In the Zone | Our Investment in Teal Health

The delivery model, however, hasn’t changed much since the 1920s. Getting screened still requires an in-person appointment complete with stirrups and a speculum. The experience is uncomfortable at best and unbearable at worst, especially for women with certain gynecological conditions or a history of trauma. Nearly one in four US women ages 21 to 65 is now overdue for screening as a result (more among those who are uninsured, rural, or on Medicaid). Roughly 70% of cervical cancer deaths occur in women who were underscreened. It’s a familiar story in healthcare: a scientific advance gets held back by uneven access to care. But it’s especially frustrating when that “advance” is nearly a century old. 

What Teal Does 

In contrast, the screening experience with Teal is decidedly modern: a woman self-collects a sample at home using Teal’s proprietary, ergonomic wand and mails the sample back in a pre-paid, addressed envelope, all taking about five minutes. The sample is read with the same accuracy as in-office collection, and Teal delivers results within a few days. Teal also manages the appropriate follow-up care and referral when required.  

Teal’s Progress to Date 

In 2025, the Teal Wand received FDA de novo authorization after a 16-site, 600-patient clinical trial showed it detects high-grade precancerous lesions at 96% sensitivity, matching clinician-collected samples. This makes Teal the first at-home cervical cancer platform to receive FDA authorization, and the only one that matches in-office accuracy.  

Leading professional societies including the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists and American Cancer Society support at-home screening. Teal launched nationally earlier this year and has proven that there is no lack of demand. So far, more than 12,000 women have screened with Teal, 59% of whom were behind on screening. Patient satisfaction is 99%. 

Teal experienced this growth even with patients paying out of pocket for access to the kit. Importantly, reimbursement will soon follow. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has included self-collected cervical cancer screening on its guidelines, which will require ACA-compliant commercial health plans to cover self-collection at no cost to the patient starting in 2027. 

.406 and Teal 

Our connection with Teal’s founder/CEO Kara Egan makes this a particularly special investment for .406. Kara has been a member of the .406 family since the beginning, when she worked as the firm’s first associate. We had a front row seat as Kara and her team designed the Teal Wand and brought it through the FDA authorization process. We always knew she was onto something, as the value proposition sits squarely at the intersection of multiple investment areas for us, including women’s health (Diana Health, FamilyWell) and cancer risk prediction, care, and survivorship (Arboretum, Traversal, and OncoveryCare). We believe the next generation of winning care delivery companies will pair best-in-class virtual care with hard-to-replicate physical infrastructure that meets patients where they are. Teal’s virtual care and engagement platform combined with its FDA-authorized wand fits squarely into this belief. 

For all these reasons, backing Teal felt inevitable. Since we don’t take on FDA risk, the FDA authorization last year made it possible.  

Looking Forward 

Cervical cancer screening alone is a $4B+ market, and Teal is exceptionally well positioned to become the category leader for at-home screening. But women are already asking for more from Teal, and the broader opportunity is to scale a comprehensive preventative women’s health platform, including well-woman care, fertility, menopause, and more — a $12B and growing market. 

We’re thrilled to partner with Kara (again!) and lead Teal’s Series A. 

In the Founder’s Words from Kara Egan, CEO and Co-Founder: