Seattle-based KenSci, a machine learning startup, has raised $8.5 million in a funding round led by Bellevue, Wash.-based venture capital firm Ignition Partners, according to The Seattle Times.
KenSci's machine learning technology uses big data and predictive analytics to help clinicians calculate which individuals may get sick and why. Physicians can later use the information to prevent individuals from becoming ill.
The startup's system mines patient health records to find recurring patterns. "If we can predict what is going to happen, then we can help prevent it in a timely manner," said KenSci Cofounder and CEO Samir Manjure.
A spinout from the University of Washington Tacoma, KenSci will use the new funds to increase its workforce and customer base.