- NeuroNetworks Fund (NNF) announced a $300,000 seed financing for Yale University spinoutMindNest Health
NeuroNetworks Fund (NNF) — a 501(c)(3) venture fund investing in innovative treatments for autism, epilepsy, and schizophrenia — announced a $300,000 seed financing for MindNest Health. MindNest Health is a digital health start-up developing tools and training for families of a child with autism or other behavioral conditions. The funds provided by NNF and Connecticut Innovations will be released in tranches on the achievement of milestones.
Connecticut Innovations is the strategic venture capital arm for the state of Connecticut. And these funds will allow MindNest to advance its digital parent-training program to beta testing.
MindNest was founded by David Grodberg, M.D. — who is a Medical Director at the Yale Child Study Center, an internationally recognized center of innovation in child and family mental health.
MindNest Health is a digital health company whose mission is to increase access to high-quality care for children with autism and other behavioral conditions. Studies have shown that early intervention for children with autism is critical, but receiving care from a top child behavioral health center requires proximity to one of these centers and often many months of waiting.
This decreases the chances for the best outcomes for the children and increases stress for parents. And the MindNest Health platform teaches parents skills and techniques typically only available from these top child behavioral health centers. Plus the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented interruption in access to health services for parents and their children. As a result, the need for digital health solutions has never been greater.
John Puziss, Ph.D., Director of Business Development at the Yale University Office of Cooperative Research (OCR), will be taking a seat on MindNest’s board.
Key Quotes:
“We are grateful to NeuroNetworks Fund and to Yale University for the support and hard work leading to this financing. These funds will allow MindNest to advance this platform towards commercialization. MindNest was founded in New Haven and we plan to grow our company here, giving us access to both Yale University and New Haven’s burgeoning tech community.”
-Lauren Belliveau, CEO of MindNest Health
“We are grateful for the partnership and support of Connecticut Innovations and Yale’s Office of Cooperative Research in seeing the potential of MindNest Health. We believe that this milestone validates the business model of NeuroNetworks Fund, where our goal is to leverage our team’s decades of healthcare investing experience to identify and fund promising, near term and practical solutions for people living with autism, epilepsy and schizophrenia.”
-Sandra Panem, Ph.D., Founder and President of NeuroNetworks Fund
“At Yale OCR, I have the privilege of working with many innovators each year, and I’m excited about MindNest’s approach to help children and families living with autism and other behavioral challenges. I look forward to working with MindNest in the future as a Board member.”
-John Puziss, Ph.D., Director of Business Development at the Yale University Office of Cooperative Research (OCR)
