What Manta Cares does

Manta Cares is a San Francisco-based digital health company that operates a HIPAA-compliant navigation platform for breast and lung cancer patients, their care partners, and healthcare providers. Founded by AYA cancer survivor Samira Daswani following her own treatment journey through 123 appointments and 18 infusions without navigation tools, the company's core product is Cancer Maps—an interactive visual pathway covering 300+ decision points across cancer subtypes, validated by 100+ medical professionals and grounded in 100+ peer-reviewed papers. The platform officially launched in November 2025 and is freely available on iOS, Android, and web, supplemented by an AI-powered conversational assistant called Hope (HopeAI) that delivers context-aware guidance between clinical appointments, a digital planner for symptom and appointment tracking, and the Manta Planner© paper planner sold at $39.99 per unit and translated into seven languages. The Patient from Hell podcast with 90+ episodes functions as a content marketing and thought-leadership channel.

The company's monetization is anchored on multi-year recurring commercial collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotech companies—the flagship being a March 2026 multi-year agreement with Gilead Sciences to deploy customized metastatic cancer navigation tools nationwide, including a metastatic non-small cell lung cancer planner co-developed with LUNGevity Foundation as part of Gilead's Community Cancer Collective initiative. Additional revenue comes from paper planner unit sales, with consumer digital access intentionally free and supported by partner organizations and investors. The platform reaches patients in all 50 US states, has analyzed engagement data from 3,388 patients, and distributes through 16+ patient advocacy partners including Susan G. Komen, American Cancer Society, and Cancer Support Community, plus accelerator affiliations with CancerX, AARP AgeTech Accelerator, and PharmStars.

Manta Cares operates as a private for-profit company (Manta Cares, Inc.) with approximately 16 team members including a Chief Medical Officer (Dr. Douglas Blayney, former ASCO president with 45+ years of oncology experience) and dedicated heads of Data & AI, Engineering, Design, PR, Marketing & Growth, and Client Success, many of whom are cancer survivors or care partners. The company has raised $5.4 million in seed funding in October 2025 with investors undisclosed, building on prior participation from Pear VC (January 2024), PharmStars (July 2023), and CancerX (February 2025). It holds registered trademarks on its core brand assets including Decision Point Engagement (DPE©), Manta Cares, and Manta Planner©, and its research has been presented in three ASCO abstracts (2023 Quality Care Symposium, 2024 Annual Meeting, 2024 Quality Care Symposium).

Name

Manta Cares

Legal name

Manta Cares, Inc.

Website

https://mantacares.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Manta Cares operates a HIPAA-compliant digital health platform that provides interactive Cancer Maps, an AI-powered assistant (HopeAI), and an evidence-based paper planner for breast and lung cancer patients, care partners, and healthcare providers, monetizing primarily through pharma partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Care Navigation Software

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Oncology Remote Symptom Monitoring & Care Navigation (HLALAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual Second Opinion & Care Navigation Platforms (HLALAAAF), Care Navigation, Referral & Digital Front Door Platforms (HLALABAH)

Keywords

• Cancer care navigation
• Digital health platform
• Patient support tools
• Oncology care planning
• Cancer survivorship resources

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharma/Healthcare Industry Partnerships: Multi-year collaborations with pharmaceutical companies (e.g., Gilead Sciences) to deploy digital care planning platforms, support patient populations, and conduct research efforts. Revenue from providing patient support tools, customization, and research collaboration.
2. Paper Planner Sales: Sale of physical Manta Planner© paper planners at $39.99 per unit. Paper planners are also provided at no cost by partner organizations.
3. Platform Access (Freemium): Free digital platform for patients and care partners, supported by partner organizations and investors. Core Cancer Maps, HopeAI, and other digital tools are provided at no cost to end users.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Manta Cares provides a free digital health platform that helps breast and lung cancer patients and their caregivers navigate the cancer experience through interactive Cancer Maps covering 300+ decision points, an AI-powered assistant (HopeAI) for between-appointment guidance, and web/mobile appointment, medication, and symptom tracking. The company also sells a physical evidence-based paper planner (Manta Planner©) and produces the Patient from Hell educational podcast, with clinical content validated by 100+ medical professionals including former ASCO president Dr. Douglas Blayney.

Product overview

Manta Cares offers a digital health platform centered around its Cancer Maps navigation tools, HopeAI conversational assistant, and Digital Planner. The platform-plus-mobile-app architecture provides interactive visual pathways for breast and lung cancer patients, an AI-powered chatbot for between-appointment support, a paper-based planner product, and an award-winning podcast. The platform is HIPAA-compliant and free for patients and care partners, supported by partnerships with healthcare institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and nonprofit organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hope: AI-powered digital assistant designed to support cancer patients between clinical appointments, integrating with Manta's proprietary cancer navigation maps
• Manta Planner
• Cancer Maps
• Patient from Hell Podcast

Products and services

• Cancer Maps Interactive visual navigation tools for breast cancer (early-stage and metastatic) and lung cancer (including NSCLC subtypes) that show patients where they are in their specific cancer experience, what lies ahead, and how to prepare for major decision points. Supported by 100+ medical professionals and backed by world-leading oncologists. Covers 300+ decision points across cancer subtypes.
• Hope AI Assistant (HopeAI) An AI-powered conversational digital assistant designed to support cancer patients between clinical appointments. HopeAI integrates with Manta's proprietary Cancer Maps to deliver personalized, context-aware guidance grounded in physician-reviewed content, helping patients prepare for appointments, understand symptoms, and manage treatment stages.
• Digital Planner (Web and Mobile Application) A web and mobile application that helps patients organize notes, track appointments, medications, and symptoms, and prepare for medical appointments. Universally accessible on any device (mobile, iPad, desktop). Takes 90 seconds to sign up.
• Manta Planner© (Paper Planner) An evidence-based paper planner for cancer patients and caregivers to track symptoms, make decisions, and stay organized. Backed by 100+ peer-reviewed papers. Translated to 7+ languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, French, Tagalog). Sold for $39.99 USD, with partner organizations providing free copies.
• Patient from Hell Podcast An award-winning educational podcast with 90+ episodes featuring world-renowned oncology guests discussing the cancer experience. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Covers topics including cancer types, treatment decisions, clinical outcomes, and patient advocacy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of cancer patients engaged at specific decision points
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Gilead SciencesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2026Multi-year, multi-faceted collaboration to support patients navigating metastatic cancer. Combines Manta's personalized cancer navigation tools with Gilead's Community Cancer Collective initiative. Includes nationwide rollout of Manta's customized planner for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, developed with input from LUNGevity Foundation, along with real-world pilots, community outreach, and ongoing research. Collaboration aims to elevate patient and provider voices while advancing patient-first tools and education.
• LUNGevity FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2026Partnered with Manta Cares to develop customized planner for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC). Provided input on patient needs and resources for the planner as part of the Gilead collaboration.
• LUNGevity FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLung cancer-focused nonprofit; largest lung cancer nonprofit providing patient education tools, research funding, and one-on-one support. Platinum GuideStar Seal holder.
• GO2 Foundation for Lung CancercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld's leading lung cancer patient organization; offers research grants, network of screening centers, patient tools, and educational webinars.
• Cancer Support CommunitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLargest professionally-led nonprofit cancer support network; delivers $50M+ in free support services annually through 175+ locations.
• MetavivorcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMetastatic breast cancer advocacy organization focused on awareness, support, and research for Stage IV metastatic breast cancer.
• Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerEducation, support, and community for people with all stages and subtypes of breast cancer, with strong focus on metastatic disease.
• Triage CancercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFree education on legal, financial, insurance, employment, and practical rights of cancer patients and caregivers.
• Lazarex Cancer FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHelps cancer patients find clinical trials and provides assistance with costs associated with clinical trial participation.
• Tigerlily FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvocacy and support for young women (50 and under) with breast cancer, especially women of color; programs include ANGEL Advocates and HEAL policy center.
• Young Survival Coalition (YSC)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOnly global nonprofit focused on young adults (40 and under) diagnosed with breast cancer; offers peer mentor programs and community.
• CancerXflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerInnovation accelerator program for digital health companies focused on cancer care transformation.
• AARP AgeTech AcceleratorflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerAARP-backed accelerator focused on technology solutions for older adults and age-related conditions.
• PharmStarsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPharmaceutical industry accelerator focused on pharma-tech partnerships and innovation.
• Man Up to CancercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization focused on supporting men through the cancer experience and preventing isolation.
• SHARE Cancer SupportcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational peer-led nonprofit providing hotline support, peer-led support groups, and education for anyone diagnosed with breast or gynecologic cancer.
• Susan G. KomencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLargest US breast cancer organization; funds research, education, screening, and treatment access.
• American Cancer SocietycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFunds research, provides patient services, advocacy, and education across all cancer types.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• Cactus Cancer Society: Cactus Cancer Society (formerly Lacuna Loft) is a nonprofit providing online support, education, and community programs for young adults with cancer. Comparable to Manta Cares in addressing the AYA cancer survivor segment with digital content, peer support, and survivorship resources, though operating as a nonprofit without commercial pharma partnerships.
• VivorCare: VivorCare is a digital platform providing personalized support, navigation, and community connection for cancer patients and survivors. Comparable to Manta Cares in its focus on cancer navigation, caregiver support, and free-to-patient model with enterprise partnerships.
• CancerAid: CancerAid is a digital health app that helps cancer patients track symptoms, manage medications, and access personalized educational content across multiple tumor types. Comparable to Manta Cares as a digital cancer patient support and self-management tool, with broader indication coverage but smaller scale.

Direct peers

• Navigating Cancer: Navigating Cancer provides a patient engagement platform for oncology practices, enabling care plans, symptom tracking, and patient-provider communication. Comparable to Manta Cares as a cancer-focused digital health platform serving both patients and providers, with a longer operating history in oncology care management.
• Thyme Care: Thyme Care is a value-based oncology care navigation and care management company that partners with payers and providers to support cancer patients through treatment. Directly comparable to Manta Cares as a cancer-focused navigation platform serving patients and care teams across multiple tumor types, with a B2B-led commercial model.
• Outcomes4Me: Outcomes4Me is an AI-driven patient empowerment platform initially focused on breast cancer that helps patients navigate treatment options, clinical trials, and personalized insights. Directly comparable to Manta Cares' breast cancer navigation focus, with similar free-to-patient model and pharma partnership commercialization.
• Jasper Health: Jasper Health is a digital cancer care platform providing personalized oncology navigation, mental health support, and care coordination through a virtual clinic model. Closely comparable to Manta Cares as a digital-first cancer care navigation and support platform, with overlapping patient, caregiver, and provider target audiences.
• Carevive: Carevive is an oncology care management and patient-reported outcomes platform used by cancer centers to deliver personalized care plans and symptom monitoring. Comparable to Manta Cares as an oncology-specific care planning and patient engagement vendor with both clinician-facing and patient-facing components.

Others

• Medisafe: Medisafe is a digital medication management platform with personalized adherence support for patients on chronic and specialty medications. Adjacent to Manta Cares as digital tooling for patient self-management and pharma-sponsored adherence programs, particularly relevant to oncology oral therapy adherence.

Broad incumbents

• Pack Health: Pack Health is a digital health coaching company that provides evidence-based, one-on-one support for patients with chronic conditions including cancer. Comparable to Manta Cares as a patient engagement and support vendor for oncology patients, with broader chronic-condition coverage and more established employer/pharma contracts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@patientfromhell
• Facebookfacebook.com/mantacares
• Instagraminstagram.com/manta_cares
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/manta-cares

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Manta Cares