Glen Tullman's youngest son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 8, and Tullman promised to keep people healthy until a cure came. Livongo was that promise as a business. Members shared their blood sugar readings, and the company answered with data and coaching. Employers paid for it to cut the cost of chronic illness. Livongo went public in July 2019 as one of the first digital health companies on Wall Street.

A Father's Promise

Tullman had run Allscripts, a large health records company. He founded Livongo in 2014 to manage chronic conditions with data. Members used a connected device to share their blood sugar records. When a number looked dangerous, the system could reach out. The company sold to large employers and health plans, which paid for the service. Diabetes made up about 90 percent of revenue when Livongo went public, and it was adding high blood pressure and weight programs.

Eighteen Billion in a Year

Livongo priced its offering at $28 a share on July 24, 2019, and raised about $355 million. The stock rose as much as 62 percent on its first day on Nasdaq and closed up 36 percent at $38.10. In August 2020, Teladoc Health agreed to buy Livongo in a cash and stock deal valued at $18.5 billion. The merger closed that October, and Tullman took a seat on Teladoc's board.

Cover: The Wanderer and His Dog, Anthonie Waterloo. Art Institute of Chicago, public domain. Chosen for a wanderer and his dog (a companion on the road).