NEC X, the Silicon Valley venture studio backed by NEC’s portfolio of advanced technologies and global businesses, today announced a new investment in General Prognostics Inc. (GPx), a fast-growing MedTech startup revolutionizing chronic disease monitoring and management.
The investment coincides with GPx joining the Elev X! Boost program, an individually tailored venture program for ambitious startups that are ready to scale. The program offers a unique blend of capital, strategic partnerships, and integrations with NEC X’s expansive tech ecosystem to propel startups to global success.
Through Elev X! Boost, GPx will refine the accuracy of its debut product, CardioID, the world’s first implant and needle-free remote blood monitoring solution for heart failure patients, while growing revenue, expanding into new markets and securing additional funding. The system, developed by GPx, extracts biomarkers from wearable devices, such as heart rate, heart rate variability, step count, and voice data, and employs machine learning to develop predictive models that surpass the accuracy of traditional implant-based monitoring solutions.
“GPx’s innovative approach to heart monitoring and chronic disease management is a perfect fit for the NEC Group’s vision of leveraging advanced technology to improve quality of life,” said Shintaro Matsumoto, President and CEO of NEC X. “By joining forces with GPx, we aim to enhance their predictive algorithms and capabilities. Together, we can transform the healthcare industry.”
GPx aims to improve the lives of individuals with chronic diseases by providing personalized, predictive monitoring solutions. Conventional heart failure monitoring typically relies on invasive implants, limiting its use to patients with severe conditions. CardioID addresses this gap by offering non-invasive, real-time monitoring without the need for surgery or frequent blood tests, significantly expanding access to continuous care for the majority of heart failure patients who are unable to receive implant-based monitoring.
“NEC X’s investment and strategic partnership are invaluable as we work to expand our mission of providing personalized healthcare solutions to millions of patients,” said Sean Matsuoka, Co-Founder of GPx. “This collaboration will not only help us improve the performance of our technology, but also accelerate our growth and ability to help patients with chronic diseases worldwide.”
GPx’s leadership team, composed of graduates from MIT and Harvard, offers deep expertise across engineering, legal, product management, and sales in healthcare and medical devices. Its co-founders Sean Matsuoka and Javier Echenique have held leadership roles at Caresyntax, M3, McKinsey & Company, Sony Corporation, Jana Care, Medtronic, and Volcano. Additionally, the startup’s founding advisor, Sidhant Jena co-founded and served as CEO of Jana Care and held R&D leadership roles at Medtronic.
The investment in GPx is part of NEC X’s broader strategy to support healthcare innovation. By fostering partnerships with startups like GPx, NEC X aims to address critical challenges in healthcare, such as improving access to monitoring for chronic disease patients and reducing the burden on healthcare systems. The investment will support GPx’s growth and development as they prepare to scale their operations and bring CardioID to market.