Bright.md, the provider of a virtual healthcare service backed by StartX, has raised $8m in its latest funding round.

US-based virtual healthcare service provider Bright.md, backed by Stanford University’s StartX, has raised $8m in a series B round led by VC firm B Capital with participation from Seven Peaks Ventures.

Established in 2014, Bright.md operates a cloud-based virtual healthcare platform called SmartExam, that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to ask a patient questions on their condition. A doctor then receives an alert and can recommend a treatment within minutes.

The money will enable the continued market development of SmartExam through increased sales and marketing activities, expanded client engagement, additional implementations of healthcare delivery systems and recruitment.

Stanford-StartX fund participated in a $3.5m series A round in 2015 led by Oregon Angel Fund. Seven Peaks also contributed cash to the series A.

Seven Peaks, Oregon Angel Fund and Portland Seed Fund previously took part in a $1m seed round in 2014.

Ray Costantini,, co-founder and chief executive of Bright.md, said: “It is exciting to see continued support for our SmartExam AI product from leading venture firms and healthcare systems.

“In just three years, our software has gained great traction, lowering the cost and improving the quality of care. We are already recognised as the market-leading remote care solution.

“SmartExam is more thorough and evidence-based than other approaches, and reduces the cost of care by guiding patients through personalised questions that provide targeted information for providers to use in their diagnosis and treatment.”