The International Diabetes Federation’s 2025 Diabetes Atlas estimates that 589 million adults ages 20–79 worldwide are living with diabetes, or approximately one in nine. By 2050, that number is projected to reach 853 million. An estimated 252 million adults living with diabetes remain undiagnosed, and 81% of adults with diabetes live in low- and middle-income countries. In 2024, diabetes contributed to 3.4 million deaths and accounted for an estimated $1.015 trillion in global health expenditure. Meanwhile, 635 million adults worldwide have impaired glucose tolerance, placing them at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

Most diabetes care happens at home, so outcomes depend on more than what happens in the clinic. Access to food, cultural fit, and trust in the advice all shape whether a care plan sticks. 

Here are four Halcyon alumni ventures working on different parts of the problem. 

1. Greens Health 

Greens Health (2025 Health Accelerator) combines AI, remote monitoring, and culturally tailored education to help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar. 

The idea started in a nutritionist’s office. Isis Ashford‘s father, then 65, was managing Type 2 diabetes when he was told to stop eating meat and start eating kale. He had grown up on his own version of greens, and the advice overlooked that. 

Ashford and co-founder Kehlin Swain built Greens Health around that gap. The platform offers personalized dietary guidance, real-time glucose predictions, and coordinated care, with a focus on food prescription, meal preparation, and grocery shopping. For Ashford’s father, the results have been measurable: he has lost more than 20 pounds, lowered his A1C from 8 to 6, and now takes his medication as prescribed. 

2. Health Evolve

Health Evolve (2025 Future Builders Accelerator) is addressing gaps in maternal healthcare with Lauren, a digital health platform that helps women manage diabetes, high blood pressure, and stress from preconception through pregnancy and postpartum. The platform brings together personalized health education, at-home monitoring, patient navigation, and connections to care teams and community support, extending care beyond individual appointments. Health Evolve is built around the understanding that maternal health outcomes are shaped by more than clinical care alone; access to resources, social conditions, and ongoing support also influence women’s health. 

Founder and CEO Kim Smith brings 18 years of healthcare leadership experience to this work. After losing her daughter, Lauren, to HELLP syndrome, a life-threatening pregnancy complication, Smith committed herself to advancing maternal health equity. She launched Health Evolve in 2023, and her team developed and piloted the Lauren platform within 18 months. Through a more connected, health-at-home model, Health Evolve aims to help women identify risks earlier, stay engaged in their care, and manage chronic conditions beyond pregnancy. 

3.  HealthLink360

HealthLink360 (2025 Health Accelerator) is developing an AI-powered health platform that combines health data, biometric monitoring, and everyday lifestyle information to help people identify potential health risks and take preventive action. 

Founder and CEO Kenneth Watson brings a background in medical malpractice law and health technology to the venture. He also previously founded Esquire Meals, a business providing health-conscious meals for people managing chronic conditions. His work reflects a broader focus on how healthcare can better account for the circumstances that shape people’s health beyond the doctor’s office. 

HealthLink360 connects information about medical care with factors such as food, movement, sleep, stress, and daily routines. Its platform aims to turn that information into personalized guidance, helping users understand changes in their health and identify practical next steps. By connecting preventive care with the realities of everyday life, the venture seeks to make health guidance more actionable and support better outcomes, particularly for underserved populations. 

4. Vesna Biotech

Vesna Biotech (2024 MENA accelerator) is developing a smart continuous glucose monitor that tracks blood sugar around the clock without finger pricking. 

Founded in Tunisia by Hamza Magri, Aymen Cheibi, and Mariem Magri, Vesna Biotech holds the distinction of being the first continuous glucose monitor manufacturer in North Africa. 

The device, called the Vesna-100, is worn on the upper arm and sends glucose readings to a mobile app. The company says a single device lasts up to 90 days and that its software can predict glucose fluctuations up to 12 hours in advance. Its goal is to make monitoring affordable and accessible across the Middle East and North Africa, where many people with diabetes still rely on traditional glucometers. 

In April 2025, Vesna Biotech received a grant from the Awesome Foundation’s Disability Chapter. At the time, the team had a working hardware prototype and an early version of its app, and the funding supports the next phase of development. 

Addressing diabetes requires more than a diagnosis or a treatment plan. It takes solutions that account for the realities of daily life, from the food people can access to the care they receive during major life transitions and the tools available to monitor their health. Across nutrition, maternal health, personalized prevention, and glucose monitoring, these four Halcyon alumni are approaching that challenge from different angles. Their work reflects the potential of impact-driven entrepreneurship to close gaps in healthcare access and develop solutions that meet people where they are.