A Los Angeles-based startup providing a library of medical lectures and surgical videos in 4K and 360-degree virtual reality has secured $2.5 million in seed funding. Investors in the round included Mayo Clinic, as well as the Venture Reality Fund, USC Marshall Venture Fund, Wavemaker 360 and Michelson 20MM.
The company, GIBLIB, said it will use the money to keep developing its online library and increase the quality of content it makes available to its users.
Launched in 2016, GIBLIB lets users watch lectures and surgical procedures from physicians at academic medical centers. For example, it produces exclusive content in partnership with organizations like Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Stanford Children’s Hospital.
In addition to on-demand video streaming, the Los Angeles company also has an app that allows users to watch surgical videos on an Oculus VR headset.
“As a retired orthopedic surgeon and an inventor of surgical devices, I’ve seen first-hand how GIBLIB’s platform will transform medical education and knowledge sharing within the medical community,” Michelson 20MM founder Gary Michelson said in a statement. “My team and I are excited to support GIBLIB as it leads the charge with superior quality content and partnerships with the world’s leading doctors and hospitals to deliver substantial improvements to the learning experiences of physicians and medical students.”
The California company also recently joined forces with Mayo Clinic to host educational videos and promote new content on the GIBLIB platform for all medical specialties.
GIBLIB plans to put Mayo’s medical conference lectures online so they’re available to medical professionals. Plus, the duo will create and produce videos, including virtual reality footage featuring Mayo’s teaching faculty. GIBLIB will also utilize user data analytics to pinpoint the most engaging videos and decide on the focus areas of future content.
As the healthcare landscape evolves, more companies are harnessing technology for medical education purposes. One example is Level Ex, a Chicago-based startup has AR and VR games that let physicians diagnose virtual patients in an effort to improve their clinical decision-making skills.
Photo: GIBLIB
