Quilt Health, a Boston-based digital health company focused on bridging treatment access gaps for complex diseases, has closed a $6 million seed funding round, bringing its total funding to $8 million. The round was led by MaC Venture Capital and Underscore Ventures, with participation from Meridian Street Capital, BoxGroup, Watershed VC and Coalition Operators.
The company is addressing the persistent challenge of clinical trial recruitment, where more than 70% of trials fail to meet enrollment thresholds, a problem particularly acute in rare disease research. Quilt Health's platform modernizes clinical trial access by expanding the number and type of sites included in trials while closing the gap between real-world care and research.
The technology integrates multiple data sources and applies AI to unstructured data to surface key patient characteristics and outcomes. Combined with patient engagement tools, the platform maintains connections between patients and clinicians between visits to improve care and increase access to cutting-edge treatments. For pharmaceutical sponsors, Quilt's network and platform promise to accelerate trial execution, reduce operational costs, and support more representative patient enrollment.
Alongside the funding announcement, Quilt Health revealed its partnership with the National Alliance of Sickle Cell Centers (NASCC), established in March 2025. With more than 115 sickle cell centers represented, NASCC provides Quilt Health with a national network for combining research and patient care.
"Together, we are creating a more effective, national, patient-centered ecosystem that speeds up the path to market for life-saving treatments," said Andy Ellner, Founder and CEO of Quilt Health.
The partnership addresses the specific needs of sickle cell disease, the most common rare disease in the United States, which primarily affects African, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean populations. However, the company plans to rapidly expand its platform to other hematologic, neurological, and cardiovascular disorders.
"We are delighted to partner with Quilt Health," said Julie Kanter, Founder and President of NASCC. "By matching a purpose built technology solution with the needs of a network of world-class sickle cell centers including multidisciplinary teams of clinicians and researchers, we will drive towards improving the quality OF care and access TO care for people living with Sickle Cell Disease."
The seed funding will accelerate product development, fuel research and development efforts, and expand the Quilt Health team. The company plans to partner with high-quality health systems in regions that have not traditionally benefited from major life sciences focus and investment, ensuring its platform reaches underserved doctors, researchers, and patients.
"Quilt Health is tackling one of the most critical barriers in clinical research-patient recruitment and retention-by fundamentally reshaping how trials operate," said Marlon Nichols, Managing Partner at MaC Venture Capital. "Quilt is not just improving healthcare efficiency but reshaping the entire landscape of rare disease research. The team has the potential to be a revolutionary force in providing life-altering therapies to people who need them most thanks to its scalable methodology and patient-first approach."
Brian Devaney, Partner at Underscore VC, emphasized the founders' unique qualifications: "The Quilt Health founding team stands out even in Boston's robust healthcare innovation ecosystem. Andy and Jazmine's proven experience building trust with stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem makes them uniquely positioned to build a valuable solution for patients, providers, and life sciences companies alike."
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