Every three seconds, someone in the world is diagnosed with diabetes.
That’s over 250 people by the time you finish reading this paragraph.
Today, more than 589 million adults, roughly 1 in 9 people, live with diabetes. And if current trends continue, that number will surge to 853 million by 2050.
Behind every statistic lies more than just fluctuating sugar levels. Diabetes is a silent disease that quietly damages the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves.
But there’s good news.
Healthtech is stepping up. From needle-free glucose sensors to AI-driven care platforms, startups are making diabetes management smarter, less painful, and more personal.
That’s what World Diabetes Day, observed every year on November 14, is all about. Not just awareness, but action.
This year’s theme, “Diabetes Across Life Stages,” is a powerful reminder that from childhood to old age, every person living with or at risk of diabetes deserves continuous, compassionate care and the right tools to manage their health with confidence.
Why is November 14 World Diabetes Day?
There’s a reason this date matters. November 14 marks the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, the Canadian physician who, along with his student Charles Best, discovered insulin in 1922.
Before their breakthrough, a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis was a death sentence. Insulin changed everything. It turned a fatal condition into one that could be managed for life. Banting’s birthday became the global symbol of hope, discovery, and awareness.
The rising tide: Understanding diabetes
At its core, diabetes is a condition where the body struggles to regulate blood sugar (glucose), the fuel that powers everything we do.
This happens either because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin (the hormone that moves glucose into cells) or because it can’t effectively use the insulin it makes.
Over time, this leads to elevated blood sugar levels that silently damage vital organs and systems.
There are two main types:
- Type 1 Diabetes: An autoimmune condition where the body mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. It is not preventable and requires lifelong insulin therapy.
- Type 2 Diabetes: The most common form (accounting for over 90% of all cases). It occurs when the body develops insulin resistance. It is often linked to lifestyle factors like diet and physical activity, making it largely preventable.
10 new healthtech faces redefining diabetes care
While everyone knows the big names—Dexcom, Tandem Diabetes Care, Medtronic—this World Diabetes Day, we’re shining a spotlight on the next wave of innovators quietly reshaping how people live with and manage diabetes.
From needle-free glucose tracking to AI-driven nutrition coaches, these startups are tackling the daily challenges of diabetes with smart, connected, and compassionate technology.
1. Biolinq: Needle-free glucose monitoring
Founders: Jared Tangney, Joshua Windmiller, Stewart Roberts
Year: 2012 | Location: California, US
For millions, checking blood sugar still means finger pricks or needle-based continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). But the Biolinq Shine, recently granted FDA De Novo Classification, is changing that.
This patch-sized wearable sensor sits on the forearm and tracks glucose levels without needles. It also integrates activity and sleep data, giving users a complete picture of their health.
A color-coded LED display on the patch itself provides instant feedback. No phone or app required.
2. DreaMed Diabetes: Smarter insulin adjustments with AI
Founders: Eran Atlas, Ido Muller, Revital Nimri
Year: 2014 | Location: Israel
For people with Type 1 diabetes, managing insulin can feel like a full-time job. DreaMed’s Advisor Pro simplifies it.
Using AI, it analyses data from insulin pumps and CGMs to recommend personalized insulin adjustments, giving clinicians the insights they need in seconds.
The result is more precise therapy, fewer blood sugar swings, and a lighter mental load for patients.
3. Glooko: One platform to connect it all
Founders: Chamath Palihapitiya, Sundeep Madra, Yogen Dalal
Year: 2011 | Location: California, USA
Data is powerful only when it’s connected. Glooko solves one of diabetes care’s biggest headaches: scattered data.
Its platform syncs readings from over 200 devices, including glucose meters, pumps, CGMs, fitness trackers, into one app.
For patients, that means everything’s in one place. For clinicians, it means quick, data-driven decisions and better outcomes without sifting through endless logs.
4. Virta Health: Reversing Type 2 Diabetes virtually
Founders: Sami Inkinen, Stephen Phinney, Jeff Volek
Year: 2014 | Location: United States
Virta Health is redefining what diabetes care can look like by helping people reverse Type 2 diabetes without drugs or surgery.
Its virtual care program combines medical supervision, continuous coaching, and personalized nutrition therapy.
Patients learn to manage blood sugar through metabolic health and lifestyle change, often reducing or even eliminating the need for insulin.
5. Hanna Health: Holistic care from Saudi Arabia
Founders: Hiba El Chaki, Anas Mayya
Year: 2024 | Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Hanna Health brings a comprehensive approach to Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and mental wellness.
Its AI-driven platform blends wearable data, virtual consultations, and a smart assistant that personalises nutrition, medication, and lifestyle plans.
Currently rolling out across the region (with its mobile app coming soon), Hanna aims to make diabetes management more accessible, personal, and culturally aligned for users in the Middle East.
6. Medtrum Diabetes by Intecmed: Compact, connected, and tubeless
Founder: Yang Cuijun
Year: 2008 | Location: China
Medtrum’s patch pump system makes insulin delivery seamless and discreet.
The waterproof, tubeless patch combines insulin pumping and CGM into one device, automating delivery and bolus corrections while giving patients the freedom to move.
It’s a glimpse of what future insulin management could look like: compact, smart, and effortless.
7. Varde Tech AS: Predicting blood sugar with AI
Founder: Rune Alexander Laursen
Year: 2023 | Location: Kristiansand, Norway
Varde Tech AS builds digital tools that go beyond tracking. They predict.
Its Varde T0 app syncs with body sensors for real-time glucose data, while Varde T1 uses AI to forecast blood sugar levels.
It analyses meal photos to estimate carbs and helps users and clinicians make proactive, data-informed insulin decisions.
8. Tap Health: AI nutrition and fitness coach
Founders: Rahul Maroli, Manit Kathuria
Year: 2023 | Location: Gurgaon, India
Tap Health is bringing a digital companion to diabetes care. No human coach required. Users simply snap photos of their meals, and the app’s AI instantly generates personalised diet plans and exercise guidance.
Its voice-first interface acts as a friendly, motivational coach, making healthy habits easier to sustain, especially for newly diagnosed and prediabetic users.
9. DiabAi: AI-powered virtual diabetes clinic
Founder: Farideh Ziadet Jahrohmi
Year: 2023 | Location: Ontario, Canada
DiabAi is developing an AI-powered digital platform to help people with Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes take charge of their condition. It combines AI-driven analysis of glucose levels, nutrition, and activity data with virtual consultations.
While the full consumer app is still in early rollout (“Coming Soon”), the platform is actively inviting demonstrations and forging partnerships with healthcare providers for its launch phase.
10. Endor Health: Smarter supply chain for diabetes care
Founders: Eli Moore, Reza Hoque
Year: 2023 | Location: Toronto, Canada
Managing diabetes isn’t just about glucose levels. It’s also about access.
Endor Health simplifies the diabetes supply chain with doorstep delivery of CGMs, pumps, and insulin, all in temperature-controlled packaging.
It automates refills, handles insurance billing, and connects users to diabetes educators, ensuring patients never run out of essentials again.
Awareness to action
World Diabetes Day 2025 is a call to collective action. The rising numbers remind us that while diabetes is a global epidemic, it’s also a deeply personal journey.
Thankfully, technology is turning the tide. With innovations that make monitoring simpler, care more connected, and outcomes more hopeful, people can now take control of their health like never before.
Diabetes may be silent, but the fight against it doesn’t have to be.
-By Rohini Kundu and the AHT Team
