Wellness device maker Basis scoops up $9M

By: Brian Dolan | Mar 29, 2011        

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Basis BandSan Francisco-based health and wellness startup, Basis just closed $9 million in a first round of funding led by Norwest Venture Partners and Doll Capital Management, according to a report at Venture Beat. Basis, previously known as PulseTracer, offers a wrist worn device called Basis Band that measures the wearer’s heart rate and other vital signs. Basis also plans to allow third party developers to build apps that work with the device.

While Basis Band is available for pre-order from the company’s website at $199, the company has yet to announce when the device will first ship.

According to Venture Beat, the company has also hired a “superstar CEO,” a position currently held by co-founder Nadeem Kassam.

Basis wrote on its blog that the funding will help speed up delivery of the product to those already on the preorder wait list. The deal also brings two new advisors to the company: Tim Chang from Norwest Venture Partners and Jason Krikorian from DCM, Basis wrote.

We also noted that former Engineering Program Manager at Google Health, Julie Wilner is Director of Product at Basis. She’s held the position since leaving Google Health last August.

Around that same time Basis COO Bharat Vasan demonstrated the company’s device, then called Pulse Tracer, at a Quantified Self event. The 11 minute video can be viewed here.

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