StartUp Health NOW Podcast

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.

StartUp Health community member Victor Penev, CEO & Founder of Edamam, joins Unity Stoakes to talk about how AI is accelerating the Food as Medicine revolution. Penev shares how Edamam’s mission to organize the world’s food knowledge is leading to a new generation of personalized nutrition tools, including a virtual nutritionist designed to help billions eat better and live longer. Listen for insights on AI innovation, new reimbursement models for nutrition, and why optimism – grounded in data – drives Edamam’s next chapter. 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.

Transcarent CEO and 7wire Ventures co-founding Partner Glen Tullman joins StartUp Health co-founder Unity Stoakes for a candid conversation on what it takes to lead, invest, and build during one of healthcare’s most volatile and opportunity-rich moments. Tullman shares why time is the most strategic asset a founder has, why simplicity always wins, and why commitment — not an exit strategy — drives enduring impact. This 30-minute highlight captures only part of the full Fireside Chat with StartUp Health community members, who joined live to ask their own questions and engage directly with Tullman. Join the StartUp Health community to access these full, interactive conversations with today’s top healthcare leaders and investors. Do you want to participate in live conversations with industry luminaries? When you join the StartUp Health Network – a new private community for investors, buyers, and industry leaders to connect year-round with top health entrepreneurs – you are invited to a full calendar of interactive Fireside Chats with the most influential leaders shaping health innovation. Come with questions, learn what is working right now, and connect with industry icons. » Learn more and join today. Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.  

StartUp Health community member Katharine Barnard-Kelly, PhD, CEO & Co-founder of Spotlight-AQ, joins StartUp Health co-founder Unity Stoakes to share how her team is transforming diabetes care by giving providers a window into their patients’ real lives. In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Barnard-Kelly explains how Spotlight-AQ’s AI-driven clinical tool helps providers deliver holistic, biopsychosocial care that improves outcomes for patients, reduces burnout for clinicians, and saves costs for health systems. In this episode: How Spotlight-AQ uses AI to match each patient’s real-world experience with optimal routine care The simple, three-minute questionnaire that helps providers focus on what matters most Why holistic care is critical for managing chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity Lessons from Dr. Barnard-Kelly’s journey from health psychology to health tech entrepreneurship How Spotlight-AQ achieved FDA qualification for a person-reported outcome measure in diabetes What’s next after earning second place in the 2025 Breakthrough T1D Israel Innovation Challenge Why being part of the StartUp Health community has been so valuable for connection and collaboration Tune in to hear how Dr. Katharine Barnard-Kelly is building a bridge between science and clinical practice – and making biopsychosocial care the new standard for precision medicine. 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.

Aubrey Sawyer, co-founder of InHealth and the CoachLinq spin-out, and Michelle Alencar, PhD, an innovative health entrepreneur, share insights from their decade-long journey in health coaching. They discuss how CoachLinq merges human connection with AI technology to enhance patient engagement. The duo reflects on lessons in perseverance and the importance of partnership in scaling evidence-based coaching. They also reveal their vision for tackling future challenges in healthcare engagement, emphasizing the need for trustworthy collaborations.

One-third of maternal deaths are linked to malnutrition or lack of nutrition care. StartUp Health community member Emily Sylvester, MS, RD, is determined to change that. As CEO & Founder of Mother of Fact, Emily is building a future where every pregnant person has access to continuous, reimbursable nutrition care – embedded into women’s health workflows and culturally tailored to each family’s needs. In this conversation with StartUp Health Co-founder Unity Stoakes, Emily shares:• Why maternal care must shift upstream• How Mother of Fact delivers a 2–3x ROI for clinics• New data showing major reductions in complications• Her founder journey after witnessing a preventable tragedy• The role of equity in the future of maternal health Listen to learn how wildly different nutrition care can improve outcomes for moms – and help health systems thrive. 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.

This week on the StartUp Health NOW podcast, we sit down with Sam Scott, PhD, CEO & Co-founder of Enhance-d, a Switzerland-based company transforming how people with diabetes approach exercise. Sam shares how his experience working with professional athletes living with Type 1 diabetes inspired a digital coaching platform that integrates CGM and wearable data to personalize workouts and improve glucose control. He also talks about the company’s new clinical pilots with Dexcom, its growing global community of users, and the next generation of AI-powered coaching tools. Listen in to learn how Enhance-d is helping people with diabetes turn movement into medicine – and why collaboration across sports tech, med tech, and clinical care will shape the future of active diabetes management. 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.

Discover how long-time StartUp Health community member Sen-Jam Pharmaceutical is revolutionizing healthcare through groundbreaking anti-inflammatory solutions that could bridge the critical gap between lifespan and healthspan. In this StartUp Health NOW episode, co-founders Jim and Jackie Iversen share their journey in developing innovative medications targeting inflammation – the hidden culprit behind numerous age-related diseases and conditions The episode highlights their impressive progress, including: – Phase two clinical trials at Duke University – Positive outcomes in COVID patient studies – 60+ patents in their portfolio – Novel approach to alcohol-related inflammation – Promising collaboration with the National Institute of Drug Abuse Intriguingly, their research extends beyond traditional applications, showing potential in enhancing GLP-1 medications and addressing substance use disorders through neuroinflammation reduction. The team’s vision shifts healthcare from reactive “sick care” to proactive health solutions, promising more affordable and accessible medications for long-term use. Ready to explore the future of preventative healthcare? Tune in to hear how Sen-Jam’s innovations could transform the way we approach aging and chronic illness management. 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.  

For the first time in decades, a major innovation in reproductive health is on the horizon. In this episode of StartUp Health NOW, StartUp Health community member Dr. Darlene Walley, CEO of NEXT Life Sciences, joins Unity Stoakes to discuss Plan A™, a long-acting, non-hormonal, fully reversible male contraceptive that could reshape how couples share family planning. Dr. Walley explains how Plan A works as a medical device, the company’s global license for Vasalgel®, and the breakthrough results from 100% successful delivery device trials across two continents. With FDA-approved development plans and growing clinical momentum, the company is on track to submit for approval by 2027. Beyond science, this conversation explores a cultural shift: how men are stepping up to share responsibility for contraception and how this innovation could expand access, improve preventive care, and strengthen relationships worldwide. Listen in for a look at the future of men’s health, reproductive equity, and one of the most anticipated breakthroughs in medical innovation. 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.