Portrait No. 001
Anu Sharma
Founder
Millie
Raised — $19M
Millie was founded following a \"near miss\" with postpartum preeclampsia following the birth of my daughter. With a professional background in health innovation, I was lucky that I knew the signs and how to navigate the health system to receive timely care. This happens all too often in the US healthcare system, which has the poorest maternal health outcomes amongst peer nations. I believe mothers deserve more, and a better model is possible. Millie has proved this, and we are now scaling our model with some of the largest health systems in the US. Please see this SF Chronicle oped on why Millie exists: https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/maternity-health-care-20202847.php
In her words
“The US has the worst maternal outcomes amongst its peer nations. Change is possible, but it must be created. I am building Millie to create it.”
Chapter I
The toughest challenges you've faced as a founder.
Building a company like Millie is hard -- we had to build a clinic, create a new care model for a vulnerable population, prove it could work, and then find a way to scale it within the complexity of the US healthcare system. Raising capital for this work is exceptionally difficult -- VCs like to fund AI and software, not maternity clinics. I come to this with many disadvantages -- a woman founder, that too a woman of color and an immigrant -- all collectively part of the demographic that receives about 2% of all venture capital. There were many, many points where I didn't think I could do it. A year into Millie, I very unexpectedly lost my dad to metastatic cancer. It was just before I went out to raise our Series A in a particularly tough market (2024). We went on to close the round with some of the most prominent investors in women's health. We have since gone on to scaling Millie with some of the largest health systems. Company building is about not quitting -- especially in the hardest moments.
Chapter II
Your vision.
We have already built the next generation of maternity care in the US -- one that is more complete, right-sized, proactive, and supportive. We are reducing unnecessary c-sections, preterm births, NICU stays, and improving maternal mental health. We are now working on making this the default model in the US.
Chapter III
The impact you want to leave behind — for your industry, your community, and the women who come next.
I want to create a world where women feel supported as they become mothers, and giving birth safely doesn't depend on luck.