Rippl acquires Kinto to transform dementia care with AI-enabled solutions
Rippl, a pioneer in specialty dementia care, has announced its acquisition of Kinto, a Boston-based AI-enabled platform designed to support dementia caregivers. This strategic move aims to transform the landscape of dementia care by integrating advanced AI tools into Rippl’s established care model, ultimately reaching a broader audience and enhancing the quality of care provided.
Kinto brings to the partnership its acclaimed AI-enabled caregiver support and education program, which has been developed with over six million dollars in state and federal research grants from the National Institutes of Health. This program includes generative AI tools that augment the capabilities of care teams, helping them provide invaluable guidance to caregivers navigating the complexities of dementia care.
Kris Engskov, Co-Founder and CEO of Rippl, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition: “Using Kinto’s advanced AI tools and existing platform, this partnership will help us accelerate our technology capability to give more and better care to both our patients and their caregivers. Joe Chung and his remarkable team at Kinto are deeply committed to helping this unique and undervalued population of dementia caregivers.”
Joe Chung, founder and CEO of Kinto, will join Rippl as CTO and Head of AI, leading the effort to integrate AI into Rippl’s systems. Chung commented on the merger’s potential: “AI will revolutionize dementia care navigation and caregiver support by vastly expanding access and availability of this critically needed service.”
The partnership was facilitated by investor Tracy Chadwell, founding partner at 1843 Capital, who remarked on the synergistic potential of the merger: “The combination of Rippl and Kinto is a classic 1+1=3. Having worked with both Kris and Joe, I know their skill sets are unique and very complimentary.”
This acquisition, which closed on April 15, 2024, positions Rippl to become a leader in virtual dementia care. By leveraging generative AI, Rippl and Kinto are poised to deliver enhanced access to high-quality care, addressing the needs of nearly 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s dementia and the 11.5 million caregivers providing unpaid care. This strategic move highlights the growing importance of tech-driven solutions in addressing healthcare challenges, particularly in the realm of chronic conditions like dementia.