Tag Archives: Health Transformer

Born from Experience: How The Care Hack Is Fixing the Caregiver Crisis

December 16, 2025Alzheimer's Moonshot, Caregiving Moonshot, Health, Healthcare, Innovation, StartupsAlzheimer's, Alzheimer's Moonshot, Caregiving, Caregiving Moonshot, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, Mitul Desai, The Care Hack, Unity StoakesNicole Kinsey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:35 — 23.4MB)

In this episode of the StartUp Health NOW podcast, Unity Stoakes sits down with Mitul Desai, co-founder of The Care Hack, a member of StartUp Health’s Caregiving Moonshot Community. Desai opens up about the decades-long journey that began when his younger brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and his family became full-time caregivers – with no support, no training, and no roadmap.

Drawing from this lived experience, Mitul partnered with psychiatrist Dr. Eli Shalenberg to launch The Care Hack, a platform purpose-built for cognitive caregivers – those supporting loved ones with long-term brain and mental health conditions. Together, they’re on a mission to bring caregivers into the center of the healthcare system, not just as recipients of support, but as key contributors to better outcomes and lower costs.

You’ll hear why Mitul left a successful career in law, policy, and tech to pursue this mission, how The Care Hack is partnering with providers and payers to scale what already works, and what it means to create infrastructure for the “second healthcare system” that families already power every day.

Listen to learn why The Care Hack isn’t just another health app – it’s a movement grounded in empathy, evidence, and a belief that caregivers can change everything when given the right tools.

Want to meet founders like Mitul 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.

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How EmTech Care Labs’ Care-Wallet Is Changing Dementia Care at Home

December 12, 2025Access to Care, Alzheimer's Moonshot, Caregiving Moonshot, Health, Healthcare, InnovationAlzheimer's, Alzheimer's Moonshot, brain health moonshot, Care-Wallet, Caregiving, Caregiving Moonshot, EmTech Care Labs, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, Unity StoakesNicole Kinsey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:37 — 30.8MB)

StartUp Health community member Aarabi Balasubramanian, CEO & Founder of EmTech Care Labs, joins StartUp Health co-founder Unity Stoakes to share the deeply personal story that inspired Care-Wallet™, her virtual care management platform for families navigating Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

In this conversation, Aarabi discusses:

How her mother’s long diagnostic journey revealed the realities of caregiving across countries and health systems
Why families face so much fragmentation when managing dementia care at home
How Care-Wallet blends AI support with human care managers to guide families step by step
What she is learning as a solo founder building in a complex healthcare ecosystem
How the StartUp Health community gives her support, shared experience, and a network of fellow founders pushing forward similar missions

This is a must listen for anyone building in aging, caregiving, or brain health – or for anyone supporting a loved one through a complex care journey.

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What Happens After the Doctor Visit? How Starlight Is Reinventing Follow-Up Care

December 9, 2025Access to Care, Health, Healthcare, Innovation, StartupsAccess to care, Access to Care Moonshot, Cardiometabolic Health, Cardiometabolic Moonshot, Caregiving, Caregiving Moonshot, Health Moonshot, Health Moonshot Update, Health Transformer, Nandan Rao, Starlight, Unity StoakesNicole Kinsey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()

When a patient is diagnosed with a chronic condition, the real journey begins at home – not in the doctor’s office. In this episode, StartUp Health community member Nandan Rao, CEO & Founder of Starlight, shares how his company is filling one of the biggest gaps in modern healthcare: what happens after the visit.

Learn:
• Why follow-up care is broken—and how Starlight is fixing it
• How behavioral science and human coaches can outperform even the best tech
• What it takes to integrate with providers, payers, and patients alike
• Why Starlight’s care model is scaling across 12+ states
• The surprising role AI plays in making care more human

This is chronic care, reengineered for real life.

P.S. If you’re tracking CMS’s new ACCESS model, don’t miss this. Starlight’s care delivery model is already up and running – and hitting the exact goals ACCESS was designed to promote.

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Meet Cognimark: How Andrew Lu Is Reimagining Brain Health with an AI-Powered Neurology Copilot

December 2, 2025Alzheimer's Moonshot, Business, Health, Healthcare, Innovation, StartupsAlzheimer's Moonshot, alzheimer's moonshot community, Andrew Lu, Brain health, brain health moonshot, Cognimark, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, Unity StoakesNicole Kinsey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:23 — 26.9MB)

In this episode of the StartUp Health NOW podcast, Unity Stoakes sits down with StartUp Health community member Andrew Lu, CEO & Co-founder of Cognimark, to explore how AI is reshaping dementia care from the ground up.

How a personal family journey inspired Lu to build Cognimark
The power of integrating AI directly into physician workflows
What early pilots reveal about detecting dementia sooner
Why collaboration through the StartUp Health Alzheimer’s Moonshot matters

Listen in to hear how Cognimark is transforming the patient and physician experience—making proactive brain health part of every primary care visit.

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Edamam’s Victor Penev: Building a 24/7 AI Nutritionist for a Healthier World

November 20, 2025Business, Food as Medicine Moonshot, Health, Healthcare, Innovation, StartupsEdamam, Food as Medicine, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, Unity Stoakes, Victor PenevNicole Kinsey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:55 — 26.5MB)

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.

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A Mother on a Mission to Fix Maternal Nutrition: How Mother of Fact’s Nutrition Care Saves Mothers & Babies

November 4, 2025Business, Food as Medicine Moonshot, Health, Healthcare, Innovation, StartupsChildrens Health, Emily Sylvester, Food as Medicine, Health, health equity, Health Moonshot, Health Moonshot Update, Health Transformer, Health Transformers, maternal health, Mother of Fact, Unity Stoakes, womens healthNicole Kinsey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:46 — 27.3MB)

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.

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

October 24, 2025Business, Cardiometabolic Health Moonshot, Health, Healthcare, Innovation, Startups, Type 1 Diabetes MoonshotDigital Health, Entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, Health, health innovation, Health Moonshot, Health Moonshot Communities, Health Moonshot Update, Health Moonshots, Health Transformer, Healthcare, Innovation, Sam Scott, T1D, T1D Moonshot, Type 1 Diabetes, Unity StoakesNicole Kinsey

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

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.

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Avanlee Care Partners with Health Plans to Provide Simple Tools & Big Outcomes for Seniors at Home

September 25, 2025Business, Caregiving Moonshot, Health, Healthcare, Innovation, StartupsAvanlee Care, Avanlee Christine, Caregiving, Health, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, Healthcare, Innovation, Unity StoakesNicole Kinsey

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Bridging Home, Family, and Health Plans: Avanlee Christine on Caregiver-First Health Innovation

StartUp Health community member Avanlee Christine, CEO & Co-founder of Avanlee Care, joins Unity Stoakes on StartUp Health NOW to share how a pivot from fundraising to customer development unlocked product traction, investor interest, and partnerships with innovative health plans. From Billings, Montana, Avanlee explains why integrating unpaid family caregivers into care workflows improves outcomes, raises satisfaction, and helps Medicare Advantage plans do more with less.

In this episode:

How shifting focus from pitching to building sparked inbound VC interest, including the first venture investor
Why 60% of Medicare Advantage members rely on informal caregivers, and how formalizing that communication closes gaps
Practical ways caregiver engagement boosts stars, adherence, annual wellness visits, and CAHPS
Lessons from scaling a health tech company in Montana, with support from mentors and investors like Esther Dyson
Real talk on resilience, motherhood, team building, and staying alive through tough cycles
What health plan leaders, quality and risk teams, and investor partners should know about Avanlee Care right now

Listen for:

Simple, structured steps health plans can take to bring caregivers into the loop
A founder’s playbook for surviving early years, finding product-market fit, and creating momentum outside traditional tech hubs

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The Future of Health Fundraising: How Ribon Is Revolutionizing Philanthropy

August 19, 2025Business, Health, Healthcare, Innovation, StartupsAccess to Care Moonshot, community, Health Moonshot, Health Moonshot Communities, health moonshot community, Health Transformer, Health Transformers, Rafael Rodeiro, Ribon, Ribon Health, Unity StoakesNicole Kinsey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:29 — 20.6MB)

Transforming Healthcare Fundraising: A Revolutionary Approach

In this episode of StartUp Health NOW, discover how Rafael Rodeiro, CEO & Founder of Ribon Health, is revolutionizing nonprofit healthcare fundraising through an innovative platform that’s changing the game. From a modest start in Brasilia to developing a groundbreaking “reverse matching gifts” system, Rafael’s journey showcases the power of reimagining traditional giving methods.

The episode explores how Ribon’s unique approach provides free donation tickets to individuals, removing financial barriers and fostering a natural sense of generosity. This innovative system not only transforms how people give but also creates lasting engagement within healthcare communities.

Rafael also shares his personal growth story and his experience as a member of the StartUp Health community, including how he improved his pitch from a 6.5 NPS score to an impressive 9.5 through persistence and continuous refinement. His StartUp Health membership evolved from initial skepticism to valuable partnerships, demonstrating the importance of community support in healthcare innovation.

Key Highlights Include:

The concept of “reverse matching gifts” allows donors to engage with health projects without the pressure of traditional fundraising, making giving more joyful and accessible.
Building long-term relationships with donors can create a positive cycle of giving, enhancing community engagement and fostering a culture of altruism.
Community feedback and training can lead to significant improvements, as demonstrated by Rafael’s pitch journey and collaborations.

Ready to be inspired by a fresh perspective on healthcare fundraising and entrepreneurial resilience? Tune in to hear how one founder’s vision is reshaping the future of giving in healthcare.

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Feeding Health Equity: How EntreVita Is Using AI to Bring Personalized Nutrition to the People Who Need It Most

June 9, 2025Business, Food as Medicine Moonshot, Health, Innovation, StartupsCardiometabolic Health, Cory Mitchell, diabetes, EntreVita, Food as Medicine, health equity, Health Moonshot, Health Transformer, Health Transformers, Nutrition, Type 2 Diabetes, Unity StoakesNicole Kinsey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()

From Personal Tragedy to Transformation: Cory Mitchell’s Food as Medicine Mission with EntreVita

In this powerful episode of StartUp Health NOW, Unity Stoakes sits down with Cory Mitchell, D.Bioethics, CEO & Founder of EntreVita and a founding member of StartUp Health’s Food as Medicine Health Moonshot Community. Cory shares a deeply personal and inspiring journey — from growing up in poverty, losing family to diet-related illnesses, and serving in the Navy, to becoming a public health researcher and now a visionary entrepreneur tackling cardiometabolic diseases and food insecurity with tech-driven precision.

Hear how Cory’s lived experience and research background led to the creation of EntreVita, a platform combining AI with real-time meal recommendations to help patients manage chronic conditions like Type 2 diabetes.

Learn how Cory is thinking beyond software — envisioning a future with robotic kiosks delivering personalized, healthy meals directly in food deserts, gas stations, and eventually even outer space.

Key Takeaways:

Cory’s transformative personal and professional journey
Why EntreVita blends AI + real-time nutrition guidance
The systemic barriers to healthy food access — and how to solve them
The role of mission-driven community and the power of the Food as Medicine movement

This episode is a masterclass in resilience, innovation, and reimagining health equity through food. Don’t miss it.

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.