Forward

Forward, founded by Adrian Aoun, a former Google employee, offers preventative care services through eight physical clinics as well as virtually. It provides treatments (consultations and prescriptions) for chronic and acute conditions as a part of its membership. 

Covered conditions include everyday health issues such as cold, fever, allergies, dermatological issues, and stress; chronic conditions including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes; proactive care services such as weight loss, age and genetic related issues, cancer screening, nutrition plans, mental health; and liver and kidney screenings. Forward also allows members to establish health goals and track progress.

The company mainly focuses on the B2C segment and charges a monthly flat rate of USD 149, which is not covered by health insurance plans. The members get unlimited access to doctors and caretakers virtually and in-person under the subscription plan, as opposed to caps on the number of visits by some competitors.

Forward leverages technology in its physical locations and customer premises in service delivery. The company introduced a series of medical devices such as cardiac ultrasound devices, DNA sequencing tools, digital stethoscopes, portable infrared vein finders, 3D body scanners, and natural language processors to record conversations with physicians and patients. Members are also provided with wearable devices to share real-time patient data with caregivers. If a device detects unusual health data, Forward alerts doctors to ensure the proper interventions are taken. In November 2023, the company launched AI-powered modules for health screening and diagnosis called CarePods which it plans to deploy in 2024 at a monthly rate of USD 99. 

Funding and financials

In November 2023, the company raised USD 100 million in a Series E funding round led by Khosla Ventures, Founders Fund, and Softbank. The funds were allocated towards building and commercializing its CarePods.