Oura to buy AI primary-care startup Counsel Health for $625 million in cash
Counsel's medical chatbot will sit inside the Oura app and hand members to a board-certified doctor when needed; the smart-ring maker, which postponed its IPO, reported quarterly revenue up 153% to $533 million.
Why it matters
The deal is one of the largest bets yet that AI chatbots will become a front door to medical care, and it ties continuous wearable data directly to clinicians who can diagnose, prescribe and refer. Counsel had previously disclosed only $36 million in funding, so the price is a steep premium for an AI-native care model. Oura, which has more than six million members, delayed its IPO over market uncertainty. Watch for regulatory scrutiny of chatbot-led triage and whether the deal closes before the end of the year as planned.
Key facts
- Price: $625 million in cash
- Counsel previously disclosed $36 million in funding
- Oura quarterly revenue up 153% to $533 million
- Oura has more than six million members
- Deal expected to close before the end of the calendar year
- Oura postponed its IPO in September