Hilo launches blood pressure tracker with $19M funding boost

 Hilo, a health technology brand developed by the Swiss company Aktiia, has launched a new wearable system in the United States designed to help users track and understand long-term blood pressure patterns. Alongside the product launch, the company announced a $19 million extension of its Series B funding round, bringing total funding to more than $119 million. The investment will support the further development and expansion of the technology.

The “Hilo Core” system combines a lightweight wristband, a mobile application, and an FDA-cleared upper-arm blood pressure cuff. Users first perform conventional blood pressure measurements with the cuff, which is used to calibrate the wristband. After calibration, the wearable uses photoplethysmography sensors, which detect changes in blood flow beneath the skin, together with advanced algorithms to estimate blood pressure continuously without the need for repeated cuff inflation.

According to Hilo, the system collects around 30 to 35 measurements per day, including during sleep, and combines blood pressure trends with additional health data such as sleep patterns, activity levels, and heart rate. This allows users to better understand how their blood pressure changes throughout the day and how it may be influenced by lifestyle factors such as exercise, rest, and daily routines.

However, Hilo emphasizes that the wristband-generated estimates are currently intended for wellness purposes only. They should not be used to diagnose hypertension, adjust medication, or replace measurements from clinically approved medical devices. Hilo Core itself has not received FDA clearance as a medical device and is positioned as a tool to increase health awareness and support informed lifestyle decisions.

In the future, Hilo plans to expand the technology into a regulated medical platform. The growing interest in continuous blood pressure monitoring highlights a broader trend in digital health, with companies such as Samsung and Whoop also developing similar solutions. At the same time, regulatory discussions demonstrate the increasing importance of clearly distinguishing between consumer wellness devices and medical technologies that provide diagnostic or treatment-related information.