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- Longevity 🧬, LifeGuides, seed funding and the UAccel: Health Care cohort.
Longevity 🧬, LifeGuides, seed funding and the UAccel: Health Care cohort.
Healthcare through a Kentucky lens. It's niche. But neat!
Andrew Steen
February 03, 2026
Everybody on the list is comin' in after you. 🏆️
Longevity is in the genes
“About 55% of the human lifespan is heritable, meaning that more than half of the observed variation in longevity across a population is attributable to genetics,” according to this recent Science publication.
That’s higher than previous estimates. This article was from 2018…
…and included a quote from Richard Kerber.
Yeah.
LifeGuides round
Tempe, AZ-based LifeGuides announced on January 26, 2026 a $1 million strategic investment from the Louisville-based Health Innovation Alliance Aging Innovation Fund, managed by Castellan Group, LLC. According to Crunchbase, LifeGuides has raised $12.5M over eight funding rounds.
Seed fund(s) in a community correlation to Series A levels?
Remember the discussion of venture-backable startups—or lack thereof—in Louisville from January 20, 2026? Here it is for your convenient reference.
Example thought...
US communities with a dearth of seed funds, do they produce fewer startups that get to Series A? Or do funds find those deals for Series A regardless?
I'm doing some research on it. Hang on. But here’s a start.
I got this chart from Carta’s Peter Walker. And his thoughts on my questions. “Most ecosystems actually start with seed funds. So my instinct is that yes, if you're missing seed the As will not follow.”
“The stark reality: only 15.4% of startups that raised a seed round in early 2022 were able to raise a Series A within two years, compared to 30.6% of companies that managed this feat back in 2018,” Charlie Robinson wrote recently, also citing Carta data.
The latter supported with Dealroom data from 2016.
This is a topic I’m still exploring, so stay tuned.
Catalyst by Wellstar
Wellstar Health System is based in Georgia. Catalyst by Wellstar is a first-of-its-kind innovation company and venture firm created by the health system.
“Polysight emerged directly from challenges Catalyst by Wellstar identified within its own health system…”
Yo, Louisville.
UAccel: Health Care
Check out the four teams participating in the Launch Blue UAccel: Health Care track.
I'm thrilled to once again be an EIR.
Someone you know who needs to read this weekly.
Forward it to them.
Please.