Founders Keepers

What: Fountain Life is a provider of healthcare services for predictive, preventative, personalised, and data-driven healthcare. The company's platform leverages science and technologies globally in order to provide effective and affordable treatments to enhance the health span, performance, and vitality of individuals, enabling patients to get access to personalised healthcare in a simplified way. Who: Bill is a board-certified surgeon, aircraft pilot and serial entrepreneur who has built multiple businesses and 9 Landmark hospitals to date.  We talk about: Scarcity mentalities in business innovation, the role of ChatGPT in healthcare, and the reasons behind hiring aircraft pilots for his team (as well as our mutual appreciation for the Toronto Maple Leafs). 📝 You can also now read the accompanying "podnotes" to the episode on Substack, where key insights from every conversation will be shared for those who prefer short and snappy takeaways: founderskeepers.substack.com  Find out more:  www.founders-keepers.com  Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod  Twitter: @founders.pod  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast  Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

What: e7 Health is a preventative health and wellness company supervised by Board Certified Doctors located in Las Vegas, US, and specializing in a range of services from travel medicine through to employee health, drug testing, immigration exams and laboratory services. Who: Jonathan is a triple board-certified physician with specialties in internal medicine, pulmonary and critical care medicine, as well as a recipient of the Top Tech Awards in Healthcare for his work using technology to transform the health care landscape in Southern Nevada. He additionally has served as clinical faculty for several medical schools including the University of Nevada and Touro University. We talk about: The ebbs and flows of heading up a vaccine-focused business including growing revenue by 10-fold since launching; and keeping the big picture in focus when it comes to managing and running a team. 📝 You can also now read the accompanying "podnotes" to the episode on substack, where key insights from every conversation will be shared for those who prefer short and snappy takeaways: founderskeepers.substack.com  Find out more:  www.founders-keepers.com  Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod  Twitter: @founders.pod  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast  Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

What: Vively is a software-as-a-service platform supporting people with lifestyle-related diseases: From providing real-time feedback to consumers on diet, exercise, sleep and stress to integrating continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and wearables for real-time data analytics about how users’ lifestyle impacts their health. The organisation collaborates with a team of leading integrative doctors, behavioural scientists and holistic health practitioners to create and combine digital therapeutic programs with on-demand coaching and health analytics, and recently secured AUS$1.5 million in pre-seed funding to support their expansion.  Who: Tim is a serial entrepreneur with a background in venture capital who prior to co-founding Vively had invested and founded various different startups active across Asia and Australasia.  We talk about: Tim's obsession with entrepreneurship from a young age; finding a solution to medical conditions brought on by lifestyle choices; and how building his own product at Vively identified a potentially serious health complaint in Tim despite his triathlete background.  📝 You can also now read the accompanying "podnotes" to the episode on Substack, where key insights from every conversation will be shared for those who prefer short and snappy takeaways: founderskeepers.substack.com Find out more: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

What: Lazarus 3D is a seed-stage US-based organisation that produces 3-dimensional printed synthetic human tissue models for surgical training. They are proprietors of world's first FDA cleared technology that allows physicians to rehearse their case on a personalised copy of the patient before the “real” operation, claiming to improve surgical confidence, patient safety and outcomes. Who: Both Smriti and Jacques hold PhDs in medical and human genetics from Baylor College of Medicine, with Smriti serving as Lazarus’ President and Jacques as CEO. We talk about: (Literally) building a business from your kitchen table, personalising surgical care, and why job titles don’t really matter. 📝 You can also now read the accompanying "podnotes" to the episode on substack, where key insights from every conversation will be shared for those who prefer short and snappy takeaways: founderskeepers.substack.com Find out more:  www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Wasted* is a Burlington-Vermont based start-up building the circular sanitation economy and transforming human waste into effective, safe, and sustainable fertilizers. The company was founded in 2020 and recently raised USD 7.5 million in seed funding from investors including the Collaborative Fund, Divergent Capital, Day One Ventures, Third Sphere, Pure Ventures, and Gratitude Railroad. Taylor is a social impact entrepreneur passionate about utilizing research, storytelling, and education to redefine waste, and prior to co-founding wasted* was the co-founder and executive director of the nonprofit “Do Good Shit” which sought to implement and maintain improved waste management systems in outdoor recreation areas and their surrounding communities around the globe.  In this episode we talk about the taboo of sanitising human waste; and instead of moving fast and breaking things, moving intentionally to make things better for public health and the global environment. You can find out more about wasted* in the following ways: Website: https://wasted.earth/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wasted-earth/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com and www.founderskeepers.substack.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

AmyriAD is an LA-based clinical-stage biotech company working to advance effective therapies for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, bringing together decades of experience with the singular goal of easing the devastation it causes. The Company's lead drug candidate, AD101, is a small molecule under development for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease and will be entering Phase 3 clinical trials later this year in 2023 following successful randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trials where it has been administered as an add-on to stable donepezil (Aricept®) therapy. Sharon was the global lead and development strategist for the highly successful Alzheimer’s Disease treatment, Aricept® (donepezil). From an incredible and widely varied career that started in figure skating and restaurant ownership, she has worked in high-ranking positions for several decades in the pharmaceutical industry and more recently in the startup space, leading the VC-backed AmyriAD. We talk about one of her earliest ventures delivering food to half-naked frat boys, her expat life in Japan, and why she is so passionate about advancing a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease. You can find out more about AmyriAD in the following ways: Website: https://amyriadtherapeutics.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmyriAD_Tx LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/amyriad-therapeutics/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com and www.founderskeepers.substack.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Founded in 2016, South Rampart Pharma is a clinical-stage life science company dedicated to advancing the safe treatment of pain by developing new non-opioid small molecule solutions that lack the liver and kidney toxicity present in current pain medicines. The company's lead program, SRP-001, is currently in a Phase 1 study evaluating the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics with data expected later this year in 2023. Hernan is an accomplished academic vascular surgeon who holds degrees in molecular biology and medicine and is a former Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Research Scholar at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He is the co-inventor of 7 issued or pending patents and has authored over 50 publications. In this episode, we talk about the innovation landscape in pain management, the challenge of translating scientific evidence into the clinic, and tackling curveballs thrown at you in business. You can find out more about  South Rampart Pharma in the following ways: Website: https://southrampartpharma.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SR_Pharma LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/south-rampart-pharma-llc/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com and www.founderskeepers.substack.com  Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

This is a special segment podcast episode with a focus on questions around conferences, given that it’s currently conference season for bio, med and health tech organisations in the US. Blue Water Vaccines showcased at JPM Healthcare in January and is an early-stage biotech company focused on manufacturing a universal influenza vaccine in partnership with the University of Oxford in England.  Joe is a seasoned health tech entrepreneur, holding multiple degrees in everything from neuroscience to molecular genetics and business. He has a background in company creation, early-stage technology development, and both private and public market financing. Over the course of his career, he has founded or led eight entrepreneurial companies in cutting edge areas of healthcare and pharmaceuticals.  In this episode, we talk about the post-covid vaccine landscape, the value of human interactions for business, and changing with the markets.  You can find out more about  Blue Water Vaccines in the following ways:  Website: https://www.bluewatervaccines.com/  LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-water-vaccines-inc  Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com and www.founderskeepers.substack.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod  Twitter: @founders.pod  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast  Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Tonix Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical company based in New Jersey focused on repurposing drugs for neurological conditions and developing vaccines for COVID-19, smallpox and other biodefense projects. More recently, the FDA awarded one of its drug candidates, TNX -102 SL, with breakthrough therapy designation for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder following studies in the US military. Seth is an enormously accomplished physician, scientist and entrepreneur. In particular prior to co-founding Tonix, where he is now the current President and Chairman, he worked as an assistant professor at Columbia University on the team that discovered the CD40-Ligand (CD154) and elucidated the molecular basis of T cell helper function. This discovery alone has since led to the development of treatment candidates for numerous autoimmune diseases as well as for organ transplant rejection. In this episode, we cover the biotech revolution in vaccine development, the need for versatility in hiring, and inherent difficulty of “doing science” in the real world. You can find out more about Tonix Pharmaceuticals in the following ways: Website: https://www.tonixpharma.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TONIXPharma LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tonix-pharmaceuticals/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Convergent Therapeutics is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing next generation radiopharmaceutical therapies for prostate and other cancers. The company's proprietary technology involves dual-targeted radionuclide therapy that has been licensed to Convergent by Cornell University (USA).  If FDA-approved, its flagship therapeutic would be the first antibody approved to direct a radioisotope to prostate cancer. Dr Kantoff is a board-certified physician in internal medicine and medical oncology; a member of numerous professional societies and editorial boards; author of more than 500 articles and books; and has lectured throughout the world on the topic of cancer treatments. He has been honored with the Harvard Medical School Kantoff-Sang Lectureship Award, and recognized with the first Prostate Cancer Foundation Mentor of Excellence Award.  In this episode, we cover raising money in difficult climates, the important “engine of discovery” that is the biotech industry, and dealing with the unpredictable both as a physician and a company CEO. You can find out more about  Convergent Therapeutics in the following ways: Website: https://convergentrx.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ConvergentRx LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/convergent-therapeutics/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

CONNECT Care is a UK-based startup that uses tech to track prescriptions for elderly patients and their carers. Supported by Innovate UK, their founding team brings together a combined 20 years of deep industry expertise at the intersection of digital health, pharmacy, and the oft-neglected social care. Through working with NHS partners across the country to roll out trials of its prescription tracking tech, they have a mission to make medicines management and access easier for patients and the people who care for them. Issa is a graduate of Oxford and Harvard universities, and founded CONNECT Care in 2021 with business partner Mehfuz, having since raised £1.4m in funding to date, including a £614,000 grant from Innovate UK and capital from angel investors. In this episode, we talk “adherence” as a dirty word, how chaos and turmoil can create opportunity, and why - to paraphrase the former Zuckerberg motto - moving fast and breaking things doesn’t always work for healthcare. You can find out more about  CONNECT Care in the following ways: Website: weconnect.care/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/connectedhealthsystems/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Kicking off the first episode of Founders Keepers of 2023 is Pete O’Heeron - the Founder and CEO of FibroBiologics. FibroBiologics is a clinical-stage regenerative medicine company based in Houston, Texas, developing a pipeline of treatments for chronic diseases using fibroblast cells. They hold over 150 US and international issued patents and patents pending across various clinical pathways, including disc degeneration, orthopedics, multiple sclerosis, wound healing, reversing organ involution, and cancer. Pete is a seasoned leader in his field with over 25 years of experience in medical technology and biotech development. Prior to founding FibroBiologics/FibroGenesis, LLC, he founded an operational investment group, Advanced Medical Technologies, LLC, that identified early-stage opportunities in the medical field with strong intellectual property potential. He also founded NeoSurg Technologies, sold to Cooper Surgical in 2006. In this episode, we cover having a high tolerance for the word “no”, working without a proverbial safety net, and revolutionising the regenerative medicine world. You can find out more about FibroBiologics in the following ways: Website: https://fibrobiologics.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fibrobiologics/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Luna is a platform for teenager health and wellbeing. Their app recently launched in the UK on Apple and Google Play stores following a $600,000 pre-seed investment from Octopus Ventures and Syndicate Room, and the app is freely available to teens, but also their parents, guardians, and teachers to holistically support young people during their formative years. Jo and Jas are both former management consultants, and met as MBA candidates at the Oxford Said Business School when they conceived the idea for luna. Luna went on to win the programme’s annual pitching competition, and was formally launched in 2021. In this episode, we talk dragon’s den-style pitching, handing out flyers on the streets of London, and their amazing “luminary” fan base. This is also the last episode of Founders Keepers for 2022 - thank you to everyone who has listened along this year; we'll be back with a bang in January 2023 with an incredible line-up of even more founders' stories. You can find out more about Luna in the following ways: Website: https://www.weareluna.app/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearelunaapp/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wearelunaapp  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lunalifeltd/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

UK-based Credentially’s AI platform aims to revolutionise the staff onboarding and verification process in the healthcare sector, making it faster, cheaper and easier for doctors and nurses to book onto work shifts, and was a key player in the NHS Covid Clinical Assessment Service facilitating the efficient sign-up and verification of thousands of doctors on a volunteer basis. Credentially was launched in 2016 by founders Kit Latham, a former emergency department doctor who met Credentially’s co-founder, software engineer Artem Stalpouski, whilst undertaking a Masters in healthcare technology. In this episode, we cover being part of the Techstars accelerator, “speed-dating” with prospective mentors, and addressing the healthcare paperwork crisis. You can find out more about Credentially in the following ways: Website: https://www.credentially.io/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/credentially_io LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/credentially/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Launched in 2017, Mojo is an AI-powered fertility care platform that helps people to understand, test, and improve their fertility in preparation for starting a family. Having raised a total of US$5.5 million over 2 funding rounds, Mojo's main offering is an at-home fertility testing kit that provides detailed results to users within 48h of sampling, alongside on-demand consultations with UK-leading fertility specialists. The company achieves rapid test turnaround through their WHO-complaint, proprietary, in-house built AI-powered microscope that revolutionises both accessibility to and the level of standard in sperm analysis. , and has been profiled in Wired magazine as well as multiple other media outlets. Mo has a PhD in materials engineering and nanotechnology, and set up Mojo in 2017 along with three other founders to apply his research skillset to a real-world problem. In this episode we cover his personal health reasons behind starting Mojo, shining the light on male fertility issues, and how “failing a lot” has helped his entrepreneurial journey. You can find out more about Mojo in the following ways:  Website: https://mymojo.ai/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mymojo.ai/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyMojoAI LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-mojo/ Find us on:  www.founders-keepers.com  Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod  Twitter: @founders.pod  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast  Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Motics is an app platform geared towards helping patients with physiotherapy needs. Through a series of wearable sensors and a gamified approach, Motics’ users receive actionable insights into their muscle function while electrical signals help them understand which muscles to use during rehabilitation and exercise. Harvinder holds degrees in both medicine and biomedical engineering, and co-founded Motics to support a family member’s physiotherapy goals. Motics has received multiple awards since its conception in 2019 including from Kickstart and MSDUK, and Harvinder was additionally named the Global Champion of the 2020 Global Student Entrepreneur Awards. In this episode, we cover everything from a love of Nintendo Wii to building up mental resilience and the power of community and networking. You can find out more about Motics in the following ways: Website: https://motics.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/motics/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Apryl is one of the top fertility benefits providers in the UK and Europe, which operates an SaaS model that helps employers to attract & retain talent while tackling diversity & inclusion in family planning. Apryl’s easy-to-use platform enables companies to support employees on their path to parenthood by offering access to a range of reproductive treatments, including egg and sperm freezing-  IVF, adoption and surrogacy.  Jenny has a background in business operations, strategy and venture capital, and set up Apryl in 2019 with her co-founder Tobias Kaufhold. Since then, they have raised over €4 million in funding, count Soundcloud as a client, and are currently rolling out their solution across 14 European countries. In this episode of Founders Keepers, we talk about Jenny’s personal journey with egg freezing that led her to found Apryl, democratising access to fertility treatment, and faking it til you make it. You can find out more about Apryl in the following ways: Website: https://apryl.co/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/apryl/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Advanced Human Imaging (AHI) uses smartphone-based scanning technology that combines proprietary deep learning models and state of the art processing techniques that return body circumference, body composition, health risks, and risk indicators from photo images taken on your phone. Comprising Body, Face and Dermatological scans, with a diverse range of data-driven applications across multiple industries, they aim to unlock the unique aspects of an individual's health, wellbeing, and chronic disease risk.  Vlado is a founder, investor, entrepreneur, advisor and business consultant with over 30 years of experience in assisting businesses in healthcare and technology with strategy, structure, and entry to capital markets. He began his career as a co-founder of MyFiziq (now known as Advanced Human Imaging) and is their head of strategy and revenue growth.  In this episode, we cover his company's "Black Mirror" moments, convincing investors, and how getting out of your own way can be a key to success in business.  You can find out more about AHI in the following ways:    Website: https://www.ahi.tech/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/advancedhumanimaging/  Find us on:   www.founders-keepers.com    Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod    Twitter: @founders.pod    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast    Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

OpenRegulatory claim to be "three dudes and one dudess passionate about helping healthcare startups enter the market". They provide free regulatory information and templates for healthcare organisations for the purpose of increasing transparency and maintaining safety in healthcare operations. OpenRegulatory also operate a consulting service for businesses developing regulatory-compliant medical software. Oliver is a medical doctor and software engineer by training who founded OpenRegulatory in 2020, and is also the founder of Digital Health Jobs, which is an OpenRegulatory "side hustle" that advertises a range of jobs available in the digital health space to all. In this episode, we talk about crappiness in medical software, trusting your gut instincts over traditional brainstorming approaches, and keeping things fun in business. You can find out more about OpenRegulatory in the following ways:  Website: https://openregulatory.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/openregulatory/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com  Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod  Twitter: @founders.pod  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast  Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Naytal is the UK’s first fully online ante- and neonatal clinic that provides instant, affordable access to leading maternal health experts that support women with their reproductive health. Their current service offerings range from virtual one-on-one consultations with a highly curated selection of midwives, psychologists, baby sleep experts and physiotherapists, to lactation consultations and mental health support for clients on a pay-as-you-go basis. Leila has an extensive background in digital content and engagement marketing for a number of global brands including ASOS and the Sky broadcasting network, and in this episode we cover her best productivity scheduling hacks, and the bumpy road to building a women's fertility-focused business. You can find out more about Naytal in the following ways: Website: https://naytal.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/naytal/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naytal/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Dr Nayan Kalnad is a medical doctor by training who conceived the idea for Avegen whilst working with digital products in cardiovascular medicine, and saw first-hand how those digital products positively impacted patient outcomes. He co-founded Avegen in 2015, and the company began working with NHS hospitals in 2016 to support digital tool deployment across a range of therapeutic areas. Avegen launched their flagship platform, HealthMachine™, in 2018, which is designed to accelerate the time to launch and deploy digital health apps and products across the healthcare market. In this episode we cover finding product-market fit, bootstrapping your way to success, and hustling for clients. You can find out more about Avegen in the following ways: Website: https://avegenhealth.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avegen/?originalSubdomain=uk Twitter:  https://twitter.com/avegenhealth Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Sahha is an early-stage VC-backed digital health organisation with a platform that uses behavioural data from wearables and smartphones to deliver mental health care insights. Sahha collects digital phenotypes from mobile devices, such as a person's physical activity and sleep quality, and analyses that data through proprietary models to predict mental health conditions against standardised psychometric tests. In this way, Sahha state that they offer a predictive mental health technology platform to predicts the likelihood of the user's risk of depression, providing social support and recommends professional assistance based on insights gleaned. Aleks is a computer scientist by background and a serial entrepreneur. We talk today about his own brutally honest and personal journey with burnout and depression that inspired him to build Sahha, working through trial and error, and how an attempt at swiping cheese led to him gaining a new business investment. You can find out more about Sahha in the following ways: Website: https://sahha.ai/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sahhahealth/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Midnight Health is a digital healthcare platform based in Australia that has built a customer base of more than 30,000 people since its launch in early 2021. Offering a range of healthcare services from video consultations to home delivery of prescription medicines, its mission is to enhance patient outcomes through technology by consolidating the fragmented health industry, simplifying experiences, and improving accessibility. Midnight Health has a current valuation of AUS$48 million as of August 2022, having recently taken on a AUS$12 million Series A investment from health insurer, nib. Nic is a serial entrepreneur who has built and made several successful exits from a number of businesses outside of the healthcare space, and in 2019 won the Australian Young Entrepreneur Marketing Award.  In this episode, we talk about single-handedly trying to revolutionise the digital healthcare space, learning from past building experience, and the future of telemedicine. You can find out more about Midnight Health in the following ways: Website: https://midnight.health/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/midnight-health/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Founded in 2018, Clearhead is New Zealand’s first AI driven diagnostic and triage platform for mental health and wellbeing. Clearhead aims to improve mental health access by providing choice, convenience and control directly to the user, and is also used by numerous organisations to build happier, healthier teams through a data driven approach that is scalable and cost-effective. Angela is a Paediatrics Doctor turned business leader, a TEDx speaker, and sits on multiple advisory boards for the New Zealand Government and not-for-profits. In this episode, timed to coincide with mental health week 2022, we cover the impact of covid-19 on population mental health, finding your perfect co-founder, and hustling at parties. You can find out more about Clearhead in the following ways: Website: https://www.clearhead.org.nz/en-NZ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clear-head/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearheadnz/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Founded in 2020, Béa Fertility is a London-based startup that provides at-home fertility treatment and ovulation tracking services for UK residents. Its aim is to increase access to effective and affordable fertility treatments by offering an alternative to high-cost fertility clinics, and the company has raised nearly £1m in funding for its non-invasive treatment option. Tess is a serial entrepreneur and marketing executive who has prior experience founding both a successful femtech brand and a B2B marketing agency. In this week’s episode, Tess shares probably the scrappiest story we’ve heard on the podcast to date; the trials and tribulations of fundraising; and the challenges of getting a new treatment to market (including guinea pig shortages). You can find out more about Bea Fertlity in the following ways: Website: https://beafertility.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beafertility/ Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/beafertility TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beafertility Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beafertility/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Oto is a UK-based startup helping people with tinnitus manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life by way of a mobile app. Oto’s most recent investment round saw them raise $3.3 million dollars in seed financing, and is the first reimbursed digital tinnitus app marketed in the US and Germany. Their tools are built in collaboration with ENT surgeons, researchers and hearing therapists combined with AI-powered hearing health tracking, and integrate CBT, mindfulness, physician guidance and relaxation techniques designed to limit the effects of tinnitus. Ed trained as a medical doctor and spent 6 years working as a medic in the Royal Air Force along with co-founder and former Royal Navy doctor George Leidig, before going on to launch Oto in the UK. Today, we cover Ed’s personal story that prompted Oto’s development, the trials and tribulations of fundraising, and his experience in the world-famous Y Combinator incubator where Oto was part of the Winter 2022 batch. You can find out more about Oto Health in the following ways: Website: https://www.joinoto.com/  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/otohealth/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/join_oto Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Jasmine Eskenzi is the co-founder of the Health Tech Hive and The Zensory. The Health Tech Hive is growing online network and event series designed to connect, educate and inspire individuals to build technology solutions to some of the world’s biggest current and future health challenges. The Zensory’s main offering in turn is an app that combines evidence-based neuroscience techniques with traditional wellness practices to help users maximize their ability to level out their mood and improve their mental health.   As part of her endeavours for gender equality in business, Jasmine is a member of NEOME Women Investment Club and is aiming to drive an increase in the number of women investing in business and female led businesses. Prior to this, Jasmine was the Head of Partnerships and Content at Collider Health, working with NHSX on their latest AI Initiative and with Longevity International to facilitate the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Longevity. In this episode, we cover the importance of promoting diversity in healthcare, the “rollercoaster ride” of being a business owner, and how to tackle workforce burnout on a mass scale. You can find out more about The Zensory in the following ways: Website:  https://thezensory.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-zensory/ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Fresh off the back of their recent successful £20 million Series B fundraising round, Patchwork Health helps hospitals reduce reliance on agencies for locum staff, and to improve flexible working options for clinicians. Launched in 2017, their services have since been adopted by 70 health organisations across 250 sites in the NHS alone. Anas has had an incredibly varied career, more recently training as a physician at Imperial College London before going on to found Patchwork Health with fellow doctor Jing Ouyang. In this episode, we cover everything from storytelling for investors to separating a career into “acts” and – highly topically – tackling burnout for healthcare professionals.

Designed in conjunction with practising physicians, Cinapsis SmartReferrals reduces emergency department attendances in the UK by 83% through providing advice & supportive guidance. Family practitioners, nurses, paramedics and pharmacists can contact specialists directly through the platform for clinical advice on a patient case both quickly and securely. Since Cinapsis launched in 2019, thousands of doctors’ hours have been saved for the NHS, and Cinapsis has made it possible for 70% of non-urgent referrals (such as dermatology) to be managed remotely. Owain is a former NHS surgeon with almost two decades of experience working in frontline clinical medicine.  He has been awarded a personal Fellowship from the Medical Research Council and has twice received the British Journal of Surgery Prize. In this short episode, we cover scrappiness in startups; paving the way for surgical care in the healthtech space; and, more philosophically, following your own path in life. You can find out more about Cinapsis in the following ways: Website:  https://www.cinapsis.org/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/owainrhyshughes/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/myCinapsis Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders.pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Dr Maxine Mackintosh is, amongst many other things, the co-founder of One HealthTech: An international, grassroots, federated community of health technologists which exists to support individuals from under-represented groups to be future leaders in health innovation. Maxine also works as a Research Associate and Fellow working between The Alan Turing Institute, The Health Foundation and the University of Oxford, where she primarily works with Professor Chris Holmes in the Department of Statistics. She is a previous Forbes 30 under 30 in Europe, and her work has looked at applying machine learning to health, care and life science challenges. Today, we speak about the critical importance of equity in healthcare and data; One HealthTech’s purpose and mission, and the benefits of growing a community that champions and supports health innovation. You can find out more about One Healthtech in the following ways: https://www.onehealthtech.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/one-healthtech/ Instagram / Twitter: @One_HealthTech Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders_pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Dr Matthew Fenech is the Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Una Health: A pre-seed stage startup based in Berlin, Germany.  Una Health claim that they are on a mission to reverse metabolic dysfunction through precision nutrition and lifestyle management, combining mobile technology, AI, biosensors and behavioural science to create an effective algorithm-based digital therapy enabling patients to take charge of their health. Matthew has worked in clinical academia, technology policy, and led the design of an NHSX-supported toolkit to accompany the Code of Conduct for data-driven technologies in health. He has also authored a number of peer-reviewed publications on the ethical and safety considerations of the application of AI in healthcare, as well as reports about the risks and opportunities of emerging technologies in low-and middle-income countries. Today, we touch on the joys of working for and running a business that you love; navigating the highs and lows of breaking into the digital therapeutics market; and the benefits and importance of building in public. You can find out more about Una Health in the following ways: https://unahealth.de/en/intro LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unahealth-io/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unahealthapp Twitter: @una_health LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/somx-healthtech/ Instagram: @somx_healthtech/ Twitter: @somXhealthtech Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders_pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Dr Emilia Molimpakis is a neuroscientist-turned-co-founder of the healthtech platform Thymia: A diagnostics platform that can be used by clinicians and patients to accurately assess and monitor depression. Inspired by video games, it uses neuropsychology and linguistics to pick up on subtle markers of depression that might otherwise be missed. The platform secured a pre-seed raise of $1.1m US dollars earlier in 2022, and is expanding rapidly to support clinicians and patients across the UK, Europe, and the US. Emilia has a PhD in Neurolinguistics, and prior to co-founding Thymia, she worked for over a decade as a researcher using language as biomarker for cognitive decline and treatment response in neurological disease patient populations. We talk today about being on the startup treadmill and finding your perfect co-founder; moving from the theoretical in academia to building a product in the real world; and the role of video games in patient care. You can find out more about Thymia in the following ways: https://thymia.ai/ info@thymia.ai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thymia Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders_pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Recently awarded UK Asian Tech Pioneer of 2022, Dr Avi Mehra is a medical doctor by training and was the National Medical Director's Clinical Fellow at Bupa from 2014-15. He was later appointed as an Associate Partner at IBM, and is currently responsible for helping expand IBM’s healthcare and life sciences consulting practice.  Along with a group of UK-based doctors, Avi is also a co-founder of Doctorpreneurs – a non-profit organisation and global community for doctors, medical students and individuals interested in healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship. Doctorpreneurs now run healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship themed events and collaborate with leading organisations and initiatives all over the world, including the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, Wired Health and Stanford Ignite.  In this episode, Avi talks about balancing a portfolio career as a physician, corporate associate and non-profit co-founder; the importance of reflecting on your work and identifying your own growth needs; and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.  You can find out more about Avi’s work in the following ways:  Website: www.avimehra.com  Email: avi@doctorpreneurs.com  Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/avimehra3  Twitter: @aviam3  Find us on:  www.founders-keepers.com  Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod  Twitter: @founders_pod  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast  Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Jessica Smith is the co-founder and CXO of the privately-held innovation and communications agency, SomX, and whose expertise is specifically targeted at healthtech companies. SomX have provided personalised strategy, content and PR for more than 30 healthtech companies to date, including startups at seed stage, Series A and Series B, as well as corporates in healthcare, pharma and health and life insurance. Jessica was a previous Associate Director at global PR and marketing agency, and has broad experience in healthcare communications across NHS, corporate, charity, healthtech and pharma industry clients. Today, we talk about finding Somx’s niche; her experience of being a female founder in the healthtech space and not asking for permission; and her approach to ensuring a good work-life balance for her and her team (with some added guest vocals from her adorable labradoodle).  You can find out more about SomX in the following ways: https://www.somx.co.uk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/somx-healthtech/ Instagram: @somx_healthtech/ Twitter: @somXhealthtech Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders_pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Dr Matthew Beatty is the CEO and co-founder of Sapien Health: A digital clinic that provides virtual support before and after a patient’s surgery in order to improve health outcomes. Endorsed by the NHS in the UK, and the recent recipient of an SBRI Healthcare grant, Sapien’s main offering is a mobile app-based solution, combining expert health coaching, personalised digital clinical guidance and a toolkit of educational resources to help subscribers understand and adopt lifestyle habits that have a strong evidence base for improving surgical outcomes.  A medical doctor by training, Matthew has also co-founded a platform which supports technological entrepreneurs in remote working, and was the previous clinical lead for Huma – a venture-backed healthcare data organisation. In this episode, we talk about about Sapien Health’s journey from idea to launch; the advantages of being a physician in the startup space; and Matthew’s ambitions for the future of digital surgical healthcare.  You can find out more about Sapien Health at:   https://www.sapienhealth.io/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/SapienHealth  Find us on:   Website: www.founders-keepers.com   Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod   Twitter: @founders_pod   Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Both Elena Rueda and Dr Paulina Cecula are guests on today's episode and are the co-founders of Dama Health: An early-stage startup in London that empowers women and clinicians to make equitable, safe, personalised and person-centered decisions regarding contraception, based on genetic testing and an AI-led matching system for various contraceptive options. Their platform is the first of its kind, integrating data from a patient’s preference as well as their personal medical history. Dama’s fundamental aim is to revolutionise reproductive health decisions by providing women and clinicians with health insights that incorporate medical, genetic, and personal data into evidence-based clinical recommendations. Elena has a background in medical sciences, design thinking and and entrepreneurship, whereas Paulina is a physician by training. In this episode, they both share their insights as female founders in the healthcare startup space; the challenges and highlights of fundraising; and their mission to democratise contraceptive choices and access. You can find out more about Dama Health in the following ways: https://damahealth.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dama-health/ Instagram: @damahealth_ Find us on: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders_pod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Dr Abdullah Albeyatti is a serial entrepreneur as well as a practising physician: The co-founder and CEO of two companies (Medicalchain and MyClinic), he runs both businesses alongside his regular surgeries as a general practitioner.   Established in 2017, Medicalchain leverages blockchain technology to digitize and securely store and share electronic health records across a distributed ledger, and has raised over $24 million US dollars through an initial coin offering. In turn, MyClinic is a free, compliant and easy-to-use telemedicine platform that allows patients to connect directly with healthcare professionals via video link. In this episode, we cover how Abdullah balances his passions for entrepreneurship and clinical work; the crucial importance of support networks for business leaders; and the advice he would pass on if he were to build again from scratch. You can find out more about Medicalchain in the following ways:  https://medicalchain.com/en/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/medical_chain  Medium: https://medium.com/medicalchain LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/medicalchain-io You can find out more about MyClinic in the following ways:  https://myclinic.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myclinicofficial/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/myclinic_com?lang=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/myclinic-com/  Find us on:  www.founders-keepers.com  Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod  Twitter: @founders_pod  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-keepers-podcast Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Appropriately for Diabetes Week, the guest on this episode of Founders Keepers is Ashley Hanger: The founder of the diabetes drug and device subscription service, Stripped Supply (tagline: “Diabetes is a prick”). A journalism and public relations graduate by background, Ashley embarked on her journey with Stripped Supply in early 2020 to address an unmet need she saw among young diabetic patients in Australia struggling to order and receive their medication and device supplies on time. Leveraging a large social media following of predominantly Gen Z people living with diabetes, and with an initial waitlist of over 500 subscribers before launching in late 2021, Stripped Supply is now Australia’s first dedicated diabetes patient management subscription service: Automating and delivering custom supplies to its members across the country. The startup boasts that it utilises existing medical infrastructure to bring diabetes medication to people that need them most, and an easy-to-sign up subscription model that makes drug and device refills as easy as possible. Ashley speaks in this episode about her non-traditional route into healthcare business ownership; her love for storytelling as a founder and experience of pitching her story to investors; and how she is effectively harnessing the power of social media in tackling holistic diabetes care. You can find out more about Stripped Supply in the following ways: https://stripped.supply/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stripped.supply/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stripped.supply  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stripped.supply?lang=en Find us on: Website: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders_pod Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Barry Smith is a former military nurse-turned-farmer, and the “accidental” founder of Symprove: A water-based liquid probiotic formula marketed as a food supplement, containing four strains of live and active bacteria designed to be delivered directly to the gut. Initially developed as a cattle feed under the name Multigerm, but underpinned by the belief that it could help to support healthy gut function in humans, the company pivoted and the product was rebranded for human consumption in 2010. Since then, Symprove has grown into a multi-million pound business, and has been featured in numerous scientific research studies linked with promoting a range of human health benefits, from alleviating the symptoms of IBS as well as those of Parkinson’s disease. Today, Barry shares his unusual journey from establishing his own health and wellness company and shipping products from his literal backyard, to the importance of building an evidence base for Symprove, and where he sees the future of the probiotic industry heading. You can find out more about Symprove in the following ways: https://www.symprove.com/ https://symproveforprofessionals.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Symprove Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/symproveyourlife/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/symprove Find us on: Website: www.founders-keepers.com Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Twitter: @founders_pod Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

At just 24 years old, Livia Ng has built an active community of biotechnology companies focused on providing opportunities for business leaders. A neuroscientist by training, she is the founder and CEO of Neucruit: A seed-stage organisation that connects patients and researchers through data and seeks to optimise clinical trial management. Neucruit’s platform supports clinical trial site selection; optimises recruitment materials; and enables clients to reach patient groups not easily accessed through otherwise traditional methods – in this way helping to address fundamental inequalities in patient representation that still exist in clinical trial conduct and processes. She joins me on this week’s episode to share her insights in shifting from a traditional academic role to building her own company dream team; where she sees the future of clinical trials heading; and the importance of persevering in the face of adversity when building your own empire. You can find out more about Livia and Neucruit’s work at: https://neucruit.com/ Find us on: Website: www.founders-keepers.com Twitter: @founders_pod Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com

Nicole Cacal is the Founder and CEO of Forbes Ignite; an independent social enterprise and license partner of Forbes Media. Forbes Ignite broadly functions as a consultancy advising leading companies on sustainable transformation, underpinned by a leadership network that unites global changemakers at the centre of technology, sustainability and social impact, including healthcare and unmet needs in the healthcare industry.  Nicole is also a Professor at the Parsons School of Design, and has previously worked in venture capital and product development at a global start-up incubator with a focus on emerging technologies. More recently she is the co-author of the forthcoming human-centred design and AI book, “What’s Your AI Strategy?” from Wiley Press.  In this episode, we talk about her journey in design, technology and teaching, what it’s like to sit at the intersection of these fields, and Nicole shares her honest experience of what it is to be a female founder and how she has dealt with the challenges she has faced along the way.  You can find out more about Nicole’s work and follow her next venture at:  www.nicolecacal.com  Find out more about Forbes Ignite at: www.forbesignite.com  Twitter: @forbesignite  Instagram: @forbesignite Find us on:  Website: www.founders-keepers.com  Twitter: @founders_pod  Instagram: @founderskeepers.pod  Get in touch: hi@founders-keepers.com