Leda Health
TypePrivate
IndustryHealthcare
Founded2019 (2019)
FoundersMadison Campbell, Liesel Vaidya
Headquarters
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
,
US
Services
  • Early evidence kit
  • Plan B
  • STI testing
Number of employees
15–20 (2023)
Websiteleda.co

Leda Health is an American healthcare company founded in 2019 with its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[1] Leda Health aimed at providing early-evidence kits for DNA and STI testing for sexual assault victims.[2]

History

Leda Health was founded in 2019 by Madison Campbell and Liesel Vaidya in Brooklyn, New York[3][4] as MeToo Kits and later rebranded as Leda Health after the Greek myth of Leda.[5] Campbell's decision to start Leda Health was driven by her own experience as a survivor of sexual assault, as she sought to help survivors face challenges in collecting evidence.[6] Leda Health developed an "early evidence kit" that would allow sexual assault survivors to collect evidence without the need to visit a hospital or police station.[7] The company introduced an at-home alternative to standard hospital rape kits, allowing assault survivors to collect DNA evidence themselves.[6][8] In 2021, Leda Health expanded its services to include Plan B, STI testing.[6][9]

In 2022, Leda Health was included in the Fortune's Change the World list.[10] As of November 2022, Leda Health raised $9.2 million in venture capital from investors including New York Ventures, Asymmetry Ventures and the Nashville Entrepreneur Center.[2]

In 2023, a significant breakthrough came when a bill was passed in Maryland, acknowledging the existence and potential benefits of self-administered evidence collection kits.[11]

In October 2023, Campbell announced that Leda Health had relocated its headquarters to Lawrenceville, one of the largest neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[1] Construction of the new headquarters is expected for completion by November, 2023.[12] The company was previously headquartered in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.[12]

Regulatory action

Leda Health's kit faced criticism over potential evidence contamination and possible inadmissibility in court.[13][14] Over these concerns, the kits were banned in Washington and cease and desist letters in several other states were sent to the company asking to stop selling their kits.[15][16][17][18]

References

  1. 1 2 Heyl, Eric (October 24, 2023). "Miss Pittsburgh's Tech Company Aids Sexual Assault Victims". Patch.com.
  2. 1 2 Farivar, Cyrus. "A DIY Rape Kit Startup Has Been Accused Of 'Deceptive' Practices By Washington Attorney General". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  3. ↑ ""We Help Survivors of Sexual Assaults" – Interview with "Leda Health" co-founders". KyivPost. 2022-12-02.
  4. ↑ "The Leda Story". Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  5. ↑ "Inside the hard business of selling DIY rape kits". Quartz. 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  6. 1 2 3 "'Call Me a Scammer to My Face'". The Cut. 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  7. ↑ Williamson, Alex (2019-09-05). "DIY rape kit startup's 23-year-old founder says she is a sexual assault survivor". Brooklyn Eagle. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  8. ↑ "Forensic Science Institute Partners with Leda Health to Explore Feasibility of Early Evidence Sexual Assault Kits". College of Arts & Sciences at Syracuse University. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  9. ↑ Staff Reports (2021-08-18). "Leda Health offers fast, discreet DNA collection kits to sexual assault survivors". Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  10. ↑ "Leda Health". Fortune. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  11. ↑ "Maryland creating new guidelines for storage of sexual assault evidence". Yahoo News. 2023-08-03. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  12. 1 2 Ritenbaugh, Stephanie (2023-10-24). "Tech startup for sexual assault survivors moves to Lawrenceville". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  13. ↑ Burbank, Megan. "Washington state considers banning over-the-counter rape kits | Crosscut". crosscut.com. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  14. ↑ "Utah lawmaker seeks ban of at-home rape kits, saying they provide false hope". Deseret News. 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  15. ↑ Cabahug, Jadenne Radoc (2023-02-14). "WA Legislature considers ban on at-home sexual assault evidence kits". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  16. ↑ Nashrulla, Tasneem (2019-09-12). "The 23-Year-Old "MeToo" DIY Rape Kit Founder Says She'll Fight Law Enforcement's Demands That She Stop Advertising". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  17. ↑ "Attorney General Dana Nessel, ordered MeToo Kit to cease and desist" (PDF).
  18. ↑ Shamus, Kristen Jordan. "MeToo Kit CEO says Mich. AG has it all wrong. She didn't want to profit from rape victims". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
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