Patient
Grand Rapids, US · Founded 2019 · Delaware corporation · 9 known investors
Grand Rapids medical device startup behind SimPull, a powered device for lateral patient transfer and repositioning.
Also known as The Patient Company
Founders & leadership
Investors · 9
Funding
SEC filings, press & company announcements$27.3M disclosed across 5 of 6 rounds · 2021–2025
- $22.5MSeries ASep 2025 · 2 sources
Scale Venture Partners (lead), 8VC, Bling Capital, FirstLook Partners, Max Ventures, Remus Capital
Source ↗
▶$3.3MraisedSep 2023 · 10 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Andrew HeuermanExecutive Officer, Director
- Terry HarrisDirector
- Thomas CaldwellDirector
- Ryan PetersDirector
- Linda ChamberlainDirector
- Offering amount
- $3.3M
- Amount sold
- $3.3M
- First sale
- Aug 2023
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2021
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$499.5KraisedJan 2023 · 4 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Terry HarrisDirector
- Linda ChamberlainDirector
- Andrew HeuermanExecutive Officer, Director
- Ryan PetersExecutive Officer, Director
- Offering amount
- $499.5K
- Amount sold
- $499.5K
- First sale
- Jan 2023
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2022
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$225KraisedApr 2022 · 3 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Andrew HeuermanExecutive Officer, Director
- Terry HarrisDirector
- Ryan PetersDirector
- Linda ChamberlainDirector
- Offering amount
- $1M
- Amount sold
- $225K
- First sale
- Apr 2022
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Michigan, 2021
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$701.8KraisedMar 2021 · 8 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
- Andrew HeuermanDirector
- Amount sold
- $701.8K
- Minimum investment
- $10K
- Proceeds to insiders
- $191.8K
- First sale
- Feb 2021
- Incorporated
- Limited Liability Company, Michigan, 2019
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026The Patient Company is a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based medical device startup developing SimPull, a patient transfer device that uses a powered winch and pull bar to move and reposition patients in clinical settings. The system is intended to reduce the number of clinicians, nurses and other staff typically needed for a lateral transfer or repositioning task.
The company frames lateral patient transfer — moving a patient from one flat surface to another — as a process that conventionally takes about 22 minutes and is the second-leading cause of injury among healthcare employees. With SimPull, the company states a single clinician can complete a lateral transfer in about two minutes without injury risk. As listed on its startup profile, the company is an LLC with two employees, is categorized in medical devices and equipment, and lists the website BetterPatientTransfers.com.
Founding story
Co-founders Andrew Heuerman and Ryan Peters launched The Patient Company in August 2019 through Spectrum Health Ventures, working in collaboration with clinicians at Spectrum Health.
Business model
Sale of the SimPull patient transfer device to clinical providers; the company reported moving into manufacturing and initial order fulfillment following FDA approvals.
Traction
The company completed a second clinical study with Corewell Health in 2023, following earlier study work indicating SimPull is feasible for lateral patient transfers while reducing transfer time and injury risk to patients and staff. A third and final lateral transfer study was underway at the Mayo Clinic, and SimPull had obtained the FDA approvals needed to begin sales. Michigan Rise described the product as seeing rapid adoption.
Latest developments
With the October 2023 follow-on investment from Michigan Rise, the company planned to begin manufacturing in order to fulfill initial orders, and to fund sales efforts, further product development and research.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Positioned as an alternative to manual lateral patient transfer methods, which an investor characterized as a decades-old status quo the company has a chance of disrupting.
Technology
SimPull combines a powered winch with a pull bar to perform lateral patient transfers and repositioning, replacing manual pulling by multiple staff members.
Go-to-market
Hospitals and other clinical care settings where nurses and clinicians perform lateral patient transfers and repositioning.
Geography
Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, with clinical studies conducted with Corewell Health and the Mayo Clinic.
History
After its August 2019 launch via Spectrum Health Ventures, the company became involved in the MSU Research Foundation startup ecosystem through Red Cedar Ventures and Spartan Innovations. In 2020 it received an initial investment from the MSU Student Venture Capital Fund, facilitated by Red Cedar Ventures, and was selected for the inaugural Conquer Accelerator program run by Spartan Innovations, also receiving support from the Spartan Innovations Grand Rapids Business Accelerator Fund. In 2022 it secured a first investment from Michigan Rise plus a follow-on investment from Red Cedar Ventures, and in October 2023 it announced a follow-on investment from Michigan Rise Pre-Seed Fund III.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 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 · 6
launches, deals, and filingsThe Patient Company secured a follow-on investment from Michigan Rise Pre-Seed Fund III, to be used to begin manufacturing and fulfill initial SimPull orders, and to support sales, product development and research. Amount not disclosed.
The Patient Company completed its second clinical study of SimPull with Corewell Health; a third and final lateral patient transfer study was underway at the Mayo Clinic.
SimPull acquired the necessary FDA approvals to begin sales.
The company secured its first investment from Michigan Rise, along with a follow-on investment from Red Cedar Ventures.
Received an initial investment through the MSU Student Venture Capital Fund, facilitated by Red Cedar Ventures, and support from the Spartan Innovations Grand Rapids Business Accelerator Fund.
The team was selected to participate in the inaugural Conquer Accelerator program run by Spartan Innovations.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
Legal entities · 1
corporate structureIn the news
Patient Financing Becomes Part of the Healthcare Checkout | PYMNTS.compymnts.com · Aug 2026
UnitedHealthcare Tried to Deny Coverage to a Patient. He Fought Backpropublica.org · Feb 2023
Patient Advocacy Groups, Industry Funding, and Conflicts of Interest (2017)propublica.org · Sep 2021▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Assort Health: $102 Million Funding Raised To Transform Patient Experience with AI-Powered Platformpulse2.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Patient do?
- Grand Rapids medical device startup behind SimPull, a powered device for lateral patient transfer and repositioning.
- Who are Patient's investors?
- Patient's investors include Target Global, 8VC, Bling Capital, FirstLook Partners, Max Ventures, Oak HC/FT, REMUS Capital, Scale Venture Partners and 1 more.
- How much funding has Patient raised?
- Patient has disclosed $27.3M raised across 5 of its 6 known rounds.
- Where is Patient headquartered?
- Patient is headquartered in Grand Rapids, US.