Salma Health Launches with $80M to Fix Fragmented Brain Healthcare

SAN MATEO, CA – February 26, 2026 – A new contender has entered the healthcare arena with a bold mission: to fundamentally reshape the fragmented and often frustrating landscape of brain care. Salma Health officially launched today, announcing a substantial $80 million Series A funding round to build a network of integrated brain health centers of excellence across the United States. The financing, co-led by heavyweight investors Mubadala Capital and ARCH Venture Partners, signals a significant bet on the company’s novel approach to diagnosing, treating, and studying complex brain conditions.

Salma Health aims to tackle a problem familiar to millions: a healthcare system where care for psychiatric and neurological conditions is siloed, slow, and frequently ineffective. With more than a third of Americans experiencing a brain health condition annually, the company plans to replace the current trial-and-error paradigm with a data-driven, unified model. By bringing advanced diagnostics, rapid-acting interventions, and continuous care coordination under one roof, Salma Health intends to create a new standard for patients whose needs span psychiatry, neurology, and crisis support.

The $80 Million Bet on Integration

The significant capital infusion from prominent investors underscores the perceived urgency and market opportunity in overhauling brain healthcare. Mubadala Capital, the asset management arm of Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund, has a stated strategy of backing enduring healthcare platforms that improve access and leverage technology. Their investment in Salma Health aligns perfectly with this focus.

“Our healthcare strategy at Mubadala Capital is focused on building enduring platforms that support patients through every stage of care. Brain health is one of the most important areas in need of that transformation,” said Hani Barhoush, CEO of Mubadala Capital, in a statement. “Salma Health’s integrated model, uniting specialized clinical delivery, advanced technology and research infrastructure, represents the coordinated system this field has long lacked.”

Co-investor ARCH Venture Partners, a firm renowned for backing early-stage companies built on disruptive science, sees a similar potential for systemic change. ARCH’s investment philosophy often involves taking on “science risk” to address large, validated needs, a description that fits the complex challenge of brain disorders.

“What excites us about Salma Health is its ability to deliver measurable results while simultaneously advancing the field,” noted Paul Berns, Managing Director at ARCH Venture Partners. “By taking a comprehensive, data-driven approach to brain health, the Salma Health team is not just better addressing individual patients; they're massively improving our understanding of brain conditions. This represents the integral change our healthcare system desperately needs.”

A New Model for a Fragmented System

Salma Health’s strategy is built on three core pillars designed to work in concert. First are the specially equipped clinics, which serve as the foundation for in-person care augmented by telehealth. These centers will provide a full spectrum of psychiatric and neurological services, from intensive care programs and crisis mitigation to advanced therapeutics, with a commitment to rapid access and broad insurance coverage.

Second, the company is embedding clinical research capabilities directly into its care model. By conducting clinical trials for pharmaceutical and medical device partners, Salma Health aims to expand therapeutic options for its patients while also contributing to the broader scientific understanding of brain health. This dual function of care and research is central to its mission of creating a learning healthcare system.

The third and perhaps most ambitious pillar is a proprietary, AI-driven technology platform called Brain Health OS. This intelligent operating system is designed to be the connective tissue for the entire model, integrating clinical knowledge, operational data, and patient information to power a more personalized approach to care.

“Brain health conditions are deeply complex, yet for decades we’ve just treated them with trial and error,” said Alaa Halawa, CEO of Salma Health. “Salma Health is designed to change that. We’re creating a continuous, integrated care pathway, powered by leading clinicians, advanced science and breakthrough therapeutics. To achieve this, we are building a digital and AI-driven foundation to personalize diagnosis, track outcomes and match each patient to the right care at the right time.”

Advanced Therapeutics and Clinical Innovation

At the heart of Salma Health’s clinical offering is a suite of advanced, evidence-based treatments targeted at patients who have often failed to find relief with first-line therapies. These interventions include accelerated transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and the SAINT® neuromodulation protocol, a highly targeted and rapid-acting form of TMS co-developed by one of the company's founding members.

SAINT, which stands for Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy, has shown remarkable efficacy in early studies for treatment-resistant depression, with some trials reporting remission rates approaching 80% in just five days. The company's ability to offer this cutting-edge therapy is a key differentiator, bolstered by the expertise of its Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Brandon Bentzley, and the legacy of Dr. Nolan Williams, another founding team member and co-developer of the SAINT system. In a move to honor his profound contributions, Salma Health has named its Orange County clinic the Salma Health Nolan Williams Clinic, and all SAINT treatment rooms across its network will bear his name.

Alongside neuromodulation, the centers will offer esketamine therapy, a rapid-acting nasal spray approved for treatment-resistant depression, as well as conventional psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. The goal is to create a comprehensive toolkit that can be tailored to each patient's unique biological and clinical profile.

“Conventional neurological, psychiatric and behavioral care is designed around first-line treatments, but that approach often leaves patients behind,” explained Dr. Bentzley. “We’re combining the most advanced therapeutic interventions and integrated clinical protocols to move beyond symptom management and toward true recovery. Our goal isn’t incremental progress; it’s to redefine what’s possible in brain healthcare.”

A Blueprint for National Expansion

With its model and funding in place, Salma Health is embarking on a strategic national expansion. The company has already opened its first clinics in key California markets, including San Diego, Orange County, Fremont, and Berkeley. These initial locations will serve as the proving ground for its integrated approach before it scales to other regions across the United States.

This expansion is not without challenges. Scaling a highly specialized, capital-intensive model requires navigating a complex web of state-by-state regulations, securing contracts with a diverse array of insurance payers, and recruiting top-tier clinical talent. However, the company's technology-first approach with its Brain Health OS is designed to standardize quality and streamline operations, which may provide a crucial advantage in managing this growth.

Beyond just opening new doors, Salma Health plans to make its findings public. By committing to publish outcomes data and contribute to new clinical guidelines, the organization aims to ensure its insights benefit the entire medical community. Through partnerships with academic institutions, healthcare systems, and regulatory agencies, the company hopes to establish new diagnostic protocols and advance the pathways for personalized interventions, marking the beginning of what it hopes will be a global transformation in how the brain is understood and treated.