Barti Software raises $12M Series A for AI-powered electronic health records for eye care

(Image Credit: AdobeStock/Aliaksandr Marko)

Barti Software announced a $12 million Series A investment led by Five Elms Capital to scale its go-to-market efforts, grow its team across key functions, and accelerate development of new AI capabilities and workflow automation as Barti expands into ophthalmology.

The company noted in a press release that it was co-founded by an optometrist, Kelly Cai, OD, COO, and is built to solve the pain points eye care practitioners face by “providing an end-to-end operating system that unifies clinical, operational, and financial workflows.”

"As an optometrist, I've seen how software can get in the way of patient care. We built Barti to change that experience and bring the focus back to patient care and the doctor–patient relationship,” said Cai.

The company notes its AI Scribe, tailored for eye care, native phone/VoIP systems, and website management, brings first-of-its-kind software that solves these challenges.

Barti is also the first and only company invested in by AOAExcel, the for-profit subsidiary of the American Optometric Association (AOA) delivering member benefits to support optometry practices.

Colton Calandrella, CEO and co-founder of Barti, also commented, saying, "Today, the eye care industry takes a massive leap forward. This is one of the last sectors of healthcare still burdened with legacy systems. Instead of waiting a decade for modern tools to trickle in, providers using Barti now have access to the latest developments in AI designed specifically for optometrists, opticians, and ophthalmologists."

Calandrella noted that the goal of the company is to “automate 80%+ of routine admin work through our tools, including AI agents, to enable practitioners to prioritize patient care without being bogged down by tedious administrative tasks.” He noted that by 2027 practices will look and sound completely different. Saying that doctors will use their voice to manage most of their work and eliminate repetitive tasks.

"Barti is bringing real product depth to a space long underserved by legacy software," said Ryan Mandl, partner at Five Elms Capital. "By embedding AI into the core of its platform, not as a bolt-on but as a foundational layer, Barti delivers automation that feels native to how modern practices work. We're excited to support their next phase of growth as they continue transforming how providers operate, scale, and serve patients."

References:

1. Barti Raises $12M Series A to Accelerate AI-Powered EHR for Eye Care. Published August 25, 2025. Accessed August 28, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/barti-raises-12m-series-a-to-accelerate-ai-powered-ehr-for-eye-care-302537709.html