How the Australian healthcare startup became a billion-dollar ‘unicorn’
Heidi, an Australian healthcare startup, has achieved 'unicorn' status with a $1.26 billion valuation after raising $US340 million to expand its AI agents. Initially transcribing appointments, Heidi's software is now used in 2.8 million patient visits weekly worldwide and aims to tackle global healthcare worker shortages.
Why it matters
This highlights the rapid growth and significant investment in AI-driven healthcare solutions, demonstrating how technology is being leveraged to address critical challenges like workforce shortages in the medical field.
Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items.
Remove items from your saved list to add more.
Share A A A In consulting rooms across Australia, millions of patients this year have been asked whether they mind artificial intelligence transcribing the appointment. About 40 per cent of GPs were using a tool of that kind late last year, according to a Royal Australian College of General Practitioners poll, up from 22 per cent in 2024. None of those products are approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
They don’t need to be. The biggest of them is Heidi, built in Melbourne by a former vascular surgery resident, and it runs in about 2.8 million patient visits a week worldwide. It is exempt for a single reason: as it works today, it only writes things down.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in