Citizen Health, a startup focused on empowering patients with rare and complex diseases, has raised $30 million in Series A funding. The round was led by 8VC, with participation from Transformation Capital and Headline, bringing Citizen's total funding to $44 million since its launch in December 2023.
The company is developing what it calls an "AI Advocate"—a personalized tool designed to help patients interpret their medical data, manage care, and make more informed decisions.
Nearly half of U.S. adults live with at least one chronic illness, and for many with rare or complex conditions, navigating the healthcare system can be overwhelming. Citizen Health aims to simplify that process by combining AI, community insights, and longitudinal health data.
"Today's patients aren't waiting—they're searching, deciding, and expecting more," said Farid Vij, CEO and co-founder of Citizen Health. "They deserve the same clarity, personalization, and intelligence in healthcare that they get in every other part of their lives."
Citizen Health’s ultimate goal is to transform fragmented care into a more connected, proactive experience—particularly in rare disease, where 95% of conditions still lack approved treatments.
The newly secured funds will go toward launching the first version of the AI Advocate in Q3 2025. It will debut in select patient communities and be complemented by a new product tailored for patient advocacy groups.
The company is also ramping up hiring across engineering, product, and design, with a strong emphasis on AI talent. Further investments will support expanded pharma collaborations and deeper integration with health policy and advocacy organizations.
Citizen Health is already showing early signs of traction:
These milestones point to both strong patient trust and broader industry validation.
The startup was co-founded by Farid Vij and Nasha Fitter, who previously worked together at their former company Citizen, acquired by Invitae (NYSE: NVTA) in 2021. With a leadership team rooted in AI, healthcare, and privacy, the founders bring both technical expertise and personal motivation tied to rare disease advocacy.
8VC led the round and is taking a board seat. “We backed Citizen because they are redefining the care model for patients with complex disease,” said Sebastian Caliri, Partner at 8VC. “Citizen's AI advocate is the foundation of a pioneering patient and caregiver experience.”
Other backers include Transformation Capital, Headline, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and angel investors. “It's rare to see a company combining such expertise in AI and consumer design to impact healthcare,” said Mathias Schilling, Founding Partner at Headline.
