Transformative Health Care Company Announces Expansion to Colorado at Metro Denver EDC's Annual Site Selection Conference

DENVER – More than 500 Metro Denver business, economic development, higher education and public sector leaders gathered at the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation’s (EDC) annual Site Selection Conference for the Consultant Feedback breakfast. An opportunity to hear from leading consultants in the business relocation and capital investment space, the event highlighted talent, the competitive landscape and business climate in Colorado, and how Metro Denver compares to competitor states and regions. During the breakfast, Governor Polis announced the expansion of Virta Health, a San Francisco-based virtual healthcare company that was recruited by the Metro Denver EDC into Colorado. Grounded in research, and with a compassionate approach, Virta Health helps people reverse type 2 diabetes and other chronic metabolic diseases, quickly and sustainably. They provide personalized remote care, expert advice and education to patients with diabetes across all 50 states.

For five days every fall, the Metro Denver EDC showcases the region to site selection consultants representing some of the biggest and most successful companies in the U.S. This year’s conference, presented by Port Colorado, was centered on Metro Denver’s human capital – or workforce – a topic that’s key to doing business and driving our economy forward. The breakfast event featured remarks from Governor Polis; a video interview about Metro Denver’s workforce and business environment featuring special correspondent Scott Cohn of CNBC’s “America’s Top States for Business” study; and a panel about the decision factors for business relocation and investment focused on how Metro Denver stacks up in the eyes of the companies and c-suite leaders the Metro Denver EDC aims to recruit. It was during Governor Polis’ remarks that the announcement for Virta’s expansion was made.

“The Metro Denver region offers employers a highly skilled and educated workforce. In fact, CNBC recently named Colorado the top state for workforce thanks to our skills, experience and training,” said Raymond Gonzales, president of the Metro Denver EDC. “Our talent pool and sense of community are especially attractive to employers like Virta Health who recognize our higher ed qualifications but also align with the spirit of life and doing business in our region.”

The Metro Denver EDC worked closely with Virta Health during the decision-making process, visiting the company’s headquarters in San Francisco and offering data and customized research to leadership. The team also shared its new regional branding campaign, The Elevation Effect, which promotes the spirit of life and work in Metro Denver. All told, Virta Health found that the innovative business climate, sense of community and lifestyle of Metro Denver, in addition to its strong talent base, was a perfect fit.

During the research phase of The Elevation Effect brand work, The Metro Denver EDC found that the region is best suited for companies and talent who “aim higher and dream bigger” but also seek to make a meaningful difference in their community. Virta Health is in many ways a “proof of concept” for the types of companies the EDC is working to recruit through its brand and marketing efforts.

“Tapping into the region’s influential technology industry is a big opportunity for our team,” said Amit Shah, Chief Operating Officer at Virta Health. “The talent here is undeniable, and the underlying spirit of innovation, collaboration and desire to help others aligns perfectly with our company values.”

Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes now affect nearly half of U.S. adults. Virta’s expansion is in response to increased demand for its novel approach and ability to help people transform their health while saving money for patients and payers. Virta expects that with this expansion, about 1,000 new jobs will be created. With continued high growth and an additional 19,000 square feet available, the company’s potential in the region is limitless.

Virta disrupts traditional diabetes solutions by giving patients expert care, education and guidance from both medical providers and health coaches on a near 24/7 basis. Virta’s mission – to reverse diabetes in 100 million people – challenges the status quo in diabetes and pushes the boundaries of what was previously thought possible in preventing and reversing chronic conditions.

Virta Health is doing important work in the diabetes space:

• Diabetes affects the lives of 37 million people across the United States (about 1 in 10). Of those 37 million, around 90-95% of individuals have type 2 diabetes. 
• Type 2 diabetes often goes unnoticed, putting patients at risk for life-threatening health problems like vision loss, kidney disease and heart disease which kills 1 in 4 people in the United States each year. 
• Virta focuses on reversing type 2 diabetes—the 7^th leading cause of death in the United States—through lowering blood sugar using nutrition, which can reduce and even eliminate the need for diabetes medications.

“The tide is turning towards disease reversal as the primary goal for type 2 diabetes treatment,” said Sami Inkinen, CEO and co-founder of Virta Health. “Our accelerating growth affirms this shift, as payers race to cut costs while helping patients transform their health.”

“As a business person, I am excited about the progress our administration has made to attract and secure new businesses, help support existing companies and support the creation of more good-paying jobs for Coloradans. This exciting addition to Colorado’s growing technology and health industries will bring new good-paying jobs to Coloradans, and we are thrilled to welcome Virta Health to Colorado, the best place to live, work, and do business,” said Gov. Jared Polis. 

“Colorado and the Metro Denver region are leaders in cybersecurity and software development, well equipped to respond to the demand for innovative healthcare solutions,” said Patrick Meyers, executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. “We’re pleased that Virta Health has chosen Colorado and will help continue that legacy as it works to create better health outcomes for diabetes patients across the country.”

“My approach to people operations is similar to our company’s approach to changing lives: continually collect feedback and use that to inform how we can improve,” said Marc Mooney, Virta Health’s Human Resources Lead and Chief of Staff.

Winning the Google Cloud Customer Award for “Social Impact” in 2021 and maintaining an innovative perspective on healthcare technology, Virta Health will become one of the many companies in the Metro Denver region that thrive in their community, where boundaries don’t exist, and an ambitious workforce lives. The Metro Denver EDC is thrilled to have played a role in helping Virta Health decide on Metro Denver for its next phase of growth.

About the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation

Often called a “center of influence,” the Metro Denver EDC was the nation’s first regional economic development organization. From Castle Rock to Fort Collins and Golden to Greeley, we represent nine counties and more than 70 communities that contribute to our resilient economy and incredible culture. It’s a region that accounts for two-thirds of the state’s population and three-quarters of the Colorado GDP.

As the economic development function of the broader Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Metro Denver EDC works to “future-proof” the Colorado economy through corporate attraction and retention; workforce development; domestic and global marketing; investments in infrastructure; and public policy that fosters a pro-business climate.

About Virta Health

Virta Health helps people reverse type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions. Current 

approaches manage disease progression through increased medication use and infrequent doctor visits. Virta reverses type 2 diabetes through innovations in technology, nutrition science, and continuous remote care from physicians and behavioral experts. In clinical studies, 94% of patients reduce or eliminate insulin use, and weight-loss exceeds FDA benchmarks by nearly 150%. Virta works with the largest health plans, employers, and government organizations and puts 100% of its fees at risk based on clinical and financial outcomes. To learn more about how Virta is transforming lives by reversing type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases, visit www.virtahealth.com or follow us on Twitter @virtahealth.

About Port Colorado

Port Colorado is the only mixed-use, multi-modal inland port in the Western United States. The 6,500-acre master-planned mixed-use development will include unique campus opportunities for large-scale light and heavy industrial users, with the ability to maximize transmodal opportunities including air, rail, and ground connectivity. The development will also include a Town Center with a thriving entertainment district including retail, office, and dining experiences. The entire master planned project will feature an internal transportation system woven together with planned parks, trail systems and preserved open spaces.

Built for the future, Port Colorado is the new global enterprise center for commerce, innovation and culture in Colorado with sustainability at its core, including a proposed 700-acre, 100-megawatt solar farm. This project and its multi-hub developments will connect local communities, regional users, and global interests, seeking to expand the final frontier of Metro Denver. 

To learn more about Port Colorado, visit www.portcolorado.com.