Beam raises $5M for smartphone-connected toothbrush

I brush everyday, but I’ve never learned to enjoy it. I also don’t do it right, as my dentist never fails to tell me.

Beam Technologies wants to make brushing more interesting and fun by connecting a smart toothbrush to a smartphone. Beam’s toothbrush measures how long and how often you brush. It reports the data to an iPhone or Android device via Bluetooth.

Beam just raised a $5 million venture funding round from Columbus, Ohio-based Drive Capital. It also announced that it will be relocating from Louisville, Kentucky to be closer to its backers and potential business partners.

Beam was part of the accelerator Rock Health‘s fourth class of startups. Before the current funding round, the company had received only $550,000 in seed money from angel investors back in 2012.

With a current staff of four, Beam plans to use some of its new money to staff up to nine or 10. Right now it has six open positions listed at its website.

Beam also wants to start working with dentists and insurance companies to build the connected toothbrushes into wellness programs.

The $25 Beam Brush will compete with a Proctor & Gamble Oral-B connected brush that’s now being tested in Europe.