Series A, led by Insight Partners, accelerated U.S. scaling and international growth after two years of momentum.[3][4]
Optain rides the oculomics and AI preventive care wave, leveraging the retina as a "window to whole-body health" amid rising demand for non-invasive, early-detection tools in primary care.[1][3] Timing aligns with healthcare's shift to proactive screening, fueled by AI advancements, telehealth growth post-pandemic, and equity mandates, as legacy tools remain expensive and specialist-dependent.[2][4] Market tailwinds include diabetic retinopathy affecting millions (e.g., U.S. screening shortfalls) and systemic disease burdens, where Optain's edge AI reduces costs and expands access beyond ophthalmology.[3] It influences the ecosystem by pioneering point-of-care AI, partnering with health giants to standardize oculomics, and exporting Australian innovation globally, potentially reshaping preventive diagnostics.[3][4]
Optain is poised for explosive growth, with Series A funds fueling U.S. enterprise rollouts, new markets like optometry, and expanded AI capabilities revealing more retinal insights (e.g., beyond current eye/cardio detections).[3][4] Trends like AI edge computing, value-based care, and global health equity will propel it, especially as health systems prioritize upstream screening to cut downstream costs.[2][4] Its influence may evolve into a primary care staple, influencing competitors like Mediwhale and Toku Eyes while driving oculomics adoption worldwide through Australian R&D hubs.[1][3] From seed-stage launch to $38M-funded scaler, Optain exemplifies how AI oculomics turns the eye into preventive health's ultimate gateway.[1][2]
Optain has raised $26.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Optain's investors include Afore Capital, Antiportfolio Ventures, Crossbeam Venture Partners, Insight Partners, Overlooked Ventures, Right Side Capital Management, Stone Mountain Ventures, Evan Moore.
Optain has raised $26.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $26.0M Series A in September 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2025 | $26.0M Series A | Afore Capital, Antiportfolio Ventures, Crossbeam Venture Partners, Insight Partners, Overlooked Ventures, Right Side Capital Management, Stone Mountain Ventures, Evan Moore |