Empo Health, a rising healthtech startup focused on proactive diabetic care, has raised $7 million in funding to expand its AI-driven smart scale and remote monitoring platform. The round was backed by Story Ventures, VTC Ventures, Ulu Ventures, SeaX Ventures, Arben Ventures, and Gaingels - a group aligned around Empo's mission to prevent complications before they escalate.

With this funding, the company aims to address one of the most overlooked but devastating outcomes in diabetes: foot ulcers and amputations, which impact millions of people globally each year and often result in prolonged hospitalization or permanent disability.

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.Why the Market Is Ready Now

According to the CDC, nearly 37 million Americans have diabetes, with over 1.5 million diagnosed annually. Of those, nearly 34% will develop a foot ulcer at some point - many leading to hospitalizations or amputations. The cost to the healthcare system exceeds $9 billion annually, and that's not counting indirect costs from lost work, extended care, and diminished quality of life.

The timing for Empo’s growth couldn’t be better. The global remote patient monitoring (RPM) market is expected to grow from $4.4 billion in 2022 to $23.9 billion by 2027, driven by an aging population, value-based care models, and reimbursement expansion from insurers and Medicare.

Hospitals and provider networks are seeking solutions that reduce readmissions and improve outcomes, and Empo’s device does both without requiring costly infrastructure changes.

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Where Founders Should Rethink “Innovation”

Here’s the moment worth pausing for - especially if you're building in healthtech, SaaS, or infrastructure:

Empo didn’t win by inventing something flashy. They won by embedding intelligence into a habit that already exists.

Standing on a scale is an action patients already perform. Empo layered a life-saving diagnostic onto that routine. Founders, this is the quiet revolution: Innovation doesn’t always require changing behavior - sometimes, it’s about upgrading what's already routine.

This insight separates noise from traction. If your product demands a complete workflow overhaul, you’re in a long, uphill sell. But if you can find the frictionless moments - where users already show up - you gain adoption, retention, and impact without brute-force education.

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Diabetes Management Market: Ripe for Disruption

The diabetes management market is massive and accelerating. According to the International Diabetes Federation, over 537 million adults are currently living with diabetes - a number expected to rise to 643 million by 2030.

In the U.S. alone, diabetic foot ulcers cost the healthcare system an estimated $9–13 billion annually, separate from the cost of diabetes itself. Early intervention solutions like Empo’s could save tens of thousands per patient, making them highly attractive to insurers and provider networks.

The broader remote patient monitoring (RPM) market is expected to reach $23.9 billion by 2027, driven by both policy shifts and post-pandemic demand for decentralized healthcare. Empo is riding this wave at the right time - combining clinical validation with consumer usability.

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Backed by Top-Tier Investors, Driven by Mission

Investors aren’t just betting on technology - they’re betting on execution and mission alignment. Empo Health’s founding team, led by Anuj Khandelwal, has deep experience in healthcare, biotech, and patient-centric design. With a personal connection to the challenges of diabetic care, the team built Empo with empathy as much as engineering.

This founder-market fit is a strong signal. Investors like Story Ventures and Gaingels increasingly prioritize startups that balance commercial scalability with real-world necessity - a theme Empo embodies perfectly.

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What’s Next for Empo Health

With $7 million now secured, the startup is primed to transform diabetic care from reactive to preventive. By embedding intelligence into a simple daily action, Empo is helping reduce amputations, lower healthcare costs, and give patients more control over their futures.