What You Should Know
- The Raise & Partnership: Wavelet Medical, an AI-powered fetal brain monitoring startup spun out of Yale, has raised $7M in seed funding and entered into a co-creation partnership with the venture studio Aegis Ventures.
- The Solution: Wavelet has developed the first non-invasive, AI-powered fetal electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring platform. Instead of looking at the heart, Wavelet measures the organ that directly reflects neurological status: the brain.
- The Tech Architecture: The device uses sensors placed on the mother’s abdomen. Proprietary AI algorithms—engineered by co-founder and Head of Science Dr. Jose Cortes-Briones—reconstruct the fetal EEG from these abdominal signals to identify auditory-evoked brain responses that signal neurological distress in real time.
- The Traction: The platform is currently being piloted across three major clinical sites: Yale University, LA General Hospital/USC, and South Korea’s Yonsei University Health System.
Non-Invasive Fetal EEG
Founded by Liz Golden, Dr. Emily Lee, and Dr. Jose Cortes-Briones, Wavelet has developed the first non-invasive, AI-powered fetal electroencephalography (EEG) platform. Historically, capturing fetal brain activity from outside the womb was considered impossible. Wavelet’s proprietary AI algorithms reconstruct EEG signals captured through the mother’s abdomen to identify auditory-evoked brain responses that signal distress in real time.
“Until recently, noninvasive fetal EEG from the maternal abdomen was not feasible,” says Dr. Cortes-Briones. “We are now harnessing AI to reconstruct fetal EEG and translate it into quantitative markers of fetal distress.”
A Strategic Partnership for Global Scale
Wavelet is moving from a laboratory discovery at Yale to a global commercial entity through a pivotal partnership with Aegis Ventures. As a new Aegis portfolio company, Wavelet has secured $7M in seed funding to accelerate product development and clinical adoption.
Aegis Ventures, a New York-based venture studio, identified maternal-fetal medicine as a sector primed for predictive AI innovation. The partnership was facilitated through Yale Ventures and is supported by the Aegis Digital Consortium, which includes leading health systems like Yale New Haven Health.
Redefining the Standard of Care
Clinical leaders suggest this technology could be the most significant evolution in fetal monitoring in over 50 years.
- Precision Diagnostics: By measuring direct brain activity, Wavelet aims to detect hypoxia earlier than traditional methods.
- Reduced Interventions: High predictive value could significantly lower the rate of avoidable C-sections.
- Global Demand: International partners, including Yonsei University in Asia, anticipate high demand from parents concerned about neurodevelopmental delays.
Wavelet is currently undergoing testing at three clinical sites, including LA General and USC, as it prepares for expanded clinical trials.
“This isn’t about building a device,” says CEO Liz Golden. “It’s about building a new category in maternal health—one grounded in data, precision, and prevention.”
