The Helper Bees is a technology company.
The Helper Bees has raised $48.0M across 2 funding rounds.
The Helper Bees has raised $48.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
The Helper Bees is an Austin-based InsurTech company founded in 2015 that builds a technology platform enabling older adults to age in place independently at home.[1][2][6] It serves insurance carriers (long-term care, workers' compensation, disability), Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicaid health plans, and families by connecting them to a nationwide network of over 25,000 vetted non-medical service providers for home care, modifications, meals, housekeeping, transportation, and more.[2][3][4] The platform solves fragmented care delivery and high institutionalization costs through digital claims data acquisition, provider credentialing, fulfillment, analytics, and tools like the "helpful" Flex Card for seamless payments on services and OTC products, reducing claims costs while improving member satisfaction and health outcomes.[1][2][4][5]
Recent growth includes a $35M Series C funding round in early 2025 led by Centana Growth Partners, with participation from Silverton Partners, Impact Engine, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, and Alumni Ventures, bringing total revenue to $205.6M and employee count to 220+.[1][3][4][6] This capital fuels expansion of at-home solutions amid rising demand for aging-in-place services.[3]
The Helper Bees was founded in 2015 in Austin, Texas, by CEO Char Hu and a team blending healthcare expertise, technical innovation, and caregiving experience.[2][6] The idea emerged from recognizing gaps in supporting "social determinants of aging"—environmental factors affecting health outcomes for seniors—and the need for payers to deliver non-medical home services efficiently.[5] Early focus centered on software for digitally acquiring claims data in long-term care, workers' compensation, and disability, evolving into a full platform for care management that powers cost savings and better user experiences.[1][5]
Pivotal moments include launching a Care Concierge product that demonstrated reduced institutionalization rates, expansion into Medicare Advantage in 2022, and 2024 innovations like the "helpful" Flex Card (accessing 60,000+ retail locations) and partnerships such as BBC Maestro for wellness education.[4][5] By 2025, a $35M Series C validated its traction, positioning it to scale nationwide.[3]
The Helper Bees rides the aging-in-place megatrend, fueled by America's aging population—10,000+ turning 65 daily—and payer shifts toward home-based care to close "care gaps," cut institutionalization (costing billions), and address social determinants of health.[2][3][5] Timing aligns with Medicare Advantage growth (50%+ of beneficiaries) and post-pandemic demand for non-medical services, amplified by regulatory pushes for value-based care.[4][5]
Market forces like rising LTCI/MA enrollment, labor shortages in home care, and tech adoption in InsurTech favor its model, enabling payers to integrate services without building networks.[1][3] It influences the ecosystem by setting standards for payer-provider-member connectivity, reducing friction in fragmented $100B+ home care markets, and inspiring hybrid tech-service plays.[2][5]
With $35M fresh capital, The Helper Bees will likely accelerate Flex Card adoption, expand into new payer segments like Medicaid, and enhance AI-driven analytics for personalized care plans.[3][4] Trends like AI personalization, embedded payments, and SDOH integration will shape its path, potentially doubling revenue amid 7%+ annual home care market growth.
Its influence may evolve from niche InsurTech to category leader, powering 1M+ seniors' independence and redefining payer economics—echoing its founding mission to transform aging through data and human-centered tech.[2][3]
The Helper Bees has raised $48.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
The Helper Bees's investors include Alumni Ventures, Twelve Below, Amadeus Capital Partners, Chicago Ventures, Hubrix Ventures, Picus Capital, Revelry Venture Partners, Tensility Venture Partners, Tribeca Venture Partners, Trust Ventures, Union Square Ventures.
The Helper Bees has raised $48.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $35.0M Series C in January 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2025 | $35.0M Series C | Alumni Ventures, Twelve Below | |
| Jan 1, 2022 | $13.0M Series B | Amadeus Capital Partners, Chicago Ventures, Hubrix Ventures, Picus Capital, Revelry Venture Partners, Tensility Venture Partners, Tribeca Venture Partners, Trust Ventures, Union Square Ventures |