March | 2026 | StartUp Health NOW Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:23 — 22.3MB)

Food as medicine is having a moment, but for leaders like Richard Bennett of Epicured and Victor Penev of Edamam, this is not a passing trend. It is the long-building future of healthcare.

In this special highlight episode of StartUp Health NOW, Unity Stoakes brings together two conversations from members of the StartUp Health community on the growing role of nutrition in prevention, chronic disease management, and whole-person care.

First, Richard Bennett, CEO & Co-founder of Epicured, joins Logan Plaster to talk about why food is emerging as a powerful front door to trust, engagement, and better outcomes. He shares how Epicured is helping bridge healthcare and nutrition, why reimbursement is a game changer, and how culturally relevant meals can support more human-centered care.

Then, Unity sits down with Victor Penev, CEO & Founder of Edamam, to explore how AI and food data are reshaping what personalized nutrition can look like. From meal-planning agents to virtual nutrition support, Victor explains why this moment feels like an inflection point for the Food as Medicine movement, and why data remains the foundation for what comes next.

Together, these conversations highlight a major shift in healthcare: food is no longer peripheral to care. It is increasingly central to prevention, treatment, and the future of personalized health.

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:59 — 25.6MB)

Ian Madom, MD, orthopedic spine surgeon and co-founder of Mocingbird, joins us on StartUp Health NOW to discuss how administrative friction quietly limits healthcare access and clinician capacity.

Drawing from his own experience in practice, Dr. Madom explains how state-by-state licensing, certification timelines, and compliance requirements create unnecessary drag for clinicians and administrators alike. He shares how Mocingbird helps organizations manage licensing end to end, why multistate practice is essential in a post-COVID, telehealth-driven world, and how thoughtful use of AI can support, not replace, human judgment. He also reflects on the doctorpreneur journey and the role the StartUp Health community has played in Mocingbird’s evolution.

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Monthly Archives: March 2026

Food as Medicine x AI: Two Pioneering Founders on the Future of Personalized Nutrition

Reducing Licensing Friction to Unlock Clinician Capacity with Dr. Ian Madom, CEO & Co-founder of Mocingbird