Cylinder

What Cylinder does

Cylinder Health, Inc. is a virtual-first digestive health platform founded in 2021 and headquartered in Chicago, IL. The company delivers personalized, evidence-based GI care to more than 150,000 members across all 50 U.S. states, combining telehealth consultations with board-certified gastroenterologists, registered dietitians, and health coaches; AI-powered stool imaging (Stool Scan); at-home gut microbiome testing; symptom tracking; and dynamically updating care plans. The Stool Scan computer-vision model was acquired through the March 2025 purchase of Dieta Health and is trained on 500,000+ annotated stool images with validation from Cedars-Sinai and Mayo Clinic researchers.

Cylinder operates as a B2B2C subscription business, selling digestive health benefits to self-insured employers, health plans, and benefits brokers on either PEPM or per-engaged-member pricing, including a 100% at-risk pricing model for broker clients. Distribution combines dedicated enterprise sales teams with channel partnerships through the Alight Partner Network, Teladoc Health's connected care ecosystem, Stonebrook Risk Solutions, and Brown & Brown; a direct-to-consumer offering with a free microbiome test entry point supports top-of-funnel acquisition. Named customers include Lyft, Walmart, US Foods, Robins & Morton, DENSO, TFI International, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Texas A&M System, EPAM, Bucknell University, and the University of Central Oklahoma.

The company is venture-backed, having raised approximately $47M+ across rounds in 2022 ($16M, 7wire Ventures lead), 2023 ($31M, Mercato Partners lead), and 2025 (Alumni Ventures, undisclosed). Terry Boch was appointed CEO in March 2026. Clinical and economic outcomes are independently validated by the Peterson Health Technology Institute (18% medical/pharmacy spend reduction, $1,889 PMPY savings) and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (5:1 ROI methodology), supporting a value-based selling motion to employer and health-plan buyers.

Name

Cylinder

Legal name

Cylinder Health, Inc.

Website

https://cylinderhealth.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cylinder Health is a virtual-first digestive health platform delivering personalized GI care via telehealth, AI-powered stool imaging, and gut microbiome testing to 150,000+ members across U.S. employers, health plans, brokers, and consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Virtual Digestive Health

NAICS

Ambulatory Health Care Services (621)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Primary Care & General Medicine Virtual Care (Employer-Sponsored) (HLALADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Medical Virtual Primary Care (Payer-Branded) (HLALACAA), Primary Care & General Medicine Virtual Care (HLALAAAA)

Keywords

• Virtual digestive care
• Digital health platform
• Telehealth gastroenterology
• Employer health benefits
• Gut microbiome testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. B2B2C Employer & Health Plan Subscriptions: Cylinder provides virtual digestive care services to employees/members of enterprise clients. Employers and health plans pay a subscription fee (per-member-per-month or per-engaged-member pricing) to provide the benefit to their covered populations. The '100% at-risk pricing' model mentioned for brokers suggests performance-based pricing where clients pay primarily based on outcomes achieved.
2. Individual Direct-to-Consumer: Individuals can access Cylinder's platform directly, with free gut microbiome test offered to get started. This suggests a consumer subscription model for direct members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cylinder is a virtual-first digestive health platform that delivers personalized, evidence-based care for gastrointestinal conditions through telehealth consultations with board-certified gastroenterologists, registered dietitians, and health coaches. The platform combines AI-powered tools (including Stool Scan computer vision for stool imaging and gut microbiome testing) with personalized care plans, symptom tracking, and 24/7 support. Care is sold primarily as a B2B2C benefit through employer and health plan subscriptions, with a secondary direct-to-consumer offering.

Product overview

Cylinder offers a virtual-first digestive health platform providing personalized, evidence-based care across all acuity levels—from mild symptoms to chronic conditions like IBS and IBD. The platform combines Core Services (tailored recommendations, automated visual stool analysis via Stool Scan, nutrition advice, and gut microbiome testing) with Virtual Clinic access (telehealth consultations with gastroenterologists, registered dietitians, and health coaches). Stool Scan, built on AI-powered stool imaging technology acquired from Dieta Health, transforms smartphone photos into objective clinical insights. Members receive personalized care plans that evolve over time, supplemented by 24/7 access to care and digital tools across all 50 states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Stool Scan: AI-powered stool tracking technology that transforms smartphone images into objective, clinician-ready insights for early digestive risk identification.

Products and services

• Core Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 18% reduction in total medical and pharmacy spend
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AlightcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 May 2026Cylinder joined the Alight Partner Network, enabling Alight's employer clients to access Cylinder's virtual digestive health services through their existing Alight relationship. The partnership provides a more connected employee benefits experience and strengthens Alight's ability to deliver high-impact specialty health solutions addressing significant cost drivers in employer healthcare spending.
• Dr. Grace Niu (Clinical Advisory Board)minorOthers · 13 November 2025Appointed as Head of Gut-Brain Health and member of the Clinical Advisory Board. Dr. Niu brings expertise in neurogastroenterology and psychogastroenterology to strengthen Cylinder's gut-brain health services.
• Dr. Ujjwal Ramtekkar (Clinical Advisory Board)minorOthers · 13 November 2025Appointed to Clinical Advisory Board as a double board-certified psychiatrist with expertise in integrated behavioral health. Will advise on clinical integration strategies for gut-brain health services.
• Teladoc HealthcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 March 2025Cylinder was added as one of five new connected care partners in Teladoc Health's ecosystem, enabling technology integrations that allow care providers to view member eligibility and refer patients to Cylinder's digestive health program at the point of care. This expands Teladoc's digestive health category within its connected care offerings.
• Stonebrook Risk SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership to strengthen digestive disease management capabilities. The partnership aims to enhance outcomes for members through coordinated care and improved access to Cylinder's virtual GI services.
• Clinical Advisory Board (Gastroenterology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory board includes Dr. Mark Pimentel (Cedars-Sinai), Dr. Uri Ladabaum (Stanford), Dr. Chin Hur (Columbia), Dr. Hamed Khalili (Harvard/MGH), Dr. Dena Bravata (Lyra Health co-founder), and Dr. Joel Brill (AGA). These internationally recognized GI experts guide clinical protocols and validate the care model.
• Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohns Hopkins validated the ROI methodology used in Cylinder's outcomes claims (5:1 ROI). The validation adds credibility to Cylinder's claims of cost savings and supports employer buying decisions.
• Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPHTI conducted an independent evaluation of Cylinder's virtual digestive care solution, validating 18% reduction in total medical and pharmacy spend, $1,889 savings per member per year, and 85% symptom improvement. This third-party validation is used in marketing to employers and health plans.
• Brown & BrownminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to expand access to digestive health services, leveraging Brown & Brown's insurance broker network to reach more employer clients.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Omada Health: Omada Health is a virtual-first chronic condition management platform sold through employers and health plans, targeting diabetes prevention, hypertension, and musculoskeletal care. Cylinder's Chris Nordman and Ryan Sloan both previously held senior roles at Omada, and the B2B2C specialty benefit model is closely aligned.
• Virta Health: Virta Health delivers employer- and health plan-sponsored virtual care for type 2 diabetes reversal and metabolic disease. Like Cylinder, Virta relies on telehealth, coach-led programs, validated clinical outcomes, and outcome-linked ROI claims to win enterprise contracts.
• Hinge Health: Hinge Health provides employer-sponsored virtual care for musculoskeletal conditions, combining digital exercises with clinician coaching. It is the leading example of a specialty virtual care vendor monetized through employer benefit budgets, the same channel Cylinder depends on for GI.
• Sword Health: Sword Health offers virtual-first MSK care to employers and health plans, using AI-enabled motion tracking combined with clinician oversight. Chris Nordman has advised Sword, and the company mirrors Cylinder's specialty virtual care + employer go-to-market approach.
• Maven Clinic: Maven Clinic provides virtual care for women's and family health, sold primarily to employers as a specialty benefit. It shares Cylinder's employer-sponsored specialty virtual care model and its focus on under-served or high-cost conditions where generalist telehealth is weak.
• Lyra Health: Lyra Health is a leading employer-sponsored mental health benefit platform combining virtual therapy, coaching, and self-guided content. It is the closest analogue in terms of employer benefit distribution, outcome validation, and clinical advisory board-led credibility, applied to mental health rather than GI.

Broad incumbents

• Included Health: Included Health combines virtual primary care, mental health, and specialty navigation for employers and health plans. As a broad incumbent, it competes for the same benefits budget and could expand specialty offerings to subsume niche vendors like Cylinder.
• Teladoc Health: Teladoc Health is the largest US virtual care platform and currently distributes Cylinder through its connected care partnership. As both a channel partner and a potential long-term competitor with the scale to internalize digestive health, Teladoc represents both Cylinder's largest distribution tailwind and a strategic risk.
• Doctor On Demand (Grand Rounds): Doctor On Demand, now part of Included Health, was an early virtual primary and urgent care platform serving employer and health plan populations. It represents the broader employer-sponsored virtual primary care category Cylinder must differentiate against.

Emerging players

• Ro: Ro operates a multi-specialty virtual care platform with strong direct-to-consumer and employer channels and has expanded into chronic conditions including weight management. It is an emerging adjacent player that could extend into GI while leveraging its existing brand and pharmacy infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cylinderhealth
• Facebookfacebook.com/CylinderHealth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cylinderhealth

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors15 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cylinder