Xella Health, co-founded by biotechnology executive Adriana Dantas and Kelly Lacob, is using artificial intelligence to improve detection of conditions affecting women. The company focuses on a healthcare sector that remains underfunded and underrepresented compared to general medicine.
Lacob, whose mother battled ovarian cancer for years, saw the gaps in women’s health care firsthand. She notes that even patients with good insurance have persistent questions about what to ask doctors and how to track emerging research. Women’s health accounts for only 6% of private healthcare investment, according to research cited by Lacob.
Dantas approached Lacob two and a half years ago with the idea of using AI for earlier detection of women’s health conditions. Lacob, then a student at Stanford Graduate School of Business, had just moved home to become her mother’s primary caregiver. The timing aligned perfectly with Dantas’s vision.
The startup enters a space where scientific progress has lagged due to chronic underinvestment. By focusing on early detection, Xella Health could address diagnostic delays that many women face. Lacob emphasized that even high-quality healthcare leaves patients struggling for answers.
Counter_argument: While AI-powered diagnostics show promise, women’s health startups still face significant hurdles in funding and adoption. The sector’s small share of investment means scaling such solutions remains challenging, and regulatory barriers could slow deployment.