Wavelet Medical Awarded Grant to Validate Innovative Fetal Brain Monitoring Tech

Wavelet Medical Awarded ARPA-H Grant for Fetal Brain Monitoring Technology

On June 24, 2026, Wavelet Medical, a pioneering healthcare tech company, announced that it has received a grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). This award of up to $2.14 million, allocated over a 12-month period, is set to commence in June and aims at validating Wavelet's innovative non-invasive fetal brain monitoring technology. ARPA-H, which operates under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was established to support high-impact biomedical research that conventional channels struggle to explore effectively.

Founded by a team of experts including CEO Liz Golden, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Emily Lee, and Head of Science Dr. Jose Cortes-Briones, Wavelet Medical is on a mission to transform prenatal care. The company is developing an advanced fetal electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring platform that utilizes artificial intelligence to detect signs of fetal brain distress in real time. This approach promises to significantly reduce the number of brain injuries at birth, addressing a critical gap in current obstetric practices that rely heavily on fetal heart rate monitoring (FHM).

Fetal heart rate monitoring has long been the standard method for assessing fetal health during labor. However, studies indicate that FHM does not directly provide information about neurological function—leading to indeterminate results in about 85% of births. Consequently, the failure to detect cases of hypoxia, a condition that can result in permanent brain injury, occurs far too often. Each year in the United States, over 35,000 infants suffer brain injuries during delivery, and one-third of all births involve cesarean sections—some of which may be unnecessary due to misleading FHM results.

Wavelet Medical's groundbreaking technology changes the narrative by focusing on the brain, the first organ that shows distress signals in a fetus. It employs non-invasive EEG measurements, captured through the mother's abdomen, and utilizes proprietary AI algorithms to reconstruct auditory-evoked brain responses. This method is revolutionary as it eliminates the risks associated with invasive scalp electrodes, thereby protecting both the mother and baby.

Liz Golden, CEO of Wavelet Medical, expressed the urgency for improvement in fetal care standards, stating, "We see an acute need to redefine what 'standard of care' means in fetal medicine - and to save lives. This ARPA-H award will enable us to further advance and scale our non-invasive fetal brain monitoring platform to improve outcomes for patients."

The positive implications of Wavelet's technology extend beyond initial assessments of fetal well-being. By accurately identifying distress signals in real time, healthcare professionals can make timely interventions, thereby reducing the occurrences of brain injuries during delivery and optimizing the use of cesarean sections.

Currently, Wavelet Medical's technology is undergoing validation trials at three clinical sites, with plans for expanded testing to follow. The company is determined to position itself at the forefront of fetal medicine, harnessing cutting-edge technology to enhance maternal and neonatal healthcare.

In conclusion, the support from ARPA-H represents not just a financial boost for Wavelet Medical, but also an endorsement of its potential impact on the healthcare landscape. As the company moves forward with its trials and validations, the medical community eagerly awaits the outcomes that could redefine prenatal care standards for generations to come.