Mold is emerging as an unlikely investment hotspot as wellness real estate and healthy living surge
Mold detox may not sound as sexy as skin longevity or biohacking, but it’s fast becoming a serious business opportunity. More than half of U.S. homes show signs of water damage or dampness, according to MoldCo, which has just secured $8 million in seed funding to turn mold detox into mainstream preventive care.
The round, co-led by Cantos and Collaborative Fund, brings MoldCo’s total funding to $11 million. The Boston-based, clinician-led digital health startup says the capital will go toward expanding its virtual clinic and scaling access nationwide.
At its core, MoldCo says it’s trying to close a critical gap in healthcare by offering a simple screening for mold toxicity that could give patients clarity before years of what it calls costly misdiagnoses. Left untreated, mold exposure can trigger serious long-term symptoms, including Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS), a debilitating condition often mistaken for chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia or anxiety, according to the company.
The raise comes as wellness real estate continues to boom, with the sector valued at $584 billion in 2024 and projected to more than double to $1.1 trillion by 2029, according to the Global Wellness Institute. Developers are increasingly baking health into the built environment, from air and water quality to biophilic design, while homeowners and renters are becoming more attuned to how their environments (and what may be lurking beneath the surface, like mold) affect their health.
“My own journey through the confusing and often dismissive landscape of conventional medicine while battling mold illness was frustrating and isolating,” MoldCo founder and CEO Ariana Thacker said. “Individuals are suffering because the specialized knowledge needed to recognize and effectively treat these conditions is widely unavailable. MoldCo was born from that experience.”
As of now, the platform currently offers advanced lab testing in 46 states and is providing care in Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio and Texas, with nationwide availability planned for 2026. Care runs $150 to $300 a month.
Backers say the appeal lies in both the market opportunity and the chance to solve a massive, overlooked health crisis.
“The sheer scale of the Mold Toxicity crisis, hidden within the walls of our homes and workplaces and deeply impacting human health, represents exactly the kind of systemic, science-driven challenge Cantos exists to address,” Cantos partner Amee Kapadia said. “Patients have been left navigating a confusing, expensive and often invalidating system for far too long. MoldCo is not just providing a service; they are building the essential infrastructure for accessible diagnosis and treatment.”
MoldCo plans to expand its clinician network, further develop its technology, invest in clinical research and raise awareness among both patients and providers. The company’s long-term goal? Make mold detox as routine as a physical or dental exam.
While MoldCo focuses on telehealth to make mold detox routine, other startups are pushing into the built environment. Ultrahuman recently launched a $549 home health device that tracks air quality, light exposure and chemical pollutants and pairs with its wearable ring, correlating environmental factors with physiological metrics like sleep and recovery.
