Latest news with #California-based
Business Upturn
7 hours ago
- Health
- Business Upturn
Sage Healthspan Launches AI-Powered, Privacy-First Wellness App to Bridge Critical Gaps in Preventative Healthcare
Orange County, California, June 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sage Healthspan, a California-based digital health company, announced its precision health app, now available for free on Apple's App Store. Designed to address notable shortcomings in modern healthcare delivery, Sage introduces a privacy-first, on-device artificial intelligence (AI) platform aimed at helping users interpret their blood work, monitor health trends, and optimize wellness without sacrificing data security. A Glimpse into Sage Healthspan Analytic Features In an era where preventative healthcare is increasingly prioritized, many individuals still lack access to timely, comprehensible, and actionable insights from their routine lab results. Sage Healthspan identified a persistent issue: although patients regularly undergo blood tests, most are only contacted if major abnormalities are flagged. This approach overlooks nuanced health patterns and early indicators of disease, leading to missed opportunities for early intervention. 'Instead of waiting for symptoms to appear, Sage empowers users to engage proactively with their health data,' said Megan Haas, Media and Communications Lead at Sage Healthspan. 'The AI platform helps transform routine lab work into structured insights, encouraging users to take control of their health trajectory in a secure, comprehensible, and private way.' Closing the Loop Between Data and Action Sage allows users to upload or photograph existing lab results directly from their Apple devices. The platform then interprets the data using local AI algorithms, never uploading personal information to the cloud, providing summaries, visualizations, and tailored recommendations. This includes suggestions for lifestyle adjustments, supplement considerations, or follow-up testing to support long-term wellness goals. Importantly, Sage differentiates itself by emphasizing a 'privacy-first' model. All health data remains on the user's device, enabling secure HIPAA-compliant analysis. In a climate where 78% of healthcare executives name cybersecurity as a top priority, Sage's on-device processing offers a practical alternative to cloud-based health apps. A Comprehensive Health Insight Engine Sage's AI generates insights across an extensive array of health and biomarker categories, including cardiometabolic health, inflammation, blood sugar, autoimmunity, nutrient status, thyroid health, kidney and liver function, and more. As users contribute additional data over time, Sage builds a personalized timeline, allowing for trend detection and wellness optimization rooted in longitudinal analysis. A unique feature of Sage's platform is its lab test ordering capability. Users can independently request advanced biomarkers that are often excluded from standard panels. These include cardiovascular indicators such as ApoB and Lp(a), fasting insulin and HOMA-IR for metabolic health, thyroid and sex hormone assessments, and nutritional markers like vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid levels. The Growing Importance of Intelligent Health Analytics Recent studies show that 67% of patients report confusion over their lab results, with 61% struggling to understand medical terminology. Additionally, with primary care visits averaging only 15-18 minutes, providers have limited time to address complex, individualized wellness concerns. Sage Healthspan aims to complement, not replace, medical professionals by offering supportive tools that clarify and contextualize lab data for users. From a broader healthcare systems perspective, early detection is increasingly recognized as a critical cost-saver. Nearly 90% of the United States' annual $4.5 trillion healthcare expenditure is tied to chronic conditions. Sage's focus on biomarker-based early detection aligns with evolving industry goals: identifying risk before symptoms arise and enabling targeted, timely action. Positioning in the Era of Medicine 3.0 The emergence of AI in health represents a shift toward what experts call 'Medicine 3.0,' a paradigm that emphasizes prevention, personalization, and patient empowerment. Sage Healthspan embodies this transition. By integrating intelligent health analytics into everyday devices and eliminating the need for cloud computing, the company delivers accessible wellness insights while maintaining robust privacy protections. Sage Healthspan is currently available exclusively for iOS on Apple's App Store. Users are encouraged to begin by uploading pre-existing lab results to generate immediate health insights. For more information or to learn how Sage can support a wellness journey, visit About Sage Healthspan Sage Healthspan is a health technology company based in California focused on closing critical gaps in preventative healthcare. Through its privacy-first AI app, Sage empowers users to understand and act on their blood work, providing structured insights across a range of biomarkers to support health optimization and early detection. Sage's core mission is to make personalized wellness both accessible and secure. Sage Healthspan Logo Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Irish Examiner
10 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
How wellbeing festivals have grown more popular in Ireland
Back in 2009, a California-based festival premiered a new kind of experience, placing a traditional festival setting and health offering side-by-side. Wanderlust, set in North Lake Tahoe, curated a lifestyle which offset hedonistic nights with mind-boosting mornings, a combination instantly lauded as one worth following. Fifteen years later, Wanderlust's founders are still offering wellness benefits to the masses today — in the form of Eudemonia Summit, a three-day festival that hosted some 2,750 people in November. However, in lieu of heading for the sandy plains of northern California, revellers instead filled a gargantuan convention centre in West Palm Beach. There, they witnessed hundreds of speakers extol the virtues of cold plunges, regenerative health, and 'human potential'. This kind of event, one centred around feeling well, is catching on — and for good reason. In a society where headlines centre around healthcare, inflation, and war, true connection is hard to come by; feeling well has become elusive, and, something people are willing to pay for. This alchemy has fuelled the rise of the wellness festival — events and destinations promising the keys to self-actualisation. You don't even have to travel to North America to find them. The view from above of last year's Nourish & Flow RestFest Dublin's Wellfest (weekend tickets €100) celebrated its ninth and most successful year in May, with a myriad of performers: Sexual health expert Jenny Keane, plant-based entrepreneur Deliciouslly Ella, and Kardashian trainer Donamatrix among them — detailing the many ways any of us can be well. Further south, Cahir Wellness Festival (€20 for over 16s) launched its inaugural event early in the month to a 2,000-strong crowd following a 10-week run of advertisement by festival organisers Eddie Kendrick, Aaron Wall, Noelle Mulcahy, Paul Kearney, and county councillor Andy Molony. Kendrick, a psychotherapist who also runs The Heat Retreat Sauna, believes the interest is down to a mindset shift: 'The pub was the centre for everything for so long, and as a result, alcoholism was so normalised. 'Now we have an awareness of what that means, and people don't want to feel crap on their days off. They recognise the benefit of doing things that make you feel good. And that recognition is infectious.' The urge for alternative forms of healing is not new. Once considered in perjorative terms such as quackery and shrinks, the desire to seek new means of health and wellbeing has been accelerated by the difficult nature of feeling healthy today; higher food prices, GP appointment queues, anti-vaccination disinformation, and the rise in loneliness all contribute to a system that is resolutely making us unwell. As such, it can even feel necessary to tend to yourself in covert and unestablished ways. And yet, because of the term's vague and expansive nature, 'wellness' as a noun can be difficult to navigate. According to the National Institute of Health, wellness is 'a holistic integration of physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing, fuelling the body, engaging the mind, and nurturing the spirit'. In theory, it encompasses stimulating mind and body work, but can feel co-opted by capitalism to mean anything from juice cleansing to LSD microdosing to skincare to transcendental meditation. Dr Clodagh Campbell. Picture: Brian McEvoy 'For me, wellness is feeling good within ourselves,' Clodagh Campbell, otherwise known as the 'Wellness Psychologist', says. 'It involves methods that make us feel balanced and grounded, like putting boundaries in place, eating food that makes us feel good, or anything that involves protecting our health and peace.' According to the Global Wellness Institute, the wellness industry is currently valued at $6.3 trillion (€5.4tn), with an expectation that it will increase to $9tn (€7.75tn) by 2028. Figures like that would make anyone cynical, even those calling from inside the house. 'There can be a sense of commercialisation of stuff that is kind of sacred, which had a question mark over it for me,' says Michael Ryan, a men's retreat organiser, and yoga and meditation teacher who regularly works with President Michael D Higgins. 'But the more I think about it, I think the people who attend these events are likely to be seeking deeper connection or meaning in their lives, and these events might be a great way to get a taster of what they're searching for.' 'I think the word is a bit loaded,' agrees Wendy Riordan, founder of retreat experience Nourish and Flow. 'As in, you have to look or eat or be a certain way. 'I think that's another layer of stress that we put on ourselves as a society.' Wendy Riordan, founder of Nourish & Flow RestFest Riordan runs Nourish and Flow RestFest (€450-€549, including meals and glamping), a festival-retreat hybrid in its third year. Taking place in Stradbally, Co Laois, a fortnight before Electric Picnic, the event will see 100 women eat together, attend talks, and sleep under the stars to obtain 'true rest'. Riordan credits a desire for connection with the rise in wellness-centric event attendance. She says: 'Hustle culture means we don't know our neighbours, don't have a third space, and any time spent alone is wracked with guilt. In a group setting, you're far more likely to lighten that guilty load.' Our day to day lives are relatively superficial, Ryan agrees, meaning true connection is hard to come by: 'In older cultures, we would have had elders to pass down information to do with wisdom or emotional intelligence, things we don't really get anywhere else. These are a gateway to getting that, in a world that can feel particularly harsh for so many people.' Campbell says: 'We're living such fast-paced lives that make us so stressed and disconnected that there's a yearning to slow down, connect with others and take a breath. And also a yearning to find someone who can help us do that because it's hard to do alone. I meet people all the time who are looking for help and guidance in that space to help them feel less stressed and anxious. There's a yearning for something different, and essentially to feel better, and less alone. 'Ultimately, people are seeking mental wellbeing. A lot of people I work with struggle with self worth, resulting in us being people pleasers. That, I think, lends itself to the psychology of this shift — it's hard to say no to people, but the resentment of constantly people pleasing is tougher still.' Kendrick agrees: 'I think the rushing we do is symptomatic of something deeper, and wellness is a break from that. Before now, particularly in small Irish towns, the only choice to socialise was the pub. Now, events like these give people a choice.' Last but not least, from a commercial perspective, the logistics of organising a traditional music festival are complex and multi-faceted, with any misstep potentially leading to significant issues. Most of these issues can be eradicated when elements like drugs, alcohol. and high insurance costs are removed, meaning that modern festival organisers and owners of the land they lease from are far more likely to pivot to a less hedonistic clientele. With all roads pointing to wellness, rest-filled weekends in lieu of boozy, muddy ones — should we all be redirecting ourselves towards yoga mats and drum circles? Hilary Rose, The Young Offenders actress, podcaster, and co-host of RestFest, suggests we change our mindset when considering it. 'When I was in my 20s, I loved music festivals,' she says. 'Now, I look for ones that make me feel good as opposed to bad. In many ways, too, music festivals were never about who was on the stage; it was the craic in the campsite or the woods afterwards. These kinds of festivals are much the same. We're looking for a community, more than anything else.' Tickets for RestFest are available now from
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Carlsmed targets IPO to continue medtech public listing boom
AI-focused spinal surgery firm Carlsmed is planning to go public, adding to a strong year of medtech initial public offerings (IPOs). Carlsmed filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on 26 July, indicating its intention to go public. The form neither detailed how many shares the device maker is looking to sell nor the price range at which they will be sold, meaning it is not possible to calculate how much the IPO will raise. The Form S-1, used by companies when notifying the SEC of their intent to carry out public offerings, only mentioned that the listing would have occurred on the Nasdaq. Carlsmed has developed a personalised surgery platform called aprevo, which it claims enhances surgical outcomes, lowers the need for revision surgery, and improves long-term outcomes. The company's portfolio comprises implantable lumbar and cervical patient-specific interbody fusion devices and accompanying software. The company already has clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its lumbar and cervical devices. Whilst its lumbar spine fusion surgery products are commercialised in the US, it expects to market the cervical devices next year. In its S-1 form, Carlsmed said it will pursue additional clearances for its platform throughout 2025. The California-based company estimates an addressable market of approximately $13.4bn for its aprevo platform in the US. Carlsmed's books have had strong growth – the company reported revenue of $27.2m in 2024, up 97.2% from 2023. The IPO will look to add cash resources for the spinal specialist, which already raised $52.5m in Series C financing in March 2024. Carlsmed is the latest medtech company in 2025 to target an IPO. Although it is notable for its AI-driven spinal surgery devices, the company is part of a broader trend of AI-focused medtechs going public. Artificial pancreas maker Beta Bionics raised $204m in a Nasdaq listing in January while wearable defibrillator maker Kestra closed an IPO worth $202m before deductions. The public listings reflect a stronger IPO landscape for medtech companies that have previously suffered in recent times. The first half of 2025 consolidates investor predictions made in December last year, who were optimistic about recovery. "Carlsmed targets IPO to continue medtech public listing boom" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Meta in talks to acquire AI voice startup PlayAI
Meta Platforms is engaged in advanced discussions to acquire PlayAI, a Palo Alto, California-based startup specialising in AI for voice replication, Bloomberg reported citing sources familiar with the matter. The social media giant aims to bolster its AI capabilities through the acquisition of PlayAI's technology and select employees, though the deal remains unfinalised and subject to change, the sources told the publication. Financial terms of the potential agreement were not disclosed. A Meta spokesperson declined to comment, and a representative for PlayAI did not respond to requests for comment, Bloomberg's report said. PlayAI develops AI-powered voice technology designed to be 'responsive as a conversation between two people,' according to a company blog post. The startup secured $21m in funding in late 2024 from investors including Kindred Ventures, Y Combinator, and 500 Global. The move aligns with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's focus on AI as the company's top priority in 2025, as it seeks to compete with rivals such as Alphabet Inc.'s Google and OpenAI in developing advanced AI features. Earlier in June 2025, Meta invested $14.3bn in Scale AI, a data-labelling startup, and recruited its CEO to join a new 'superintelligence' team led by Zuckerberg. Meta has also been actively recruiting AI talent, recently hiring three researchers from OpenAI's Zurich office, a person familiar with the hires confirmed. OpenAI acknowledged the departures but provided no further comment. The Wall Street Journal previously reported these hires. Additionally, Meta has brought on AI researchers from Google and Sesame AI to strengthen its 'superintelligence' team. The potential acquisition of PlayAI could enhance Meta's efforts to integrate advanced voice features into its AI assistant and hands-free devices, such as smart glasses, a key area of interest for Zuckerberg. Meta's pursuit of PlayAI follows other recent AI-related acquisition talks. "Meta in talks to acquire AI voice startup PlayAI" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What to Expect From Wells Fargo's Next Quarterly Earnings Report
With a market cap of $260.2 billion, Wells Fargo & Company (WFC) is one of the largest financial services firms in the United States. Operating through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management, the company provides a broad range of financial solutions through 4,700+ retail branches, ATMs, digital platforms, and other global channels. The San Francisco, California-based company is expected to release its fiscal Q2 2025 earnings results before the market opens on Tuesday, Jul. 15. Ahead of this event, analysts expect WFC to report an adjusted EPS of $1.41, up over 6% from $1.33 in the prior year's quarter. It has surpassed Wall Street's bottom-line estimates in the past four quarters. In Q1 2025, Wells Fargo exceeded the consensus adjusted EPS estimate by 3.3%. Dear Nvidia Stock Fans, Watch This Event Today Closely Can Broadcom Stock Hit $400 in 2025? A $2 Billion Reason to Sell Super Micro Computer Stock Now Tired of missing midday reversals? The FREE Barchart Brief newsletter keeps you in the know. Sign up now! For fiscal 2025, analysts forecast the biggest U.S. mortgage lender to post adjusted EPS of $5.72, reflecting a 3.6% increase from $5.52 in fiscal 2024. Looking ahead, adjusted EPS is projected to grow 17.1% year-over-year to $6.70 in fiscal 2026. Shares of WFC have surged 40.3% over the past 52 weeks, outpacing both the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 12.1% gain and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund's (XLF) 26.3% return over the period. Despite Wells Fargo's better-than-expected adjusted EPS of $1.27 for Q1 2025, shares fell marginally on Apr. 11 due to revenue of $20.2 billion, which missed analyst expectations and marked a 3.4% year-over-year decline. Investors were also concerned about a 6% drop in net interest income to $11.5 billion, which was weighed down by lower interest rates, deposit pricing pressures, and reduced loan balances. However, the stock surged over 3% on Jun. 18 primarily due to reports that federal regulators may cut the enhanced supplementary leverage ratio (eSLR) by up to 1.5 percentage points, potentially freeing up capital for increased trading and lending activities. Additionally, Raymond James analyst David Long raised its price target to $84, citing the Fed's removal of the asset cap. Analysts' consensus view on Wells Fargo's stock is cautiously optimistic, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among 25 analysts covering the stock, 15 recommend "Strong Buy," two suggest "Moderate Buy," and eight indicate 'Hold.' As of writing, WFC is trading below the average analyst price target of $81.64. On the date of publication, Sohini Mondal did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
