StartUp Health NOW Podcast

Chelsea Sumner, a translational health and AI strategy leader at NVIDIA, and Rasu Shrestha, Advocate Health’s chief innovation and commercialization executive, join a live panel. They discuss agentic workflows, open models and platforms for clinical AI. They explore clean, connected data, reducing clinician burnout, and building trust, governance, and collaboration across startups, health systems, and big tech.

Indira Paharia, PsyD, clinical psychologist turned payer executive and CEO of VIBEcare, builds virtual integrated behavioral health for primary care. She talks about why behavioral health often appears first in primary care. She explores the collaborative care model, how reimbursement and virtual care remove barriers, and scalable staffing approaches to expand access.

Digital health is moving at AI speed, but evidence generation is still stuck in the past. In this episode, StartUp Health co-founder Unity Stoakes sits down with StartUp Health community member Robin Roberts, CEO & Founder of datosX Digital Health Labs, to explore how validation can become a catalyst for real-world adoption rather than a bottleneck. Drawing on his experience building the Novartis Biome and spinning datosX out of it, Robin explains why traditional CRO models no longer meet the needs of modern digital health and AI-powered solutions. Together, they discuss how datosX is helping innovators generate regulatory-grade, buyer-credible evidence while unlocking pilots and commercial traction with leading health systems. In this conversation, you will learn: Why digital health companies cannot afford to wait 18 months for validation How datosX pairs innovators with tier-1 health systems to run validation studies that double as pilots What makes the datosX model 30–60% faster and up to 8–10× more cost-effective than legacy CROs How real-world data and retrospective studies accelerate proof and decision-making Why evidence, adoption, and trust must be built together How the upcoming EVIDIA platform is turning global digital health trial knowledge into AI-powered intelligence This episode is a must-listen for founders, health system leaders, investors, and partners working to bring validated, trustworthy health innovation to market faster. Are you ready to tell YOUR story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world’s biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, magazine, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of our Health Moonshot PRO Membership. To schedule a call and see if you qualify to join and increase brand awareness through our multi-media storytelling efforts, submit our three-minute application. If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit. » Learn more and apply today. Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

Pelvic health conditions affect millions of women, yet most are told to simply cope. In this conversation, StartUp Health community member Wendy Powell shares how she built MUTU System into a clinically validated digital platform that improves pelvic floor function, core strength, and overall quality of life. She explains what clinical validation really required, how MUTU maintains accessibility and equity, and why employers are embracing pelvic health as a productivity issue. You will also hear what is next as MUTU expands through health systems, enterprise partnerships, and new personalized pathways. A must listen for anyone working in women’s health, digital therapeutics, or workplace wellbeing. Are you ready to tell YOUR story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world’s biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, magazine, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of our Health Moonshot PRO Membership. To schedule a call and see if you qualify to join and increase brand awareness through our multi-media storytelling efforts, submit our three-minute application. If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit. » Learn more and apply today. Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

In this special year-end episode, StartUp Health Co-founder Unity Stoakes has an intimate chat with Esther Dyson –  investor, thinker, and StartUp Health Impact Board member – about her upcoming book on term limits, the dangers of abundance, and how to protect our humanity in a world of superintelligent tools. Esther draws on decades in tech, health, and philanthropy to ask uncomfortable questions about power, valuation, and why “too much” rarely serves us. Along the way, she shares stories from Wellville, her unconventional life adventures, and the teachers and caregivers who shaped her more than any Nobel Prize winner. In this wide ranging conversation, they dig into: Why human finitude and term limits can be a source of comfort, not fear How ultra-processed food, content, and money distort our “fitness functions” What the current AI bubble reveals about power, inequality, and attention Why AI should augment doctors, and why nurses and caregivers are irreplaceable How to think about education, theory of mind, and “theory of business mind” Esther’s practical career advice: always make new mistakes, and never do work you would not do for free This is a must listen for founders, investors, and curious humans who want to navigate the age of superintelligence with more wisdom, more agency, and a clearer sense of “enough.” Join us at Apollo House at JPM Healthcare Week in January to continue the conversation. Are you ready to tell YOUR story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world’s biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, magazine, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of our Health Moonshot PRO Membership. To schedule a call and see if you qualify to join and increase brand awareness through our multi-media storytelling efforts, submit our three-minute application. If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit. » Learn more and apply today. Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

Caregiving touches every family, yet caregivers often remain unseen. In this conversation from HLTH in Las Vegas, StartUp Health co-founder Unity Stoakes sits down with Richard Lui, award-winning journalist, filmmaker, and Chief Impact Officer for StartUp Health’s Caregiving Moonshot. Richard shares the personal story that sparked his mission to transform the global care economy and explains why caregiving is one of the largest and most meaningful opportunities in health. Together, they explore how innovators, investors, and leaders can build solutions that support the people holding our health system together. In this episode • Why caregiving must become a core pillar of every product and service in health• What Richard learned caring for his father with Alzheimer’s• How storytelling and culture change are fueling new momentum• Where founders can find opportunity in the rapidly growing care economy• Why community and staying power are essential for caregiving innovators Join the Caregiving Moonshot If you are building solutions that support caregivers or strengthen the care economy, learn how to join our global community of Health Transformers. Meet in Person Join us at Apollo House at JPM Healthcare Week in January. Are you ready to tell YOUR story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world’s biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, magazine, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of our Health Moonshot PRO Membership. To schedule a call and see if you qualify to join and increase brand awareness through our multi-media storytelling efforts, submit our three-minute application. If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit. » Learn more and apply today. Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

Mitul Desai, co-founder of The Care Hack and former healthcare policy professional, shares his journey from corporate life to supporting family caregivers. He discusses the profound impact of his brother's schizophrenia diagnosis on his family and the lack of support they faced. Mitul reveals how The Care Hack aims to empower caregivers, transforming them into vital contributors in the healthcare system. With a unique approach, they merge technology and empathy to enhance caregiver experiences, while also collaborating with healthcare providers and employers.

Aarabi Balasubramanian, Founder and CEO of EmTech Care Labs, shares her journey of creating Care-Wallet, a virtual care management platform for families navigating dementia. She recounts her mother's diagnostic struggles and highlights the fragmentation in dementia care across systems. Aarabi emphasizes the combination of technology and human support in Care-Wallet, aimed at simplifying care management. Her insights on rural access challenges and the importance of founder communities provide valuable lessons for those in the caregiving and healthcare space.

Nandan Rao, Founder and CEO of Starlight, is on a mission to revolutionize follow-up chronic care. He shares how his personal experience with his father's illness sparked the idea for Starlight. Rao discusses the gaps in current healthcare and how behavioral coaching combined with tech can vastly improve patient outcomes. He highlights the integration of AI to enhance the human element in care while tackling the challenges of scaling remote health services. Rao also emphasizes the importance of collaboration between health systems and tech to support patient care.

Andrew Lu, CEO and co-founder of Cognimark, delves into how AI is transforming dementia care through a personal lens, driven by his grandmother's late Alzheimer’s diagnosis. He discusses integrating AI into clinician workflows to enhance early detection and streamline care coordination. Their innovative technology, rooted in research from Boston University and MIT, aims to ensure proactive brain health during primary care visits. Lu also highlights the importance of collaboration within the StartUp Health community to tackle Alzheimer’s care challenges.