Gayle Dawn PhotographySpectrumAi has raised $9 million in seed funding to help it push greater use of data in treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Founded in 2021, the Los Angeles-based tech startup provides session management tools and data analytics that track care quality and outcomes data for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy providers, a leading form of ASD treatment.
SpectrumAi’s target clientele is ABA therapy providers seeking to modernize their session management practices and better track treatment.
The company also works with payers who want access to the aggregate data generated by SpectrumAi users and aim to be an impetus for value-based care adoption in ABA therapy and ASD treatment.
However, ABA therapy lacks universally accepted and objective data standards for care quality and outcomes. The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, an accrediting body, has launched partnerships with Cigna Corp. subsidiary Evernorth and with national managed care organization provider Centene Corp. to develop measures and benchmarks for care quality and good outcomes in ABA.
Ling Shao, co-founder and CEO of SpectrumAi and parent of four autistic sons, says the lack of standards in the ABA therapy space has major consequences.
“When used properly, ABA therapy can have a significant positive impact on a child’s life and their family; utilized poorly, ABA can actually be harmful,” Shao said in a news release. “I know the challenges of autism and have witnessed the power of excellence in ABA therapy. However, I also understand the quality of care varies dramatically.”
All 50 states require all health plans to cover some level of ABA therapy.
Cambridge, Massachusetts-based F-Prime Capital and Nashville, Tennessee-based Frist Cressey Ventures co-led the round. The Autism Impact Fund and Kent Marquardt, former CFO of Premera Blue Cross, also participated in the round, according to a news release.
The Autism Impact Fund announced an investment in SpectrumAi in December.
“Families, employers and health plans are all frustrated about the quality differential in ABA treatments,” Marquardt “We are all willing to pay but would like to get high-quality care in the process.”
The SpectrumAi leadership team is rounded out by co-founders Elizabeth Bigham and Chris Storer — who are chief operating officer and chief marketing officer respectively — Chief Commercial Officer Liz Hevenstone.
Its board members are Carl Byers, partner at F-Prime Capital; Navid Farzad, partner at Frist Cressey Ventures; and Jennifer Kuhn, chief network officer for Anthem Inc. (NYSE: ANTM).
There are several companies on the market focused on autism care. For example, pediatric behavioral health company Brightline, which recently scored $105 million in funding, offers autism-related services. Additionally, Mightier, which landed $17.5 million in March, offers a gamified platform that helps children with autism spectrum disorder and other conditions with behaviors.
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