OpenAI is deepening its expansion into the medical sector by acquiring Torch, a specialized health-tech startup, in a deal reportedly valued at $100 million. According to sources cited by The Information, the transaction was an all-equity deal, effectively an expensive “acqui-hire” of Torch’s four-person founding team.
Before the acquisition, Torch was developing sophisticated infrastructure designed to unify a patient’s fragmented health history. Their platform aimed to aggregate data from diverse sources—including clinical visits, wearable device metrics, lab results, and wellness apps—to create a singular “context engine.” This technology was intended to serve as a comprehensive medical memory, enabling AI to process and understand a user’s full health profile.
The talent behind Torch has deep roots in health-tech innovation. Co-founder Ilya Abyzov revealed on X that the team originally coalesced at Forward Health, the high-tech primary care startup famous for its “Doctor in a Box” concept. Following Forward’s collapse in late 2024 (despite having raised over $400 million), the team pivoted to launch Torch.
Instead of operating as a standalone product, Torch’s technology and team will be integrated directly into OpenAI’s ecosystem. They are set to power the newly unveiled ChatGPT Health, a dedicated vertical aimed at helping users interpret medical data and manage their personal wellness through generative AI.
