Alyve Health to enhance AI with $6M Series A funding

Alyve Health, an Indian startup offering personalised digital health plans for corporates, has raked in $5.5 million in a Series A funding round led by Axilor Ventures. The round was also participated by 1Crowd Fund, InHealth Ventures, and Trifecta Capital. 

Founded in 2020, the startup offers tailored comprehensive health plans, ranging from prevention to treatment, including 24/7 doctor consultations, diagnostics, medication, dental care, and gym memberships. It presently provides services to over a million members through its partner insurers, brokers, financial institutions, clinics, diagnostic centres, and fitness studios.

The startup will reportedly use its fresh funds to improve its data, security, and AI capabilities, as well as expand operations, hire more talent, and enhance services. 

Huize begins Southeast Asia expansion with Vietnamese insurtech acquisition

Chinese insurance technology company Huize has acquired fellow insurtech company Global Care in Vietnam. 

The acquisition, it is said, marks the beginning of Huize's international expansion, starting in Southeast Asia, where markets parallel those of China. Powered by AI and data analytics, Huize's insurtech platform connects consumers, insurers, and insurance distributors. It provides a range of technology-enabled insurance solutions, including insurance consultation, customer engagement, marketing, risk management, and claims service. 

Global Care, founded in 2017, offers a range of cloud API solutions that assist insurers in streamlining and digitising their sales processes, operations, and policy administration. Its mobile apps connect insurers with merchants and various distribution channels such as Grab and Ahamove, offering a wide selection of insurance products to a diverse base of customers. 

Huize, through its global subsidiary Poni Insurtech, will buy a controlling stake in Global Care, and later absorb it as one of its subsidiaries. 

JLK bags first US FDA for AI solution

South Korean medical AI company JLK recently obtained regulatory approval in the United States for its AI solution for prostate cancer diagnosis.

It received the 510(k) clearance for MEDIHUB Prostate, which uses AI to analyse prostate MRI scans and assess prostate-specific antigen levels. The AI software was developed through clinical trials with Seoul Asan Medical Center in South Korea and the University of Missouri in the US. 

This is the first of five regulatory applications JLK has filed with the US FDA this year.

Online CBT relieves mental distress among Hong Kong uni students

A two-year study at a Hong Kong university has found an internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) programme effective in alleviating mental health issues among students.

Researchers led by Dr Pan Jiayan, an associate professor of the Department of Social Work at Hong Kong Baptist University, tested the iCBT programme called REST Online to address growing mental health concerns of university students in Hong Kong amid the shortage of professional support in the city during the recent pandemic. 

The 10-week self-guided programme involves eight online modules covering CBT skills briefing and debriefing, case demonstration videos, and online assignments and assessments. It also includes two counselling sessions with a therapist done in person or online. 

Findings from the study, which have been published in the academic journal Research on Social Work Practice, showed a "significant" reduction of psychological distress, depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as negative thoughts and negative emotions, among student participants upon completion of the programme. There was also a noted increase in their positive thoughts and emotions. The online sessions also showed "steady" improvement in the participants’ mood.