Wellola raises €2.2M to expand its platform

Wellola, an Irish start-up supported by EIT Health, has raised €2.2M in a recent funding round.

The round was led by Elkstone, with additional funding from Enterprise Ireland. The investment brings Wellola’s total funding to date to €4M.

Founded in Dublin in 2016 by chartered physiotherapist Sonia Neary, Wellola offers healthcare organisations a digital care and communications platform, catering to the shift of healthcare from clinical settings to the home, a trend accelerated by the pandemic.

Wellola’s flagship product, Portasana®, is a patient care and communication platform used by clinical teams across the UK. It facilitates supported self-management and hospital-at-home services, reducing waiting lists and alleviating bed management pressure. Additionally, Portasana® helps cut costs by eliminating postage expenses and minimizing no-show occurrences. Moreover, it enhances efficiency and simplifies communication between healthcare providers and patients, while being adopted by renowned healthcare institutions.

Shona D’Arcy, Entrepreneurship Lead at EIT Health Ireland-UK, said, “Congratulations to Wellola on their latest funding round. Their innovative approach to healthcare communication and patient care is truly commendable. We are proud to have supported them through our programmes, and their expansion comes at the best time, as the demand for digital health solutions continues to surge.”

Wellola has been a part of several EIT Health programmes to date, including the Women Entrepreneurship Bootcamp Accelerator and the Bridgehead programme.

Sonia Neary, CEO at Wellola, said, “At Wellola, we are transforming healthcare delivery for both patients and health professionals through fully interoperable innovation. Digital interventions like ours can address health inequalities by being scalable, affordable, and accessible. This investment will enable us to further enhance our Portasana® patient care and communication platform and also expand our footprint across the UK, ultimately empowering healthcare professionals to deliver more efficient, effective, and personalised care to their patients.”

Major healthcare organisations, including Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, the North East London Foundation Trust, and Birmingham Community NHS Trust, have already deployed the Portasana® platform. Wellola’s expansion comes at a time of growing demand for digital health solutions. Through Portasana®, healthcare providers can engage with patients more comprehensively, which improves adherence to treatment plans, and ultimately leads to better health outcomes.