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UnityAI, a startup aimed at helping hospitals better manage bedside operations, raised a $4 million seed, CEO Edmund Jackson tells Axios exclusively.

Why it matters: Hospitals are struggling to discharge recovering patients to new settings, reducing overall health system capacity.

What's happening: Max Ventures led the round, alongside a co-investment from existing (and largest) backer Whistler Capital.

Nashville Capital Network and Company Ventures also participated.

Funds are designed to last 12–18 months as the Nashville-based company grows its R&D team, Jackson says.

How it works: Developed by Jackson, Cody Hall and Jason Parker — all former data scientists at HCA Healthcare — UnityAI uses machine learning and large-language model to streamline daily hospital workflows.

The patient discharge process, for example, involves moving pieces like post-acute placement, durable medical equipment needs and medication management instruction.

Using UnityAI's platform, providers can identify specific patient needs and coordinate with other team members quickly to discharge, says Jackson.

What's next: The company is evaluating product market fit with a few large hospital networks in Nashville, Jackson says.

"We expect to be in tens to dozens of hospitals by the end of the year," he adds.

What they're saying: Max Ventures has seen a lot of decks for new health care AI companies, says partner Ryan Darnell. The UnityAI founders' backgrounds helped it stand out.

"From his time at HCA, his time in health care, [Jackson] knows exactly what the problem is. He knows exactly how these hospitals operate," Darnell says.

Between the lines: Bed management operations can differ significantly depending on the size and location of a health system, which could make customization and implementation more challenging for UnityAI.

Yes, but: Jackson says that's part of the problem.

"We believe that there are some standard things that should be implemented in a similar way across hospitals," Jackson says.

"So we're building a portfolio of playbooks ... which can then be adjusted" using generative AI, he adds.

State of play: Startups deploying AI to streamline and automate hospital operations have attracted investor dollars in recent months.

Last November, General Catalyst merged portfolio companies Commure and Athelas with a $70 million investment, purporting to create an AI-powered, integrated hospital operating system.

In January, Artisight raised a $42 million Series B from Nvidia and other undisclosed investors for a smart hospital platform, pairing IoT sensors and machine learning.

Last October, General Catalyst and Andreessen Horowitz teamed up to back Hippocratic AI, which offers providers AI-patient simulation models to boost medical learning. (Though the company has kept mum on specific applications to date.)

Former HCA execs land $4M for hospital bed management

Hospitals are struggling to discharge recovering patients to new settings.

Illustration of a woman in a hospital gown made from a one hundred dollar bill sitting on an examination bed.

Health tech deals

UnityAI, a startup aimed at helping hospitals better manage bedside operations, raised a $4 million seed, CEO Edmund Jackson tells Axios exclusively.Why it matters: Hospitals are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="struggling to discharge" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/07/26/report-hospitals-still-struggling-to-discharge-patients" data-vars-content-id="a6a00a24-789c-4771-88de-a62c007560e2" data-vars-headline="Former HCA execs land $4M for hospital bed management" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/07/26/report-hospitals-still-struggling-to-discharge-patients" target="_self">struggling to discharge</a> recovering patients to new settings, reducing overall health system capacity.

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Former HCA execs land $4M for hospital bed management

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