Startup Abby Care raises $82 million to turn family members into paid caregivers

Havi Nguyen's childhood experiences shaped her drive to transform family members into paid caregivers. She once missed school to translate for her family's doctor appointments and later managed Medicaid paperwork for the recently immigrated Vietnamese family. At just 21, she joined an early-stage health tech startup focusing on therapy for children with autism during the peak of COVID.

The lack of consistent therapists and their fast turnover prompted Nguyen to wonder who would be there for the child when the professionals left. Parents consistently expressed interest in learning the necessary skills to provide care, leading Nguyen to create Abby Care—an AI-native home care startup that trains family members to become certified, paid caregivers and offers ongoing support.

Founded in 2022, Abby Care operates as a Medicaid provider, partnering with health plans to deliver home care services to families in need. The company aims to bridge the caregiving gap in the U.S. health care system by involving patients, regulators, health plans, and family caregivers in designing a more effective care model. Justin Brock, general partner at CVS Health Ventures, highlighted the massive demand for caregivers, noting that traditional private duty nurse programs only fill 65% of authorized shifts, leaving many medically complex patients without consistent coverage.

Maria Villegas Corrales, a mother from Colorado, experienced firsthand the challenges faced by families with medically complex children. After her daughter Mia's open heart surgery and pacemaker implantation, Corrales learned about Abby Care, which provided crucial guidance and support. Becoming a paid caregiver has allowed Corrales to better care for Mia, and she emphasizes the importance of making this resource accessible to more families.

For Nguyen, the ultimate goal of Abby Care is to empower and enable family caregivers to thrive and succeed, ultimately creating a more resilient and supportive health care system for the vulnerable.