The Scalpels & Spreadsheets Podcast Sun, 24 May 2026 22:04:54 -0400 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2205597 en-us © 2026 The Scalpels & Spreadsheets Podcast yes f8536cbe-1996-508b-beda-44e53ed90df9 Dr. Aman Desai episodic false The Scalpels & Spreadsheets Podcast explores the future of healthcare through conversations with the builders, investors, operators, and clinicians shaping the industry.

Scalpels & Spreadsheets brings together the global healthcare community through media, curated events, and meaningful connections. The podcast extends that mission beyond the room, amplifying the people and ideas driving healthcare forward when we’re not facilitating them in person.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Dr. Aman Desai https://storage.buzzsprout.com/ontchzxsxmjzok9ypfa1xzipez1t?.jpg The Scalpels & Spreadsheets Podcast #22 Going All In on Digital Health: A Founder-Investor Journey. Nadav Shimoni & Moran Snir. #22 Going All In on Digital Health: A Founder-Investor Journey. Nadav Shimoni & Moran Snir. Nadav Shimoni, a physician turned investor is the Managing Partner at A-Squared Ventures, an early-stage digital health fund spanning Tel Aviv & NYC. He joins Moran Snir, a serial genomics entrepreneur and currently the co-founder & CEO of Nest Genomics, on stage for a fireside where both share their perspectives of a journey between a founder and investor of a growing healthcare company. 

Nadav and Moran explore how healthcare startups are actually built and funded in practice, from early-stage conviction and investor–founder alignment, to how AI is reshaping team structure, product development, and operational bottlenecks. The discussion goes into real-world fundraising dynamics, and what signals investors use to decide when to lean in or step back.

Recorded live at the Healthtech Social: Spring Cleaning event on April 13 in New York City.

]]> Nadav Shimoni, a physician turned investor is the Managing Partner at A-Squared Ventures, an early-stage digital health fund spanning Tel Aviv & NYC. He joins Moran Snir, a serial genomics entrepreneur and currently the co-founder & CEO of Nest Genomics, on stage for a fireside where both share their perspectives of a journey between a founder and investor of a growing healthcare company. 

Nadav and Moran explore how healthcare startups are actually built and funded in practice, from early-stage conviction and investor–founder alignment, to how AI is reshaping team structure, product development, and operational bottlenecks. The discussion goes into real-world fundraising dynamics, and what signals investors use to decide when to lean in or step back.

Recorded live at the Healthtech Social: Spring Cleaning event on April 13 in New York City.

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-19214416 Thu, 21 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400 2383 22 full false #21 Democratizing Drug Prices using AI. Miriam Paramore. Vijesh Vijayan. #21 Democratizing Drug Prices using AI. Miriam Paramore. Vijesh Vijayan. Miriam Paramore, Founder & CEO of RxUtility sits down with us to chat about why drug prices should be more affordable and why she is building in this space.

In this conversation, Miriam covers the evolution of healthcare technology and its impact on prescription affordability, including what drives out-of-pocket drug costs. Miriam also discusses the launch of Mimi, the RxUtility AI companion, the role of partnerships and interoperability in scaling access, emerging healthcare investment trends, and how consumer expectations are reshaping affordability.

]]> Miriam Paramore, Founder & CEO of RxUtility sits down with us to chat about why drug prices should be more affordable and why she is building in this space.

In this conversation, Miriam covers the evolution of healthcare technology and its impact on prescription affordability, including what drives out-of-pocket drug costs. Miriam also discusses the launch of Mimi, the RxUtility AI companion, the role of partnerships and interoperability in scaling access, emerging healthcare investment trends, and how consumer expectations are reshaping affordability.

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-19135425 Wed, 06 May 2026 12:00:00 -0400 3172 21 full false #20 Fundraising in Health Tech: Seed vs Series A vs Beyond. Katheleen Eva. Stephanie Mouchbahani-Constance #20 Fundraising in Health Tech: Seed vs Series A vs Beyond. Katheleen Eva. Stephanie Mouchbahani-Constance Kathleen Eva, Investor at StandUp Ventures, is joined by Stephanie Mouchbahani-Constance, Principal at KLI Capital, for a live conversation on what founders need to know about fundraising in 2026.

Together, they unpack shifting investor expectations, AI-driven startup economics, changing growth benchmarks, defensibility, and the mistakes founders still make when raising capital. This episode offers a candid look inside the current venture market and how founders can better position themselves. They also discuss Canadian versus U.S. fundraising dynamics, healthtech go-to-market strategy, and what actually makes investors lean in or pass early.

Tune in for practical advice on telling a stronger story, running a sharper process, and standing out in an increasingly competitive market.

Recorded live at the Healthtech Social: Catalyst event on April 1 in Montreal.

]]> Kathleen Eva, Investor at StandUp Ventures, is joined by Stephanie Mouchbahani-Constance, Principal at KLI Capital, for a live conversation on what founders need to know about fundraising in 2026.

Together, they unpack shifting investor expectations, AI-driven startup economics, changing growth benchmarks, defensibility, and the mistakes founders still make when raising capital. This episode offers a candid look inside the current venture market and how founders can better position themselves. They also discuss Canadian versus U.S. fundraising dynamics, healthtech go-to-market strategy, and what actually makes investors lean in or pass early.

Tune in for practical advice on telling a stronger story, running a sharper process, and standing out in an increasingly competitive market.

Recorded live at the Healthtech Social: Catalyst event on April 1 in Montreal.

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-19100967 Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400 3017 20 full false #19 The Power of Partnerships for Drug Discovery. Anmol Nagpal. #19 The Power of Partnerships for Drug Discovery. Anmol Nagpal. Anmol Nagpal is the founder and CEO of Nospharma, a pre-clinical therapeutics company developing innovative treatments for rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorders. 

Prior to this, Anmol was a founder in residence at District 3 where he coached several early-stage founders and worked with them on their venture’s strategy plans. 

In this episode, Anmol shares how he spun out research from McGill university into a biotech company tackling rare genetic disorders including Fragile X syndrome. It’s a candid conversation covering licensing, fundraising, partnerships to accelerate growth and early stage hurdles. Tune in to hear what it takes to bring a therapy from research to patients.


 Recorded live at the 'Healthtech Social: Catalyst’ event on April 1 in Montreal.

]]> Anmol Nagpal is the founder and CEO of Nospharma, a pre-clinical therapeutics company developing innovative treatments for rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorders. 

Prior to this, Anmol was a founder in residence at District 3 where he coached several early-stage founders and worked with them on their venture’s strategy plans. 

In this episode, Anmol shares how he spun out research from McGill university into a biotech company tackling rare genetic disorders including Fragile X syndrome. It’s a candid conversation covering licensing, fundraising, partnerships to accelerate growth and early stage hurdles. Tune in to hear what it takes to bring a therapy from research to patients.


 Recorded live at the 'Healthtech Social: Catalyst’ event on April 1 in Montreal.

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-19040762 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400 1379 19 full false #18 Breaking Through: Getting Products Into the Health System. Shafiq Vallani. #18 Breaking Through: Getting Products Into the Health System. Shafiq Vallani. Shafiq Vallani (Head of Canada at Redesign Health) is a seasoned venture capital investor, now supporting the next generation of healthcare ventures in Canada. He has built a reputation for identifying high-potential startups and driving them towards operational excellence and market leadership with his work at Redesign Health, a venture studio.

In this episode, Shafiq shares a candid look at what it takes to build in Canadian healthcare. He discusses the differences between venture studios and traditional VC, the challenges of accessing healthcare data, navigating long procurement cycles, and working within fragmented provincial systems. He also offers practical advice for founders on breaking into hospitals, finding internal champions, and avoiding common early-stage missteps. Shafiq highlights why Canada is a strong testing ground for healthcare innovation while exploring what it takes to scale successfully.

Recorded live at the 'Healthtech Social: Breaking In' event on March 10 in Toronto

]]> Shafiq Vallani (Head of Canada at Redesign Health) is a seasoned venture capital investor, now supporting the next generation of healthcare ventures in Canada. He has built a reputation for identifying high-potential startups and driving them towards operational excellence and market leadership with his work at Redesign Health, a venture studio.

In this episode, Shafiq shares a candid look at what it takes to build in Canadian healthcare. He discusses the differences between venture studios and traditional VC, the challenges of accessing healthcare data, navigating long procurement cycles, and working within fragmented provincial systems. He also offers practical advice for founders on breaking into hospitals, finding internal champions, and avoiding common early-stage missteps. Shafiq highlights why Canada is a strong testing ground for healthcare innovation while exploring what it takes to scale successfully.

Recorded live at the 'Healthtech Social: Breaking In' event on March 10 in Toronto

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-18980547 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 1511 18 full false #17 How Innovators can navigate the private healthcare ecosystem. Tim Clarke. #17 How Innovators can navigate the private healthcare ecosystem. Tim Clarke. Tim Clarke (CEO of tc Health Consulting) is a former Chief Innovation Officer at Aon Hewitt for Health & Benefits. He now draws from 20 years of experience to support local and international healthcare ventures looking to grow revenue streams in private healthcare. In this episode, Tim shares key lessons for early-stage healthtech founders on identifying the right customers, engaging payers, prescribers, and users effectively, and making strategic go/no-go decisions when scaling innovations.

Recorded live at the 'Healthtech Social: Breaking In' event on March 10 in Toronto

]]> Tim Clarke (CEO of tc Health Consulting) is a former Chief Innovation Officer at Aon Hewitt for Health & Benefits. He now draws from 20 years of experience to support local and international healthcare ventures looking to grow revenue streams in private healthcare. In this episode, Tim shares key lessons for early-stage healthtech founders on identifying the right customers, engaging payers, prescribers, and users effectively, and making strategic go/no-go decisions when scaling innovations.

Recorded live at the 'Healthtech Social: Breaking In' event on March 10 in Toronto

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-18937381 Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0400 952 17 full false #16 The API Revolution in Healthcare. Kristen Valdes. Vijesh Vijayan. #16 The API Revolution in Healthcare. Kristen Valdes. Vijesh Vijayan. Kristen Valdes, Founder & CEO of b.well Connected Health shares her extensive journey in healthcare, highlighting her experiences from being a healthcare executive to founding b.well and more. She shares pivotal moments in healthcare innovation, particularly the impact of interoperability rules and the role of AI in transforming healthcare delivery. Hosted by Vijesh Vijayan.

]]> Kristen Valdes, Founder & CEO of b.well Connected Health shares her extensive journey in healthcare, highlighting her experiences from being a healthcare executive to founding b.well and more. She shares pivotal moments in healthcare innovation, particularly the impact of interoperability rules and the role of AI in transforming healthcare delivery. Hosted by Vijesh Vijayan.

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-18786393 Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0500 958 16 full false #15 Embedding Intelligence: How AI is Redefining Home and Community Care. Naomi Goldapple. Stephanie Mouchbahani-Constance. #15 Embedding Intelligence: How AI is Redefining Home and Community Care. Naomi Goldapple. Stephanie Mouchbahani-Constance. As part of the Montreal Healthtech Social held on November 27, we were joined by Naomi Goldapple, the Senior Vice President of Data and Intelligence at AlayaCare, where she leads AI and data strategy to transform home healthcare. 


With a non-linear career spanning IBM, multiple startups, and even a community cafe, she’s known for making bold moves that drive real impact in health tech. She talks about the challenges of navigating home healthcare, from workforce shortages to regulations, and how data and AI can improve care, optimize workflows, and make the industry more sustainable. 


Check out AlayaCare: www.alayacare.com

]]> As part of the Montreal Healthtech Social held on November 27, we were joined by Naomi Goldapple, the Senior Vice President of Data and Intelligence at AlayaCare, where she leads AI and data strategy to transform home healthcare. 


With a non-linear career spanning IBM, multiple startups, and even a community cafe, she’s known for making bold moves that drive real impact in health tech. She talks about the challenges of navigating home healthcare, from workforce shortages to regulations, and how data and AI can improve care, optimize workflows, and make the industry more sustainable. 


Check out AlayaCare: www.alayacare.com

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-18559141 Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0500 2125 15 full false #14 How AI Cuts Trial Costs & Boosts Drug ROI. Vinodh Balaraman. #14 How AI Cuts Trial Costs & Boosts Drug ROI. Vinodh Balaraman. As part of the NYC Healthtech Social held on October 27, Vinodh Balaraman, a serial entrepreneur and Founder of Kolate AI, joined us for a fireside chat on how AI can improve clinical development and drug decision-making. Kolate AI is a precision medicine platform that predicts patient-level clinical events and therapy responses.

The conversation explores why nearly 90% of clinical development fails, how limited visibility into patient responses and enrollment contributes to those outcomes, and how Kolate AI supports pharma and biotech through patient-level prediction, synthetic control arms, and clinical trial screening. Vinodh also shares how these approaches can improve both trials and real-world drug use, and where regulators are beginning to engage with AI-driven methods.

Check out Kolate AI: www.kolate.ai

]]> As part of the NYC Healthtech Social held on October 27, Vinodh Balaraman, a serial entrepreneur and Founder of Kolate AI, joined us for a fireside chat on how AI can improve clinical development and drug decision-making. Kolate AI is a precision medicine platform that predicts patient-level clinical events and therapy responses.

The conversation explores why nearly 90% of clinical development fails, how limited visibility into patient responses and enrollment contributes to those outcomes, and how Kolate AI supports pharma and biotech through patient-level prediction, synthetic control arms, and clinical trial screening. Vinodh also shares how these approaches can improve both trials and real-world drug use, and where regulators are beginning to engage with AI-driven methods.

Check out Kolate AI: www.kolate.ai

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-18371895 Wed, 17 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0500 1492 14 full false #13 Why Good Design Isn’t Optional, Even in Healthcare. Jomi Cubol. #13 Why Good Design Isn’t Optional, Even in Healthcare. Jomi Cubol. As part of the NYC Healthtech Social held in October 2025, Jomi Cubol, Head of Design at Photon Health, joined us for a thoughtful conversation on why good design isn’t optional — even in healthcare.


Jomi breaks down how he thinks about design by drawing parallels with the hospitality industry, exploring how empathy, anticipation, and user delight can transform healthcare experiences. He dives into how to think about design, how much design is needed, and why adding a human touch to every step of the process matters more than ever.


Check out Photon Health: www.photon.health

]]> As part of the NYC Healthtech Social held in October 2025, Jomi Cubol, Head of Design at Photon Health, joined us for a thoughtful conversation on why good design isn’t optional — even in healthcare.


Jomi breaks down how he thinks about design by drawing parallels with the hospitality industry, exploring how empathy, anticipation, and user delight can transform healthcare experiences. He dives into how to think about design, how much design is needed, and why adding a human touch to every step of the process matters more than ever.


Check out Photon Health: www.photon.health

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-18175669 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 09:00:00 -0500 894 13 full false #12 How AI Applications are changing Healthcare. Mahshid Yassaei. #12 How AI Applications are changing Healthcare. Mahshid Yassaei. As part of the Ctrl+Cure event held in Toronto August 2025, Mahshid Yassaei Joined us for a powerful fireside chat to share how Tali Ai is using AI to enhance a physician's workflow. 

Mahshid talks about what she things the future of AI scribes looks like, how to navigate among noise and larger incumbents in a competive market and how finding your specific customers can help you grow.


Check out Tali AI: www.tali.ai/

]]> As part of the Ctrl+Cure event held in Toronto August 2025, Mahshid Yassaei Joined us for a powerful fireside chat to share how Tali Ai is using AI to enhance a physician's workflow. 

Mahshid talks about what she things the future of AI scribes looks like, how to navigate among noise and larger incumbents in a competive market and how finding your specific customers can help you grow.


Check out Tali AI: www.tali.ai/

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-17845812 Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:00:00 -0400 2545 12 full false #11 Built to Last: Growth & Customer Retention in Healthtech. Caitlin McCabe. Neelam Bance. #11 Built to Last: Growth & Customer Retention in Healthtech. Caitlin McCabe. Neelam Bance. Fireside chat from the She Speaks Health event held in Toronto July 2025.


Caitlin McCabe brings deep expertise in customer success, with a focus on driving growth and long-term retention. She currently leads customer success at one of Canada’s top digital health companies, overseeing enterprise-level partnerships and helping teams scale sustainably by keeping customers engaged.


She’s joined by Neelam Bance, whose career began in pharma and has evolved into a leadership role in precision medicine. At MedGeneius, she’s helping bring pharmacogenetic insights to the forefront of care, supporting hospitals, labs, and providers in reducing adverse drug reactions, improving medication efficacy, and lowering unnecessary healthcare costs.


Together, they unpack the often-overlooked side of scaling a business, retention. Drawing from two distinct perspectives, Caitlin and Neelam share practical lessons from the front lines of growth.


Check out MedGeneius: www.medgeneius.com

]]> Fireside chat from the She Speaks Health event held in Toronto July 2025.


Caitlin McCabe brings deep expertise in customer success, with a focus on driving growth and long-term retention. She currently leads customer success at one of Canada’s top digital health companies, overseeing enterprise-level partnerships and helping teams scale sustainably by keeping customers engaged.


She’s joined by Neelam Bance, whose career began in pharma and has evolved into a leadership role in precision medicine. At MedGeneius, she’s helping bring pharmacogenetic insights to the forefront of care, supporting hospitals, labs, and providers in reducing adverse drug reactions, improving medication efficacy, and lowering unnecessary healthcare costs.


Together, they unpack the often-overlooked side of scaling a business, retention. Drawing from two distinct perspectives, Caitlin and Neelam share practical lessons from the front lines of growth.


Check out MedGeneius: www.medgeneius.com

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-17827919 Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0400 1278 11 full false #10 What actually works in Healthcare Marketing. Francesca Passudetti. Tayler Hoffart. #10 What actually works in Healthcare Marketing. Francesca Passudetti. Tayler Hoffart. Fireside chat from the She Speaks Helath event held in Toronto July 2025.

Francesca Passudetti a senior marketing manager at ALK Canada, where she shapes strategies that bring allergy care innovations to patients and providers. Previously, she was a product manager at Novo Nordisk, leading patient strategy.

She’s joined by Tayler Hoffart, who brings deep experience in business operations and growth across early-stage healthtech companies,most recently helping scale Empathia AI, a company using artificial intelligence to automate medical documentation for clinicians.

In this episode, Tayler and Francesca explore what makes healthcare marketing resonate, how to build trust with different types of customers and the importance of partnerships and collaborations from both a pharmacuetical and healthtech lens.


Check out ALK Canada: www.alk.net/ca

Check out Empathia AI: www.empathia.ai

]]> Fireside chat from the She Speaks Helath event held in Toronto July 2025.

Francesca Passudetti a senior marketing manager at ALK Canada, where she shapes strategies that bring allergy care innovations to patients and providers. Previously, she was a product manager at Novo Nordisk, leading patient strategy.

She’s joined by Tayler Hoffart, who brings deep experience in business operations and growth across early-stage healthtech companies,most recently helping scale Empathia AI, a company using artificial intelligence to automate medical documentation for clinicians.

In this episode, Tayler and Francesca explore what makes healthcare marketing resonate, how to build trust with different types of customers and the importance of partnerships and collaborations from both a pharmacuetical and healthtech lens.


Check out ALK Canada: www.alk.net/ca

Check out Empathia AI: www.empathia.ai

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-17716199 Fri, 22 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0400 1107 10 full false #9 Canada’s Moment: How to Lead the Next Wave of Innovation in Pharma. Orchid Jahanshahi. #9 Canada’s Moment: How to Lead the Next Wave of Innovation in Pharma. Orchid Jahanshahi. As part of the She Speaks Health event held in Toronto July 2025, Orchid Jahanshahi delivered a powerful keynote on how Canadians can lead the next big wave in pharma.

Orchid is the founder of ThinkrBelle, an advisory firm bridging pharma and healthtech to drive smarter, faster innovation. With nearly 30 years in global pharma and a successful pivot into AI startups, she brings a rare blend of deep industry experience and startup execution. Orchid is also a mentor at the Creative Destruction Lab, supporting pharma professionals navigating change.


In this episode, Orchid explores what it takes to build your own company, when to take bold risks, and how generalists can turn their skillset into a competitive edge.


Check out ThinkrBelle: www.thinkrbelle.com

]]> As part of the She Speaks Health event held in Toronto July 2025, Orchid Jahanshahi delivered a powerful keynote on how Canadians can lead the next big wave in pharma.

Orchid is the founder of ThinkrBelle, an advisory firm bridging pharma and healthtech to drive smarter, faster innovation. With nearly 30 years in global pharma and a successful pivot into AI startups, she brings a rare blend of deep industry experience and startup execution. Orchid is also a mentor at the Creative Destruction Lab, supporting pharma professionals navigating change.


In this episode, Orchid explores what it takes to build your own company, when to take bold risks, and how generalists can turn their skillset into a competitive edge.


Check out ThinkrBelle: www.thinkrbelle.com

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-17632633 Fri, 08 Aug 2025 10:00:00 -0400 1299 9 full false #8 How VCs Invest in Healthtech & Biopharma: From Pre-Seed to Series C. Zeeshan Ali. Suman Rao. Timothy Sung. #8 How VCs Invest in Healthtech & Biopharma: From Pre-Seed to Series C. Zeeshan Ali. Suman Rao. Timothy Sung. In this live panel episode, three leading VCs share how they evaluate and fund companies across healthtech, medtech, and biopharma — from pre-seed through Series C.

Zeeshan Ali (MaRS IAF), Suman Rao (Lumira Ventures), and Timothy Sung (Esplanade Ventures) dive into storytelling for fundraising, what investors are looking for, how to prepare and make the most of your calls with investors, and how to set yourself up for success as a founder.

Whether you’re building or scaling in regulated healthcare sectors, this episode offers clear, practical advice from investors actively deploying capital.


Check out MaRS IAF: www.marsiaf.com

Check out Lumira Ventures: www.lumiraventures.com

Check out Esplanade Ventures: www.esplanadeventures.com

]]> In this live panel episode, three leading VCs share how they evaluate and fund companies across healthtech, medtech, and biopharma — from pre-seed through Series C.

Zeeshan Ali (MaRS IAF), Suman Rao (Lumira Ventures), and Timothy Sung (Esplanade Ventures) dive into storytelling for fundraising, what investors are looking for, how to prepare and make the most of your calls with investors, and how to set yourself up for success as a founder.

Whether you’re building or scaling in regulated healthcare sectors, this episode offers clear, practical advice from investors actively deploying capital.


Check out MaRS IAF: www.marsiaf.com

Check out Lumira Ventures: www.lumiraventures.com

Check out Esplanade Ventures: www.esplanadeventures.com

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-17564462 Fri, 25 Jul 2025 15:00:00 -0400 1740 8 full false # 7 How to scale your company with non-dilutive funding from Innovation Canada. Brian Gordon. # 7 How to scale your company with non-dilutive funding from Innovation Canada. Brian Gordon. Brian Gordon is the Senior Innovation Advisor at Innovation Canada (part of ISED Canada). Innovation canada works with canadian businesses on scaling within and outside of canada through various programs and non-dilutive funding. Brian has extensive experience helping healthtech and medtech companies grow, in corporate and advisory roles, and shares his insights and advice for current entrepreneurs growing their ventures.


Tune in to hear how to find and apply for grants with Innovation Canada.


 Check out Innovate Canada: www.ised-isde.canada.ca/

]]> Brian Gordon is the Senior Innovation Advisor at Innovation Canada (part of ISED Canada). Innovation canada works with canadian businesses on scaling within and outside of canada through various programs and non-dilutive funding. Brian has extensive experience helping healthtech and medtech companies grow, in corporate and advisory roles, and shares his insights and advice for current entrepreneurs growing their ventures.


Tune in to hear how to find and apply for grants with Innovation Canada.


 Check out Innovate Canada: www.ised-isde.canada.ca/

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-16865350 Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:00:00 -0400 1671 7 full false # 6 From Tae kwon do to entrepreneurship: How far wearable health data can take us to improve lives. Marco Benitez. # 6 From Tae kwon do to entrepreneurship: How far wearable health data can take us to improve lives. Marco Benitez. Marco Benitez is the CEO & Founder of ROOK. ROOK solves the challenge of wearable health data integration by providing its clients with clean and structured data sets through API. The implications are massive for insurance, digital health and pharmaceutical companies as ROOK enables them to focus on generating value for their end-users.

Tune in to hear about how ROOK is looking to improve predictive and preventative healthcare, how personalized health data can generate value for businesses and end-users, and how ROOK is gearing for long-term growth.

Marco also reflects on experiences from his life that taught him the importance of persistence, discipline and creating a strong network that any entrepreneur can benefit from. Check out ROOK: www.tryrook.io

Be a guest: www.scalpelsandspreadsheets.com

Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/scalpels-and-spreadsheets

]]> Marco Benitez is the CEO & Founder of ROOK. ROOK solves the challenge of wearable health data integration by providing its clients with clean and structured data sets through API. The implications are massive for insurance, digital health and pharmaceutical companies as ROOK enables them to focus on generating value for their end-users.

Tune in to hear about how ROOK is looking to improve predictive and preventative healthcare, how personalized health data can generate value for businesses and end-users, and how ROOK is gearing for long-term growth.

Marco also reflects on experiences from his life that taught him the importance of persistence, discipline and creating a strong network that any entrepreneur can benefit from. Check out ROOK: www.tryrook.io

Be a guest: www.scalpelsandspreadsheets.com

Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/scalpels-and-spreadsheets

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-15260121 Mon, 17 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0400 2966 6 full false # 5 Why the Middle East could be the perfect place for your next healthcare venture. Kseniya Ponomareva. # 5 Why the Middle East could be the perfect place for your next healthcare venture. Kseniya Ponomareva. Kseniya Ponomareva is the Business Development Manager at EMedSupport. EMedSupport helps physicians make evidence-based decisions to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases and has offices in Cyprus and the UAE. Kseniya joined EMedSupport about a year ago after having had a career as a Product Manager at Sanofi.

Kseniya moved to the UAE two years ago, and she shares her learnings about the scope of healthcare innovation across the Middle East, the pathways to seek regulatory approval for new or existing health innovations & technologies, and the best way for others to explore opportunities in the region as she did.

Tune in to learn about how Kseniya has been able to navigate a career in the cardiovascular space to now working towards bringing evidence-based medicine to the Middle East and beyond. Check out EMedSupport: www.emedsup.org

Be a guest: www.scalpelsandspreadsheets.com
Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/scalpels-and-spreadsheets

]]> Kseniya Ponomareva is the Business Development Manager at EMedSupport. EMedSupport helps physicians make evidence-based decisions to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases and has offices in Cyprus and the UAE. Kseniya joined EMedSupport about a year ago after having had a career as a Product Manager at Sanofi.

Kseniya moved to the UAE two years ago, and she shares her learnings about the scope of healthcare innovation across the Middle East, the pathways to seek regulatory approval for new or existing health innovations & technologies, and the best way for others to explore opportunities in the region as she did.

Tune in to learn about how Kseniya has been able to navigate a career in the cardiovascular space to now working towards bringing evidence-based medicine to the Middle East and beyond. Check out EMedSupport: www.emedsup.org

Be a guest: www.scalpelsandspreadsheets.com
Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/scalpels-and-spreadsheets

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-14717620 Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 -0400 2413 5 full false # 4 Why female health deserves much more of the spotlight. Lauren Barker. # 4 Why female health deserves much more of the spotlight. Lauren Barker. Lauren Barker is the CEO of Uresta. Uresta is a Canadian female health organization that is looking to solve bladder leaks and urinary incontinence with an innovative health product. Lauren joined Uresta after having had a career in Investment Banking and Private Equity intrigued by positive impact Uresta could have on women’s health.

Tune in to learn about Lauren’s journey into entrepreneurship and how she’s been able to create a go-to-market and organic growth strategy for a problem space that’s been considered taboo in the past.

Lauren also talks about the need for Regulatory Consultants early on in a products development, the challenges of building and growing in the femtech space and how she has been able to lean on the entrepreneurial community in Canada for continuous learning. Check out Uresta: www.uresta.com

Be a guest: www.scalpelsandspreadsheets.com
Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/scalpels-and-spreadsheets

]]> Lauren Barker is the CEO of Uresta. Uresta is a Canadian female health organization that is looking to solve bladder leaks and urinary incontinence with an innovative health product. Lauren joined Uresta after having had a career in Investment Banking and Private Equity intrigued by positive impact Uresta could have on women’s health.

Tune in to learn about Lauren’s journey into entrepreneurship and how she’s been able to create a go-to-market and organic growth strategy for a problem space that’s been considered taboo in the past.

Lauren also talks about the need for Regulatory Consultants early on in a products development, the challenges of building and growing in the femtech space and how she has been able to lean on the entrepreneurial community in Canada for continuous learning. Check out Uresta: www.uresta.com

Be a guest: www.scalpelsandspreadsheets.com
Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/scalpels-and-spreadsheets

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-14266053 Tue, 09 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0500 2853 4 full false # 3 Why you should break all the rules of entrepreneurship. Nikhit Anilbhai and Sonakshi Senthil. # 3 Why you should break all the rules of entrepreneurship. Nikhit Anilbhai and Sonakshi Senthil. Nikhit Anilbhai and Sonakshi Senthil are the co-founders of Your Cue. Your Cue is a UK-based startup that came to fruition out of the COVID-19 pandemic after Nikhit experienced challenges with ensuring patient safety without consistent vital signs monitoring during work as a frontline physician when healthcare systems were at a breaking point. With the goal of ensuring every patient is continuously monitored at an affordable price, Sonakshi and Nikhit began ideating on solutions that ranged from software to hardware solutions before settling on a finger-based wearable device.

They share their experience of prototyping their product without a technical co-founder and considering how to get their product to market, whether that would be care homes in the UK, private hospitals in India and Africa or public health systems like the NHS. This is Nikhit and Sonakshi’s first entrepreneurial stint, and they share how they have been able to obtain support from mentors, advisors and the UK’s favorable entrepreneurship environment to keep them going. Check out Your Cue: www.yourcue.co.uk

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]]> Nikhit Anilbhai and Sonakshi Senthil are the co-founders of Your Cue. Your Cue is a UK-based startup that came to fruition out of the COVID-19 pandemic after Nikhit experienced challenges with ensuring patient safety without consistent vital signs monitoring during work as a frontline physician when healthcare systems were at a breaking point. With the goal of ensuring every patient is continuously monitored at an affordable price, Sonakshi and Nikhit began ideating on solutions that ranged from software to hardware solutions before settling on a finger-based wearable device.

They share their experience of prototyping their product without a technical co-founder and considering how to get their product to market, whether that would be care homes in the UK, private hospitals in India and Africa or public health systems like the NHS. This is Nikhit and Sonakshi’s first entrepreneurial stint, and they share how they have been able to obtain support from mentors, advisors and the UK’s favorable entrepreneurship environment to keep them going. Check out Your Cue: www.yourcue.co.uk

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Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/scalpels-and-spreadsheets

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-14122312 Mon, 11 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0500 2868 3 full false # 2 Solving the massive U.S. healthcare staffing shortage with clinical students. Eric Alvarez. # 2 Solving the massive U.S. healthcare staffing shortage with clinical students. Eric Alvarez. Eric Alvarez is the Founder and CEO of Grapefruit Health. Grapefruit Health is looking to relieve pressure caused by staffing shortages on the U.S. healthcare system by contracting clinical students to take over lower acuity work, improving patient outcomes.

Eric shares what Grapefruit Health has been able to accomplish over the past year and a half, including iterating on feedback, successfully fundraising, and creating a flexible and versatile solution catered to the needs of providers. Eric also shares how Grapefruit Health has benefitted from his prior experiences working at a now-acquired enterprise healthcare solutions company and as a health system administrator. Check out Grapefruit Health: www.grapefruit.health

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]]> Eric Alvarez is the Founder and CEO of Grapefruit Health. Grapefruit Health is looking to relieve pressure caused by staffing shortages on the U.S. healthcare system by contracting clinical students to take over lower acuity work, improving patient outcomes.

Eric shares what Grapefruit Health has been able to accomplish over the past year and a half, including iterating on feedback, successfully fundraising, and creating a flexible and versatile solution catered to the needs of providers. Eric also shares how Grapefruit Health has benefitted from his prior experiences working at a now-acquired enterprise healthcare solutions company and as a health system administrator. Check out Grapefruit Health: www.grapefruit.health

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]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-14001617 Mon, 20 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0500 2776 2 full false # 1 How patients and their caregivers can benefit from simplified, accessible data. Shannon Aylesworth. # 1 How patients and their caregivers can benefit from simplified, accessible data. Shannon Aylesworth. Shannon Aylesworth is the Founder and CEO of Ursamin. Ursamin is looking to help patients suffering from chronic illnesses and their caregivers make better health decisions by improving access to easily-interpretable health data.

We talk about the growing problem of chronic illnesses impacting the U.S. healthcare system, how we can collect and interpret health data from multiple sources for meaningful health insights, and how an entrepreneur can position themselves to make an impact in healthcare. Check out Ursamin: www.ursamin.com

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Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/scalpels-and-spreadsheets

]]> Shannon Aylesworth is the Founder and CEO of Ursamin. Ursamin is looking to help patients suffering from chronic illnesses and their caregivers make better health decisions by improving access to easily-interpretable health data.

We talk about the growing problem of chronic illnesses impacting the U.S. healthcare system, how we can collect and interpret health data from multiple sources for meaningful health insights, and how an entrepreneur can position themselves to make an impact in healthcare. Check out Ursamin: www.ursamin.com

Be a guest: www.scalpelsandspreadsheets.com
Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/scalpels-and-spreadsheets

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-13538058 Tue, 05 Sep 2023 07:00:00 -0400 2550 1 full false # 0 Welcome to Scalpels & Spreadsheets! # 0 Welcome to Scalpels & Spreadsheets! Welcome to Scalpels & Spreadsheets. This episode lays down my goals with this podcast.

]]> Welcome to Scalpels & Spreadsheets. This episode lays down my goals with this podcast.

]]> Dr. Aman Desai Buzzsprout-13055393 Fri, 16 Jun 2023 21:00:00 -0400 81 full false