Tag Archives: Health Moonshot

The Opportunities & Challenges of AI in Healthcare with Cristian Pascual of Mediktor

March 20, 2025Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAccess to care, Access to Care Moonshot, AI, artificial intelligence, Cristian Pascual, Health, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, Healthcare, Logan Plaster, StartupNicole Kinsey

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AI has been quietly transforming healthcare for years, but the arrival of ChatGPT changed the game. Suddenly, everyone—from patients to investors—could see the real-world impact of AI in making healthcare more efficient and accessible.

One company leading this transformation is Mediktor, a pioneer in AI-powered symptom assessment. Before AI had its cultural moment, Mediktor—a member of the StartUp Health community since 2016—was already using it to help stratify patients and guide them to the right level of care. Now, they’re growing rapidly and shaping the future of AI in healthcare.

In this episode, we chat with Cristian Pascual, CEO & Co-founder of Mediktor, to discuss:

The evolution of AI in healthcare and why it’s accelerating now
How Mediktor’s AI-driven symptom assessment is improving patient care
The challenges of AI in healthcare, including LLMs, “black-box” models, and hallucinations
Why a hybrid AI approach—combining automation with human safeguards—is the future

As AI continues to shape healthcare, companies must balance innovation with accuracy. Pascual shares insights on how to harness AI’s power while ensuring reliability and trust.

Tune in to explore the next wave of AI in healthcare—and what it means for patients, providers, and the industry at large.

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 Community 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.

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How Optoceutics Is Exploring the Power of Light Therapy Beyond Mood Enhancement

March 14, 2025Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAlzheimer's, Alzheimer's Moonshot, Brain health, brain health moonshot, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, Logan Plaster, Mai Nguyen, OptoceuticsNicole Kinsey

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We all know light therapy can brighten our mood, especially for those battling depression or seasonal affective disorder. But what if light could do so much more? In this week’s episode of StartUp Health NOW, we dive deep into the revolutionary work of StartUp Health community member Mai Nguyen, PhD, CEO & Co-founder of Optoceutics.

Forget what you think you know about light therapy. Nguyen and her team are pioneering a new frontier, demonstrating how precisely delivered light, through the eyes, can actually reprogram brain waves. This isn’t just about mood enhancement; it’s about potentially slowing the progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Join us for a fascinating conversation with Nguyen, a Berkeley researcher turned entrepreneur, as she discusses her groundbreaking device, currently marketed as a wellness tool, but with profound clinical aspirations. Discover how her collaboration with engineers in Copenhagen has led to a novel technology that’s already making waves.

This episode will challenge your perception of the lights around you and illuminate the future of brain health. Get ready to have your mind blown!

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Can Light Therapy Slow Alzheimer’s? The Science of Photobiomodulation with Guillaume Blivet of REGEnLIFE

February 28, 2025Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAlzheimer's, Alzheimer's Moonshot, alzheimer's moonshot community, Guillaume Blivet, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, REGEnLIFENicole Kinsey

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On this episode of StartUp Health NOW, we learn about the power of photobiomodulation, a light therapy that promotes healing at the cellular level. From treating seasonal affective disorder to wound healing, light therapy’s applications are expanding. We’re joined by Guillaume Blivet of REGEnLIFE, a member of the StartUp Health community who is pioneering research into using photobiomodulation to address Alzheimer’s disease. Learn how their unique approach, targeting both the brain and gut, shows promise in reducing inflammation and improving cellular health. We discuss the science, the promising early results, and the potential of this groundbreaking approach.

Unveiling Photobiomodulation:
- Dive into the science of photobiomodulation, a cutting-edge light therapy that stimulates cellular healing at the molecular level.
- Explore how specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light can trigger biological responses, reducing inflammation and promoting cellular health.
Beyond Traditional Light Therapy:
- Discover how researchers are pushing the boundaries of light therapy beyond seasonal affective disorder and dermatology.
- Learn about innovative applications of photobiomodulation for internal therapeutic benefits.
REGEnLIFE’s Revolutionary Approach:
- Meet Guillaume Blivet, co-founder of REGEnLIFE, and his team’s pioneering work in applying photobiomodulation to combat Alzheimer’s disease.
- Explore their unique strategy of targeting both the brain and the gut simultaneously, leveraging the crucial gut-brain connection.
- Learn about the animal studies that have shown promising results.
Innovation in Alzheimer’s Treatment:
- Understand how REGEnLIFE’s photobiomodulation therapy aims to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s by reducing neuroinflammation and enhancing cellular function.
- Hear about the ongoing human trials in France and the potential for this non-invasive, safe treatment to transform Alzheimer’s care.

Tune in now as we learn how targeting the gut-brain connection with specific wavelengths of light could offer new hope for patients.

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How Veravas Brings Clarity to Diagnostics by Cleaning Samples

February 21, 2025Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAlzheimer's, Alzheimer's Moonshot, alzheimer's moonshot community, diagnostics, Health Moonshot, Health Moonshots, Health Transformer, Health Transformers, John Forrest, Logan Plaster, VeravasNicole Kinsey

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When your health is on the line, accurate diagnostics are crucial. But many blood tests suffer from false positives, false negatives, and frustrating gray areas. In this episode of StartUp Health NOW, host Logan Plaster sits down with John Forrest, CEO & Co-founder of Veravas, a member of the StartUp Health community, to discuss their groundbreaking solution.

VeraBIND: Learn how Veravas’ patented technology cleans blood samples to remove impurities, dramatically increasing diagnostic accuracy and eliminating ambiguous results.
Transforming Alzheimer’s Detection: Find out how VeraBIND results in a test with a single result that says yes, you have the disease, or no, you don’t.
Beyond Blood: Explore the potential of VeraBIND to transform diagnostics for a wide range of diseases, even using saliva samples – which are much easier for older patients to manage on a regular basis.
The Future: Hear Forrest’s insights on the challenges and opportunities in the health tech industry and how Veravas is poised to make a significant impact.

Tune in for the conversation and learn how Veravas is turning the tide on diagnostic uncertainty.

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Edamam CEO: Why Food as Medicine Has Hit a Market Tipping Point & Opportunities in the Space

January 31, 2025Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsEdamam, Food as Medicine, Health Moonshot, Health Moonshot Communities, Logan Plaster, Nutrition, Victor PenevNicole Kinsey

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This idea called “food as medicine” isn’t new. People have been talking for decades about how the foods we put in our body play a bigger role in preventative health and disease management than any drug or medication we could.

But it’s always been on the fringe. Partly because it’s difficult to do the studies that clinically prove that foods can be as effective as medications. And second, which is related, there hasn’t been much funding for this kind of work.

So, what’s changed? To answer that question, we sat down with Victor Penev, CEO & Founder of Edamam, a longtime member of the StartUp Health Community. Victor’s created what may be the world’s largest repository of food data. But he’s also a futurist with a keen eye on where the industry is heading.

In our conversation Penev explains how the uptake in GLP-1s and generative AI have come together in a fascinating way that opens up new opportunities in nutrition. Importantly, it may open up new funding sources and innovative business models.

On that note: StartUp Health has formally kicked off our Food as Medicine Health Moonshot Community, so if you or someone you know is a founder working in nutrition, someone with a passion to use food to make the world a healthier place, we’re accepting applications at StartUpHealth.com.

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 Community Showcase 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.

Imaginostics Is Imagining Brand New Innovative, Non-Invasive Diagnostic Solutions for Health & Disease

January 23, 2025Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAlzheimer's, Alzheimer's Moonshot, alzheimer's moonshot community, Brain health, brain health moonshot, Cancer, cardiometabolic, Cardiometabolic Health, Cardiometabolic Moonshot, Codi Gharagouzloo, diagnostics, End Cancer, end cancer moonshot, Health Moonshot, health moonshot community, Heart Disease, Imaginostics, Innovation, Startup, startups, Unity StoakesNicole Kinsey

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What if a single scan could not only diagnose existing health issues but also predict future problems and help prevent them? That’s the groundbreaking vision behind Imaginostics, a startup co-founded by Codi Gharagouzloo, PhD. A new member of the StartUp Health community, Imaginostics creates innovative, non-invasive diagnostic solutions using breakthrough quantitative imaging biomarkers to provide new insight in health and disease.

In this episode, StartUp Health co-founder Unity Stoakes interviews Gharagouzloo during JPM Week in San Francisco to explore the science behind Imaginostics and the unique technology they’re developing to revolutionize preventative health. You’ll also hear Gharagouzloo’s fascinating founder journey, from a troublemaking youth to a physicist with a soul-deep passion for transforming healthcare.

With $5M raised and an FDA breakthrough designation in hand, Imaginostics is making waves. Don’t miss this inspiring story of innovation, passion, and the pursuit of better health for all.Tune in now!

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 Community Showcase 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.

Are Family Caregivers the Secret to Improving Medicare Advantage Plans?

January 3, 2025Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAging, Avanlee Care, Avanlee Christine, Caregiver, Caregiving, Caregiving Moonshot, Health Longevity Moonshot, Health Moonshot, Health Moonshot Communities, Health Transformers, Healthy Longevity, Logan Plaster, Longevity, Medicare, Medicare AdvantageNicole Kinsey

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Empowering Caregivers: Avanlee Care Revolutionizes Senior Healthcare

The aging population is rapidly growing. This demographic shift demands a new approach to healthcare, one that empowers family caregivers.

Join us for our first podcast episode of 2025 as we chat with Avanlee Christine. A member of the StartUp Health community since 2022, Christine is the CEO & Founder of Avanlee Care, a platform that integrates caregivers into the healthcare of their aging loved ones. For almost every older person with a health concern there is an adult child who is worried and involved. In fact there are around 48 million unpaid family caregivers in the United States.

Discover:

How Avanlee Care is transforming the caregiver experience
The benefits for health plans, particularly Medicare Advantage
The power of family involvement in improving senior health outcomes

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in senior care, family caregiving, and the future of healthcare for an aging population.

Listen now and learn how Avanlee Care is changing the game.

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 Community Showcase 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.

Diagnostikare Brings Leapfrog Innovation to Life for Indigenous Communities

December 12, 2024Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAccess to care, Access to Care Moonshot, Diagnostikare, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, Health Transformers, Logan Plaster, Mexico, Rafael Lopez, telemedicineNicole Kinsey

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Diagnostikare, founded by brothers Rafael López and Rodrigo López, MD, is revolutionizing healthcare access in Mexico, reaching deep into remote areas.

In this episode of StartUp Health NOW, hear how this innovative telemedicine company in the StartUp Health community:

Started in Mexico City to bring high quality virtual care to people
Partnered with large insurers and major employers like McDonald’s to provide quality telemedicine
Provides care to those who may have had very hard time seeing a doctor under the standard system

And now, Diagnostikare is:

Expanding access to healthcare in underserved rural communities
Collaborating with Bayer and the World Bank to reach remote areas
Leveraging technology like Starlink internet for telemedicine delivery

This episode explores:

The challenges and opportunities of expanding telemedicine globally
The power of partnerships in healthcare
The impact of technology on improving access to care

This is a must-listen for anyone interested in global health, telemedicine, and social impact.

Tune in now to learn how Diagnostikare is making a difference!

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 VIP Health Moonshot Community 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.

Unlocking the Power of Storytelling to Grow Your Company

December 6, 2024Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsBranding, Health Moonshot, Health Moonshot Communities, Logan Plaster, StartUp Health, Storytelling, Unity StoakesNicole Kinsey

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Join host Logan Plaster as he sits down with Unity Stoakes, President & Co-founder of StartUp Health, to discuss the power of branding and storytelling.

In this insightful conversation, you’ll learn:

The importance of a strong brand identity for startups
Lessons learned from building StartUp Health’s brand that has become synonymous with health innovation
How to leverage media and storytelling to amplify your message
The benefits of StartUp Health’s new Health Moonshot Community PRO Membership program

This episode is a must-listen for any founder looking to build a successful and impactful healthcare company.

Tune in now and gain valuable insights from a seasoned entrepreneur and storyteller!

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 Community 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.

Financial Incentives to Close the Gap in Healthcare Utilization: Reciprocity Health’s TheraPay

November 22, 2024Business, Health, Innovation, StartupsAccess to care, Access to Care Moonshot, Cost to Zero, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, Logan Plaster, Matt Swanson, Reciprocity Health, TheraPayNicole Kinsey

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Many patients have access to healthcare programs but don’t participate, leading to poorer health outcomes and higher costs.

This episode explores a novel solution:

Reciprocity Health – a member of the StartUp Health community since 2023 – has developed their platform TheraPay to use financial incentives to encourage healthy behavior.
Hear Matt Swanson, CEO & Co-founder, discuss how to design programs that benefit both patients and the healthcare system.
Learn:
- How TheraPay improves patient engagement for better health outcomes
- The cost-saving potential of proactive care
- Strategies for closing the healthcare utilization gap

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in improving healthcare access, financial incentives in health, and building a more cost-effective healthcare system.

Listen now and unlock the power of positive reinforcement for better health!

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 StartUp Health’s 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.