Belong.Life raises $14 million B round to build out C word solution

The social network for cancer will use the funds to expand its service and enter new markets through its patient engagement platform

Belong.Life, a social network for cancer patients, has closed a $14 million Series B funding round, led by IQVIA, with participation from existing investors including The Group Ventures.

The funding will be used to accelerate growth of the company’s social network for cancer, Belong – Beating Cancer Together, and to enter new markets through its patient engagement platform.

Eliran Malki, co-founder and chief executive officer of Belong.Life, said: “Now, in addition to increasing our global cancer reach, Belong will bring its capabilities and expertise to additional diseases and stakeholders”.

Lead investor IQVIA was created from the merger of Quintiles and IMS Health, and is a provider of advanced analytics, technology solutions and contract research services to the life sciences industry. In addition to a number of outright acquistions, it has made strategic investments in a number of health tech startups including Naxions, a Chinese provider of digital marketing services for pharmaceutical companies, and Cota Healthcare, a data analytics company focused on cancer treatment.

Tal Rosenberg, Senior Vice President, Global Technology Solutions at IQVIA, said: “Our investment in Belong is part of our strategy to identify and accelerate disruptive technologies that can improve healthcare… Belong can utilize and complement IQVIA’s solutions to transform patient engagement. We are thrilled to work with Belong as they help transition patient engagement from transactions to experiences – giving their customers the type of engagement they want.”

Belong.Life was founded in 2015 by Eliran Malki, Irad Deutsch and Ohad Rubin after each lost relatives to cancer. It claims to be the world’s largest social network for cancer patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.