IDx
Coralville, US · Founded 2010 · Delaware corporation · 2 known investors
AI diagnostics company whose FDA-cleared autonomous system detects diabetic retinopathy from retinal images in primary care.
Also known as Digital Diagnostics · IDx Technologies
Founders & leadership
IDx was founded in 2010 by James Folk and Michael D Abramoff.
Board
Investors · 2
Reported raises · per SEC filings
Form D private placements$133.4M disclosed across 6 of 7 rounds · 2012–2022
▶$76.4MraisedAug 2022 · 13 investors · Other Health CareRule 506(b)
- Drew OettingDirector
- Seth RainfordExecutive Officer
- John BertrandExecutive Officer, Director
- Howard LeachDirector
- William FristDirector
- Michael AbramoffExecutive Officer, Director
- George BarrettDirector
- Ali SatvatDirector
- Stephen WeissDirector
- Offering amount
- $76.4M
- Amount sold
- $76.4M
- Minimum investment
- $25K
- First sale
- May 2022
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$15MraisedFeb 2021 · 10 investors · Other Health CareRule 506(b)
- George BarrettDirector
- Michael AbramoffExecutive Officer, Director
- John BertrandExecutive Officer, Director
- Drew OettingDirector
- Howard LeachDirector
- James FolkDirector
- William FristDirector
- Seth RainfordExecutive Officer
- Todd RahmesExecutive Officer
- Offering amount
- $15M
- Amount sold
- $15M
- First sale
- May 2020
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Iowa
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$32.6MraisedSep 2018 · 7 investors · Other Health CareRule 506(b)
- Howard H. LeachDirector
- James FolkDirector
- William FristDirector
- Gary SeamansExecutive Officer, Director
- Benjamin ClarkExecutive Officer
- Stefan D. AbramsDirector
- Michael AbramoffExecutive Officer, Director
- Martin CarverDirector
- Offering amount
- $32.6M
- Amount sold
- $32.6M
- First sale
- Sep 2018
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$5MraisedMar 2018 · 19 investors · Other Health CareRule 506(b)
- Benjamin ClarkExecutive Officer
- James FolkExecutive Officer, Director
- Gary SeamansExecutive Officer, Director
- Howard H LeachDirector
- Stefan AbramsExecutive Officer, Director
- Michael D AbramoffExecutive Officer, Director
- William FristDirector
- Martin CarverDirector
- Offering amount
- $5M
- Amount sold
- $5M
- Minimum investment
- $15K
- First sale
- Aug 2017
- Incorporated
- Limited Liability Company, Iowa
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$3MraisedMar 2018 · 4 investors · Other Health CareRule 506(b)
- James FolkExecutive Officer, Director
- William FristDirector
- Howard H LeachDirector
- Stefan AbramsExecutive Officer, Director
- Gary SeamansExecutive Officer, Director
- Michael D AbramoffExecutive Officer, Director
- Benjamin ClarkExecutive Officer
- Martin CarverDirector
- Offering amount
- $3M
- Amount sold
- $3M
- Minimum investment
- $15K
- First sale
- Feb 2016
- Incorporated
- Limited Liability Company, Iowa
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$1.4MraisedMar 2012 · 5 investors · Other Health CareRule 506(b)
- Gary SeamansExecutive Officer, Director
- Stefan AbramsExecutive Officer, Director
- Michael D AbramoffExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
- James FolkExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
- Offering amount
- $4.3M
- Amount sold
- $1.4M
- Proceeds to insiders
- $55K
- First sale
- Mar 2012
- Incorporated
- Limited Liability Company, Iowa, 2010
- Federal exemptions
- 06
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026IDx, later known as Digital Diagnostics, is a Coralville, Iowa-based artificial intelligence diagnostics company founded in 2010 by a team of clinician scientists. It develops clinically-aligned autonomous AI systems that detect disease in medical images, with the stated aim of enabling specialty-level diagnostic assessment in primary care settings and thereby broadening patient access to disease detection.
The company's first product, IDx-DR (later renamed LumineticsCore), is an AI-based diagnostic system intended for use by health care providers to automatically detect more than mild diabetic retinopathy in adults aged 22 or older who have been diagnosed with diabetes but not previously diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy. It is indicated for use with the Topcon NW400 robotic fundus camera. In April 2018 the system received FDA clearance, described as the first time the FDA cleared an autonomous AI diagnostic system that does not require a physician to interpret the images or results, allowing providers outside eye care to test for the condition during routine office visits.
Beyond diabetic retinopathy, IDx has said it is developing additional autonomous AI diagnostic platforms for macular degeneration, glaucoma, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease and stroke risk, as well as conditions outside the eye, and has explored partnerships with other autonomous AI companies using an ethics-based approach to algorithm development.
Founding story
IDx was founded in 2010 by a team of clinician scientists led by Dr. Michael Abramoff, who served as founder and CEO. The company operated in stealth mode for its first eight years before receiving public attention in April 2018 upon FDA clearance of its diabetic retinopathy detection system.
Business model
IDx develops and commercializes FDA-cleared autonomous AI diagnostic systems used by health care providers at the point of care, deployed together with compatible retinal imaging hardware.
Traction
The company more than doubled its staff during 2018, from 23 to 51 employees, obtained FDA clearance and began clinical use of its system in 2018, and expanded distribution via CarePortMD in November 2019.
Latest developments
In June 2020 the company filed paperwork indicating it had raised $12.5 million. It has also been developing further autonomous AI diagnostic platforms for macular degeneration, glaucoma and diseases outside the eye, and exploring partnerships with other autonomous AI companies.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
IDx-DR was described as the first and only AI system cleared by the FDA to detect diabetic retinopathy without requiring a clinician to interpret the image or results, and the company's September 2018 Series A was reported as the largest investment round raised by an Iowa company in 2018.
Technology
The core technology is autonomous artificial intelligence that analyzes medical images and produces a diagnostic assessment without a clinician interpreting the image or the result. IDx-DR/LumineticsCore is designed for use with the Topcon NW400 robotic fundus camera. Founder Michael Abramoff was awarded U.S. Patent No. 9,924,867 covering systems that automatically measure cardiovascular health from the retina (March 2018) and U.S. Patent No. 10,140,699 covering AI systems, medical and non-medical, that use sample training data to detect objects in images (November 2018).
Go-to-market
Deployment through clinical care sites, beginning with the Diabetes and Endocrinology Center at University of Iowa Health Care, and through partnerships, including an exclusive AI partnership with device manufacturer Topcon and a 2019 launch within CarePortMD.
Health care providers, including primary care and other clinicians not normally involved in eye care, who treat adults with diabetes; care settings such as endocrinology and diabetes centers and rural practices.
Geography
Headquartered in Coralville, Iowa, United States, with early clinical deployment in Iowa.
History
After eight years of stealth-mode development following its 2010 founding, IDx received a FDA "Breakthrough Device" designation for IDx-DR in February 2018 and FDA clearance in April 2018. The product launched in patient care at the Diabetes and Endocrinology Center at University of Iowa Health Care in June 2018, and the pivotal trial supporting clearance was published in Nature Digital Medicine in August 2018. The company closed a $33 million Series A round in September 2018 and signed an exclusive AI partnership with ophthalmic device manufacturer Topcon in October 2018. In November 2019 it launched IDx-DR in CarePortMD, and in June 2020 filed paperwork indicating a $12.5 million raise. The company is also referred to as Digital Diagnostics.
Compiled by commissioned research from 7 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 9
launches, deals, and filingsIDx filed paperwork indicating it had raised $12.5 million in funding.
$12.5M source ↗
IDx launched IDx-DR in CarePortMD, described as the first launch of this type of AI diagnostic technology.
Dr. Michael Abramoff testified for the Federal Trade Commission on AI in healthcare.
IDx signed an exclusive AI partnership agreement with ophthalmic device manufacturer Topcon.
IDx closed a $33 million Series A round from strategic investors including 8VC and Optum Ventures, the venture arm of UnitedHealth Group; reported as the largest investment round raised by an Iowa company in 2018.
$33M source ↗
The pivotal trial study supporting FDA clearance of IDx-DR was published in Nature Digital Medicine.
The system was put into clinical use at the Diabetes and Endocrinology Center at University of Iowa Health Care.
IDx-DR earned FDA clearance, described as the first autonomous AI system cleared to make a diagnostic assessment without requiring a physician to interpret the images or results.
IDx-DR (later LumineticsCore) was granted a "Breakthrough Device" designation by the FDA, a classification offering expedited review for technologies addressing life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating conditions.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
Legal entities · 1
corporate structureIn the news
▸Research sources · 7
primary sources listed
- Clayandmilkclayandmilk.com · web
7 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does IDx do?
- AI diagnostics company whose FDA-cleared autonomous system detects diabetic retinopathy from retinal images in primary care.
- Who founded IDx?
- IDx was founded by James Folk, Michael D Abramoff in 2010.
- Who are IDx's investors?
- IDx's investors include 8VC, Frist Cressey Ventures.
- How much funding has IDx raised?
- IDx has disclosed $133.4M raised across 6 of its 7 known rounds.
- Where is IDx headquartered?
- IDx is headquartered in Coralville, US.