Dopl Technologies, a Seattle-based startup dedicated to delivering diagnostic exams and interventional procedures to underserved communities through telerobotics, has successfully raised $1.5 million in a pre-seed funding round.
According to Co-founder and CEO Ryan James, the funding round was led by TVF and included contributions from notable investors such as Precursor Ventures, Seattle Angel Conference, Flywheel (NCW Tech Alliance), The Pitch Fund, Measured Capital, Dreamward Event Fund (Washington State Black Angel Network), the University of Washington, Dream Variation Ventures, and several angel investors. James shared the announcement in a LinkedIn post.
“The capital is accelerating our ability to distribute life-saving ultrasound exams to underserved patients, enabling earlier diagnoses of critical diseases in our $20B beachhead market,” James stated.
Dopl Technologies was founded by James, along with COO Steve Seslar and Chief Medical Officer Wayne Monsky. The trio began exploring innovative methods for delivering healthcare services while conducting research at the University of Washington in 2017.
The company aims to address the challenges faced by rural patients who often need to travel long distances to access specialized care typically available in urban centers. Using Dopl’s telerobotic ultrasound system, a robotic arm stationed at a rural hospital can be remotely operated by a sonographer in a different location, enabling efficient and timely medical assessments.