Heloa : Reimagining Family Health at the Crossroads of Technology, Public Health, and Human Impact

In a world where healthcare is becoming more fragmented and reactive, Heloa—formerly known as Malo—is quietly rewriting the rules. This French HealthTech startup is on a mission to bring coherence, care, and clarity to one of the most critical, yet underserved, segments of healthcare: early childhood development.

From pregnancy to a child’s seventh birthday, Heloa accompanies families with an AI-powered, data-rich platform that anticipates and detects health and developmental risks. While digital health has grown exponentially over the past decade, few platforms have managed to be both medically rigorous and emotionally intuitive. Heloa may be the exception.

A Rebrand that Means more than Marketing

The name change from Malo to Heloa signals more than just a branding refresh. It reflects a renewed ambition to move from a national to a global presence. In France, the app is already a household name among young parents, trusted by more than 200,000 families.

But Heloa’s ambitions stretch further: to positively impact the health journeys of over 5 million children by 2027, across continents with very different healthcare infrastructures.

CEO Florian Le Goff explains that the rebrand comes with a sharpened mission—to build the first family health super-app that combines scientific credibility, elegant user experience, and accessibility across cultures and geographies. It's a bold goal. But it's also a reflection of how urgent the needs are.

Technology Rooted in Science, Built for families reimagining Family Health

Heloa stands out for the depth of its technological design. Using more than 6,000 medically vetted data points, the app offers real-time insights into a child’s development. From language delays to gross motor issues, the system is built to surface warning signs that often go unnoticed until much later—when treatment is more complex and costly.

Unlike many wellness apps that rely on generic advice, Heloa works in partnership with paediatricians, child development experts, and scientific institutions. Collaborations with organizations like the French Federation of Dys have helped develop early screening tools for conditions such as dyslexia and dyspraxia. In a field where early diagnosis can change lives, this matters.

But Heloa isn’t only for clinicians. The platform is intentionally built to empower parents, many of whom are navigating the chaos of early parenthood with little support or guidance. The interface is warm and human—speaking in plain language while delivering medically sound advice. This mix of empathy and precision is rare in digital health, and it's one reason the app has earned high adoption in France.

Addressing Public Health through Prevention

Globally, nearly 1 in 6 children lives with a developmental disability, according to the World Health Organization. Yet in many countries, especially those with fragmented healthcare systems or limited pediatric care access, early detection remains out of reach.

Heloa is built with these disparities in mind. In Latin America and parts of Southeast Asia, for example, the app can fill a crucial gap where primary care is either prohibitively expensive or geographically scarce. In the U.S., where preventative pediatric care is heavily influenced by insurance models, Heloa provides continuity and support that parents can carry in their pockets.

Public health experts increasingly agree that the future of healthcare must be proactive, not reactive. Heloa embodies this shift by focusing on prevention, not just treatment. By helping parents act earlier, it reduces the long-term burden on healthcare systems—and increases the odds of better outcomes for children.

The Human Side of Digital Health

There’s a subtle brilliance to Heloa’s approach: it never loses sight of the human experience. Parenting a child with developmental concerns is stressful and often isolating. Heloa doesn’t just offer data; it offers reassurance, guidance, and community.

One mother in Bordeaux shared how Heloa helped her identify early signs of speech delay in her two-year-old son. "We didn’t know who to ask, and appointments were three months out," she explained. "Heloa gave us clarity, and most of all, relief. We felt less alone."

These stories are not anomalies. They are the product of a company deeply rooted in empathy—and in the belief that digital tools can bring parents closer to the knowledge and support they need.

From France to the World: What's Next?

As Heloa scales its reach across Europe and into Latin America, the U.S., and Asia, the challenge will be not only in translation but in cultural adaptation. Health norms, parental expectations, and medical access vary widely. Yet the core proposition remains consistent: accessible, science-backed, family-centered care.

At ballas invest, we see in Heloa what we value most in the companies we support: a powerful blend of mission, innovation, reimagining family health, and social impact. Heloa is not trying to replace doctors. It's building the connective tissue between families and the healthcare systems that serve them.

In a time when digital health often chases scale over substance, Heloa is proof that it’s possible to do both. To scale with intention. To innovate with compassion. And to make health not just a service, but a shared journey between science and family.