Tag Archives: Health Moonshots

Vinod Khosla on AI Interns, Trust, and Health Moonshots in the Age of Superintelligence

Business, Healthcare, Innovation, Startups, , , , , ,

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:56 — 25.6MB)

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Recorded live at Apollo House 2026, this fireside chat captures a candid, in-the-room conversation between StartUp Health’s Unity Stoakes and entrepreneur, investor, and technologist Vinod Khosla of Khosla Ventures on AI’s accelerating impact on healthcare.

Khosla explains why he believes AI is a platform shift larger than the internet or mobile, and how that shift could unlock access to high-quality care for billions. The conversation explores his “AI intern” model for healthcare, why copilots often underperform in complex clinical work, and why trust, supervision, and fit-for-purpose guardrails are essential. A live exchange with Esther Dyson adds perspective on empathy, communication, and the enduring human dimensions of care.

As a live recording, the audio reflects the energy of the room rather than a studio setting.

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.

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Indira Paharia, PsyD of VIBEcare

Making Behavioral Health Work in Primary Care: A Conversation with Indira Paharia, PsyD, of VIBEcare

Access to Care, Health, Healthcare, Innovation, Mental Health & Happiness Moonshot, , , , , ,

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:49 — 29.1MB)

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Behavioral health conditions are rising, providers are burned out, and primary care is carrying the load. In this episode, Unity Stoakes sit down with StartUp Health community member Indira Paharia, PsyD, CEO & Co-founder of VIBEcare, to explore how virtual, integrated behavioral health can transform care delivery at scale.

Drawing on her experience as a clinical psychologist, payer executive, and health tech founder, Indira explains why primary care is the most powerful entry point for behavioral health and how VIBEcare is building practical solutions that actually fit into real-world workflows.

In this episode, we cover:

  • Why behavioral health so often shows up first in primary care

  • The collaborative care model and why reimbursement changed everything

  • How virtual care removes barriers like stigma, transportation, and childcare

  • Addressing the national behavioral health provider shortage with scalable staffing models

  • What it takes to build solutions designed by clinicians, for clinicians

  • Why Indira is optimistic about the future of behavioral health access

This conversation is a must-listen for founders, providers, payers, and health system leaders working to make behavioral health more accessible, effective, and human.

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.

Enhance-d: Empowering Everybody Living with Diabetes to Reach Their Exercise Goals

Business, Cardiometabolic Health Moonshot, Health, Healthcare, Innovation, Startups, Type 1 Diabetes Moonshot, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:00 — 27.5MB)

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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.

How NEXT Life Sciences Is Redefining Contraception for Men with Plan A™

Health, Healthcare, Innovation, Startups, , , , , , , ,

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:28 — 19.6MB)

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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.

Introducing the StartUp Health Network: A New Era of Collaboration

Why We Opened the StartUp Health Network to the Ecosystem

Business, Health, Healthcare, Innovation, Startups, , , , ,

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:10 — 34.9MB)

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An insider interview with StartUp Health co-founder Unity Stoakes on our new membership that invites the world’s leading investors, buyers, industry experts, and policymakers to our exclusive member community dedicated to health innovation and achieving health moonshots.

We flipped the script. In this special episode of StartUp Health NOW, our regular host Unity Stoakes sits in the guest chair while Logan Plaster leads the interview. Unity shares why StartUp Health is opening the StartUp Health Network to a broader community of investors, buyers, and industry leaders, and how a curated, 24/7 platform helps builders connect with the people who can help them scale.

The conversation gets personal and practical. Unity explains his “5 to 80 rule” for communicating ideas that resonate across ages, plus a story about bringing kids into professional spaces to remind us who we serve. You will hear how our online community ties together Health Moonshot groups like brain health, women’s health, diabetes, access to care, and longevity, and why a vetted, niche network can cut through the noise of generic platforms.

Unity also breaks down how the membership model removes friction for both founders and the wider ecosystem. For industry and ecosystem members, the StartUp Health Network is a vetted, paid membership that acts as a smart filter, with simple, inexpensive monthly or annual dues. Members get 24/7 access to the online community, curated intros to founders across Health Moonshots, private roundtables and fireside chats with industry leaders, real-time trend discussions, and VIP access to meetups at major gatherings like JP Morgan, HLTH, and ViVE. Investors can compare notes and share deal flow in a trusted forum. Buyers and operators can scout solutions faster, pressure test needs with peers, and shorten the path from first meeting to pilot. Founders continue to have dedicated membership plans with peer circles, weekly office hours, and a robust perks platform that can deliver meaningful savings on tools and services. Unity explains why the membership model removes friction by eliminating equity and complex legal lift, making it simple to participate whether you are pre-seed or scaling globally.

What is the StartUp Health Network?
A private global community for visionary decision makers, thought leaders, funders, and innovators transforming the future of health. If you are a healthcare executive, operator, investor, or industry stakeholder who wants to stay connected to the people and ideas driving what is next, this is your place to collaborate with:

  • Healthcare executives and operators – leaders inside health systems, payers, and pharma who are shaping the future of care delivery

  • Investors – venture firms, strategics, angels, and family offices backing transformative ideas

  • Mission-driven stakeholders – clinicians, researchers, policy makers, educators, nonprofit leaders, technologists, and ecosystem builders across the health landscape

  • Founders and entrepreneurs – the backbone of our community, building breakthroughs in digital health, biotech, medtech, and life sciences, with dedicated membership plans designed for entrepreneurs

Stay to the end for a VIP thank you that unlocks a special rate on Network membership. You can use the code LOGAN at checkout for a VIP rate on an annual StartUp Health Network membership.

 

Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

ENCORE: From Caregiver to Changemaker, Becoming a Voice for Alzheimer's

Encore: From Caregiver to Changemaker – A Look Inside the Impact Board with Meryl Comer on Fighting Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer's Moonshot, Business, Health, Innovation, Startups, , , , , , , , ,

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 38:08 — 34.9MB)

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We’re taking a short break while we work on our new season, but in the meantime, we’ve got a special encore episode from our archives where we chat with a powerful force in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease: Meryl Comer, a member of our Alzheimer’s Moonshot Impact Board.

Driven by personal experience watching her husband battle the disease, Comer transformed from award-winning journalist to passionate advocate. She is the Co-founder & Board Member of UsAgainstAlzheimers; the U.S. Representative for the Global Brain Trust; and Vice-Chair of WHAM (Women’s Health Access Matters).

Hear her story:

  • Witnessing the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s firsthand
  • Taking action through co-founding UsAgainstAlzheimers
  • The critical role of advocacy and policy change
  • The emotional and physical burden of caregiving

Comer also shares her insights on:

  • Destigmatizing Alzheimer’s diagnosis
  • Anchoring innovation in the realities of care
  • Treating the source of the disease

This episode is a must-listen for anyone affected by Alzheimer’s, passionate about healthcare innovation, or inspired by the power of advocacy.

Stay tuned, and we’ll be back soon with more fresh content!

 

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.

Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

NeuroEM: Taking on Alzheimer’s With Radio Waves

Radio Waves, Real Results: Inside NeuroEM’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot

Alzheimer's Moonshot, Business, Health, Innovation, Startups, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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In this episode of StartUp Health NOW, we dive into one of the most fascinating innovation stories in health tech. Our guest is Chuck Papageorgiou, CEO of NeuroEM Therapeutics, a company that’s part of StartUp Health’s Alzheimer’s Moonshot Community and is making waves with a radically different approach to treating Alzheimer’s disease — using radio waves.

What started as a research study to prove that cell phones cause brain cancer led to an unexpected breakthrough: the very same radio frequencies used in phones appeared to improve brain health in mice with Alzheimer’s. The discovery sparked a scientific journey that has since included promising human trials, FDA Breakthrough Device designation, partnerships, and progress towards bringing this non-invasive, affordable, at-home therapy to millions.

Papageorgiou shares how NeuroEM’s wearable headset is helping untangle the brain’s toxic proteins, the science behind this counterintuitive tech, and why the impact could rival — or even surpass — that of current Alzheimer’s drugs.

If you’re looking for an inspiring story about accidental genius ideas, bold leadership, and breakthrough innovation in brain health, this one’s a must-listen.

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.

Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

Veravas Improves Diagnostic Tests by Purifying Samples

How Veravas Brings Clarity to Diagnostics by Cleaning Samples

Alzheimer's Moonshot, Business, Health, Innovation, Startups, , , , , , , , , ,

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:08 — 42.8MB)

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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.

 

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.

Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

DatosX Boosts Innovation Through Faster Tech Trials

DatosX Boosts Innovation & Product-Market Fit Through Faster Tech Trials

Business, Health, Innovation, Startups, , , , , , ,

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Are health tech founders building what the market actually needs? At StartUp Health, we see firsthand their biggest challenge: achieving product-market fit. But it’s more than just market alignment. Investor Robert Garber of 7wireVentures calls it “contract-market fit”—proof that people will pay.

This week, we talk with Robin Roberts, CEO & Founder of DatosX, a company in the StartUp Health community that is helping digital health startups achieve just that.

  • The Problem: Many early-stage health companies struggle with product-market fit. They may be building amazing technology, but the market isn’t ready.
  • The Solution: DatosX is a two-sided marketplace connecting health tech buyers (like hospitals) with startups. This enables:
    • Pre-validation of purchases by hospitals.
    • Creation of buyable products by startups.
  • The Insight: This unique position gives Roberts a front-row seat to what hospitals really want (hint: it involves physician efficiency) and where startups often miss the mark.
  • The Opportunity: We explore these critical trends and discover the opportunities for savvy startups in 2025.

Listen in as Roberts shares his insights on achieving product-market fit and contract-market fit in the digital health space.

The Access to Care Moonshot Community is comprised of mission-aligned founders and CEOs collaborating to accelerate breakthroughs to deliver quality care to everyone, regardless of location or income.
» Meet the Access to Care Moonshot Community
» Join a Health Moonshot Community

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.

Can taking a selfie be good for your health?

Selfie Health? Hibiscus Health Uses Facial Scans to Detect Diabetes Risk

Health, Innovation, Startups, Type 1 Diabetes Moonshot, , , , , , , , ,

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Can taking a selfie be good for your health?

This week on StartUp Health NOW, we explore a revolutionary new approach to health screening with Kavi Misri, CEO & Founder of Hibiscus Health. Misri is a long-time Health Transformer; after his first StartUp Health portfolio company – Rose Health – was acquired, he launched Hibiscus Health and rejoined the StartUp Health Community.

Discover how Hibiscus leverages smartphone selfies to analyze facial blood flow and identify potential risks for diabetes and other conditions:

  • Easy, intuitive screenings designed for broad adoption
  • Works with existing smartphone cameras and webcams
  • Unlocking the potential of selfies for health screening

Plus, learn about StartUp Health’s Cardiometabolic Health Moonshot Community and how it helps innovative companies accelerate growth.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of healthcare, preventive medicine, and leveraging technology for better health outcomes.

Listen now and see if your selfie can unlock your potential health risks!

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.