Oska Health, a Germany-based hybrid digital health coaching platform, has raised €11 million ($13 million) in seed funding led by Capricorn Partners and SwissHealth Ventures. The platform delivers continuous support for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes, and hypertension via trained coaches using app, chat, and video. The capital will develop technological infrastructure, expand the team, and scale partnerships with insurers and networks.
Riding €200M Oviva Funding Surge
The round arrives amid a funding frenzy in European chronic care digital health. Oviva raised €200 million Series D in January 2026 for AI-enabled programs in obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Sword Health acquired Kaia Health for $285 million that same month, entering Germany's reimbursed digital therapeutics market. Oska Health's hybrid human-AI coaching fills the CKD multimorbid niche with over 20 direct insurer partnerships.
70% Health Spend on Chronics
Chronic conditions consume 70% of Germany's €228 billion annual healthcare expenditures. Yet 50% of chronically ill patients fail medication adherence, and 80% cannot sustain lifestyle changes. These gaps lead to preventable complications and hospitalizations, particularly for 9 million adults with CKD. Current systems excel at diagnostics but neglect everyday implementation between doctor visits.
Hybrid Coaches Bridge Care Gaps
Oska combines certified human coaches with AI-augmented tools based on the HAPA behavioral model. Patients receive personalized guidance on nutrition, exercise, medication, and labs via video, chat, and app. Clinical results show 96% trust in coaches, 92% improved health understanding, and 85% healthier behaviors after four months. Unlike pure digital therapeutics like Kaia Health's AI apps, Oska emphasizes human relationships scaled by AI.
As CEO Niklas Best noted:
"Chronic diseases cannot be managed in isolated doctor visits – they are decided in everyday life."
Insurers Validate Cost Savings
Over 20 German statutory health insurers cover Oska fully for members, shifting payers from cost-bearers to health partners. Partnerships like one-year deal with KKH Kaufmännische Krankenkasse demonstrate activation via data-driven outreach across 100+ practices. This B2B2C model reduces doctor workload without new software demands.
Domain Experts from Dialysis Giants
Founders bring Tier 1 experience from kidney care leaders. CEO Niklas Best led digital products at Fresenius Medical Care, launching AI apps in 30+ clinics across 27 countries. CPO Claudia Ehmke developed CKD behavior apps at D.med and nephrologist tools at Fresenius. CFO Malte Waldeck handled M&A at DaVita across EMEA. Oska spun out from D.med, leveraging their payer expertise.
Germany Digital Health Scales
Germany's digital health market stands at $25.6 billion in 2025, projected to reach $94.9 billion by 2034 at 14-28% CAGR. DiGA regulations enable insurer reimbursements for certified apps like Oska. Caspar Health raised $16.7 million previously for rehab platforms. Recent DiGA updates refine evidence standards amid rising chronic care investments.
Scaling Post-Seed Momentum
Oska plans to hire for team expansion, advance AI infrastructure, and grow programs with more insurers and physician networks. With 8x growth rate and BMC Kongress presence, the company eyes broader European rollout following German traction.