Metabiota has closed $2.38 in a venture round, according to a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The San Francisco-based firm tracks emerging threats of viral diseases worldwide, wrote VentureBeat.

Headed by physicians, medical researchers, and anthropologists, Metabiota monitors viral diseases in animals to prevent them from spreading to humans. What sets Metabiota apart from other health tech firms is its usage of big data analytics to trace those diseases, the report explained.

Metabiota has a non-profit division called Global Viral. This branch is responsible for educating residents and health workers about the management of viral diseases, the report added.

Founded in 2008 by virologist Nathan Wolfe, Metabiota and Global Viral were initially funded by Google and the Skoll Foundation. The firm was called Global Viral Forecasting Inc and only changed its name in 2012. Now, the company has established branches in San Francisco, Washington, and Guangzhou. It also has data collection units across Asia and Africa, VentureBeat reported.