Holifya
Category: AI in Healthcare
Italy's first digital clinic focused on the pharmacologic treatment of obesity through AI and advanced diagnostics, supporting GLP-1/GIP therapy. Holifya was founded in 2021. The company is led by Alessandra Cestaro. Based in Milan, Italy. Team size: 11-50. Total funding raised: $2.7M. Latest round: Venture Round. Key investors include Next Age (CDP Venture Capital), Growth Engine, Doorway, 20Fund, Zooga VC, Exor Ventures, business angels Micol Fornaroli, Pier Francesco Rimbotti, Tommaso Gamaleri, Duccio Vitali, Matteo Mainetti.
- Founded
- 2021
- Headquarters
- Milan, Italy
- Team size
- 11-50
- Total funding
- $2.7M
Value proposition
Holifya is the first digital clinic in Italy focused on pharmacologic treatment of obesity, combining AI, advanced diagnostics (up to 3,000 biomarkers per patient), and a multidisciplinary clinical team to personalize GLP-1/GIP drug therapy, improve adherence, and reduce side effects. Patients achieve up to 2x weight loss (-17% vs -7.1% at 6 months) and up to 3x higher adherence vs drug-alone treatment.
Products and solutions
AI-driven Patient Support Program (PSP) for GLP-1/GIP obesity care: eligibility screening within 48 hours, AI system integrating genetic/blood chemistry/anamnestic biomarkers with behavioral and clinical data, dropout-risk and adverse-effect prediction, physician-validated dosage optimization, automated follow-up with intelligent escalation, and multidisciplinary care (specialist physicians, nutritionists, nurses, coaches).
Unique value
First-mover building the clinical and technological infrastructure for GLP-1/GIP care in Italy; AI integrates up to 3,000 biomarkers per patient to personalize therapy, achieving 2x weight loss and 3x adherence vs drug alone, with 48-hour eligibility screening vs months-long NHS waiting times.
Target customer
Italian adults eligible for GLP-1/GIP pharmacologic obesity treatment (approx. 11 million in Italy); B2C patients plus strategic distribution partnerships across Italy.
Industries served
Digital health / Healthtech, obesity and metabolic syndrome care, pharmacologic (GLP-1/GIP) treatment.
Technology advantage
Proprietary AI system that integrates up to 3,000 biomarkers per patient (genetic, blood chemistry, anamnestic) with behavioral and clinical data; predicts dropout risk and adverse effects, dynamically suggests optimal dosage to physicians, and automates follow-up with intelligent escalation. Predictive accuracy refines with each patient treated and medical validation.
How they differentiate
Unlike larger international digital obesity clinics (Oviva, Calibrate) that operate at much larger scale, Holifya builds clinical and technological infrastructure tailored specifically to the Italian market — a position no local competitor has matched. Its AI-driven biomarker integration and physician-validated dosage optimization differentiate it from drug-alone programs.
Main competitors
Oviva (UK/CH, $400M+ raised), Calibrate (USA, $160M+ raised)
Key partnerships
B4i Bocconi for Innovation accelerator (Batch 6), CDP Venture Capital National Accelerator Network (Next Age Silver Economy program), Endeavor Elevator Italy, Plug and Play, A-Road (Batch 5), Growth Capital (financial advisor)
Major milestones
2023: Founded/re-launched as digital clinic, completed B4i Bocconi accelerator (Batch 6), raised €500K pre-seed, 2025: Italian Parliament recognized obesity as chronic disease, 2026: Raised €2M round led by Next Age (CDP Venture Capital) to scale AI-supported GLP-1 care.
Growth metrics
Treated over 3,000 patients since founding; patients achieve up to 2x weight loss (-17% vs -7.1% at 6 months) and up to 3x adherence vs drug-alone; eligibility screening within 48 hours; team targeting 60+ people by end of 2026.
Market positioning
First digital clinic in Italy focused on pharmacologic obesity treatment; positioned as the Italian and European go-to for patients considering or undertaking a pharmacologic obesity pathway, with ambition to scale internationally.
Geographic focus
Italy (primary), with ambition to expand internationally across Europe.
About Alessandra Cestaro
Ex-McKinsey & Company Engagement Manager (7 years); MBA, Columbia Business School (Class of 2020); Forbes Under 30. Left McKinsey to found Holifya.
Latest news about Holifya
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Official website: https://www.holifya.com
