Fasten Your Seatbelts: Health Tech Founders on the Messy Middle
A FIRESIDE CHAT SERIES ON SCALING HEALTH TECH
'This isn't a success story, this is a story in the making.' — Dr. Paulina Cecula, Co-Founder, Dama Health and Capital Readiness Program Alum Alum
You've built something great—now what?
The hardest part isn't innovation, it's adoption. Breaking through the messy middle means navigating complex regulations, securing funding, and proving long-term value.
Startups that scale don't just build—they adapt. As Science Center CEO and President, Tiffany Wilson, points out, founders who master capital efficiency, deep customer alignment, and the shift from founder to CEO are the ones who break through.
This series brings those lessons to life—spotlighting founders tackling these challenges in real-time.
March 6th Founder Spotlight
Featuring
Kirthika Parmeswaran, Founder & CEO of Vital Start Health and Capital Readiness Program Alum
From inspiration to traction Kirthika is breaking into one of the toughest markets in digital health. Her company recently secured its first Employer EAP Pilot and launched its Psychosocial Wellness service through health insurance—proving that payer adoption is possible.
How did she do it?
Join us for a conversation on what works, what doesn't, and what founders need to know about scaling in health tech.
Why Attend?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Technical.ly
12-06-2025
- Technical.ly
Philly is now one of the top 15 places in the world to launch a startup
Philadelphia jumped 12 spots in a national ranking of startup ecosystems, placing the city among the top 15 places in the world to found a company. The region is now ranked No. 13 in the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Report from trade association and research group Startup Genome and the Global Entrepreneurship Network. Over the last five years, Philly has climbed 35 spots, the report states — a sign that collaboration in the innovation scene is working, said Tiffany Wilson, president and CEO of the University City Science Center, a Startup Genome member. 'We've been laying groundwork … over the last few years, and starting to see some early indications of companies seeing success as a result,' Wilson told 'It's the right activity at the right time.' Last year, Philly broke the top 25, an improvement over the previous year when the city ranked No. 27. The latest ranking can be partially attributed to the billions of dollars flowing into the scene. Philadelphia's ecosystem value from 2022 to 2024 is $76 billion, while the global average is $20.4 billion. Startup Genome also credits Philly's sector-specific niches for helping it top the charts. Life sciences was cited as a top industry in the region. Startup Genome called out the $30 million dedicated to the sector in the Pennsylvania governor's proposed 2025 to 2026 budget, plus huge raises, like gene therapy company Latus Bio's $54 million round, as reasons for its top performance. As the home of the first FDA-approved cell and gene therapies, Philadelphia is already well-known for its life sciences wins. However, the past six months have challenged that reputation, as the city's gene therapy darling, Spark Therapeutics, recently faced restructuring and layoffs. Analysts at the time agreed, though, that one company-specific setback doesn't undermine what the scene has accomplished (or the millions that continue to be raised). Startup Genome also mentioned AI and big data and robotics and advanced manufacturing as strong sub-sectors in Philly. The report specifically cited big deals like Sojo Industries' $10 million Series A raise last summer and Ghost Robotics' $240 million acquisition by South Korean defense tech company LIG Nex 1. Diverse talent, support from entrepreneurship-focused organizations and collaboration are all reasons startups should consider settling down in the city, according to the report. Startup Genome also highlighted key stakeholders like 1Philadelphia, Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs, Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies, Philly Startup Leaders (which recently rebranded to Startup Leaders) and Independence Health Group. A tough time for VC, but billions still flow into Philly Philadelphia is also beating out other regions in cash flow. Total VC funding for the city over the last five years is $24 billion, while the global average over the same time period is $5.2 billion. 2024 saw $3.3 billion in venture capital invested over 444 deals, a 37.5% increase from the previous year, the report said. One of the area's strengths is funding for early-stage companies, which aligns with the report's findings of $3.4 billion in early-stage funding from 2022 to 2024. 'At the end of the day, the money will follow the best companies,' Wilson said. 'It's just about getting them ready and plugged in to prepare for that.' Philadelphia faced a hard quarter for venture capital deal flow in Q1 of this year. Local organizations like the ones Startup Genome shouted out are trying to build connections to keep up the momentum. Ben Franklin Technology Partners' GO PA Fund is providing capital to local companies, including $2 million into medtech company Rimsys' $5 million round, per the report. Plus, the Science Center's Capital Readiness Program helps startups prepare to raise capital and brings companies from outside the region in. The Science Center facilitates introductions to potential partners and clients, while also showing off what Philly has to offer with the goal of getting companies to stay, Wilson said. Investments at the state level are also shining a light on Pennsylvania as a whole. Earlier this week, Amazon announced a $20 billion investment in AI across the state, including plans to build a data center in Bucks County. A sign of 'legitimacy, momentum and opportunity' Startup Genome's rankings don't define a startup environment forever; rather, they are a tool for future strategy and decision making, according to Stephan Kuester, managing partner at Startup Genome. Philly's recent jump can provide it with insights on how to sustain the upward trajectory. Higher rankings are often a sign of 'legitimacy, momentum and opportunity,' creating more attention for the market and leading to more opportunities, Kuester said. A low ranking can be a sign to leaders to take action and address gaps. 'Whether an ecosystem rises or falls, the ranking is most valuable when used not as a scoreboard, but as a diagnostic tool,' Kuester said. 'Movement in the rankings should spur collaborative analysis across the ecosystem to understand root causes and adjust course accordingly.' Philadelphia's high ranking will hopefully draw more startup leaders into the scene, Wilson said. Being No. 13 in the world presents an opportunity to connect the dots between investment, job creation and actual human impact happening in the region. 'It's been exciting to bring people into the ecosystem and see them experience that,' Wilson said. 'If we can do that, and we can really demonstrate how we help innovation move from an idea to impact.'
Technical.ly
07-05-2025
- Technical.ly
Innovation to Impact: Collaborating with Health Systems in Greater Philadelphia
Event Description Healthcare systems are complex organizations with unique operational needs, regulatory requirements, and adoption challenges. Bringing healthcare innovations to market – and into the hands of clinicians and patients – requires more than just a great product. It demands strategic alignment with the needs and operations of health systems, a clear understanding of the regulatory and reimbursement landscapes, and access to resources and opportunities. The discussion will highlight accelerator programs in the ecosystem like Science Center's U.S. Market Access and Capital Readiness programs help international and early-stage startup companies scale successfully in the U.S. healthcare market. FEATURED SPEAKERS: Neal Lemon, PhD, MBA, Associate VP of Innovation, Cooper Innovation Center Charles Cairns, MD, Dean, Drexel University College of Medicine Tiffany Wilson, President & CEO, Science Center (moderator)
Technical.ly
26-03-2025
- Technical.ly
Philly's Venture Cafe, the once-popular University City meetup, shuts down after 6 years
Power Moves is a recurring series where we chart the comings and goings of talent across the region. Got a new hire, gig or promotion? Email us at philly@ Local startups are making strategic moves through accelerators, partnerships and executive leadership changes — but one major opportunity just shuttered. The University City Science Center ended its Venture Cafe program, a biweekly meetup for founders and other stakeholders. At the same time, the startup resource organization announced the next cohort of its Capital Readiness Program, including three Philly-based startups. Plus, transportation tech startup Jawnt is partnering with parking platform SpotHero and adtech data analytics platform announced a new CEO. Check out all the details and more power moves below the chart, where we look at the top 10 desirable skills for jobs right now and how many job postings request each skill. Innovation meetup group Venture Cafe shuts down The University City Science Center is ending its biweekly Venture Cafe programming. The program was launched in 2018 and facilitated networking, panels and discussions among founders in the Science Center's community. This decision aligns with the Science Center's goal to continually evaluate and upgrade its programming, Kristen Fitch, senior director of marketing, told March 20 was the last Thursday gathering at the Science Center. The global Venture Cafe network will continue to operate in other cities. Venture Cafe Philadelphia launched around the same time that the Science Center's 3675 Market Street office opened, providing a way to engage with the community and strengthen partnerships with other orgs in uCity Square, Tiffany Wilson, president and CEO of the Science Center, said. 'By all accounts, we reflect on Venture Cafe as a major success for the Science Center,' Wilson said. 'We're eager to continue building upon that foundation to meet the changing needs of this dynamic ecosystem.' Jawnt partners with SpotHero to book parking via commuter cards Local transportation technology company Jawnt is partnering with parking reservation platform SpotHero. The partnership will allow Jawnt members to book and pay for parking on SpotHero using the money on their Jawnt commuter cards. The new feature is already available. 'While we champion public transit for its sustainability, we know that it's not always accessible to commuters due to proximity, scheduling or other factors,' said Jeff Stade, CEO of Jawnt. 'By enabling drivers to reserve their parking through the SpotHero app, they are given the power to make their car commutes more sustainable while also saving time and money.' The 2024 RealLIST Startup honoree works with companies and organizations to offer commuter benefits to its members and employees. The company's platform integrates with existing payroll systems to make it easier to manage benefits programs. appoints new CEO Adtech company appointed Ken Kennedy as its new CEO. Kennedy brings 30 years of experience working at software companies, most recently as COO and president of revenue management and digital monetization at business support software company CSG. West Chester-based platform works with organizations to better understand data about its audience. 'The company has a strong foundation, a talented team, and incredible potential for growth,' Kennedy said. 'Together, we will build on our successes, drive innovation, and unlock new opportunities to deliver value for our customers every day.' 3 Philly companies selected for Science Center's funding accelerator The University City Science Center announced the seventh cohort of its Capital Readiness Program, an accelerator for healthtech startups preparing to raise funding. Ten companies from the United States and Canada were selected to come to the Science Center the first week of April. This round, the center selected three companies local to Philly. Cerespectus is a medical device company that developed a catheter to deliver gene therapy to the central nervous system. UprightVR is developing VR rehabilitation tests and exercises to help people regain balance and prevent falls. Liife's platform uses cryptography and blockchain technology to ensure identity security. 'This program will enhance our funding readiness and connect us with inspiring entrepreneurs and industry leaders on our journey,' said Jamie Moses, cofounder and co-CEO of Liife. Since launching in 2023, the Capital Readiness Program has worked with 60 companies, which have collectively raised over $35 million. More power moves: Colby Maldini joined the Wistar Institute as a new faculty member in the HIV Cure and Viral Diseases Center. Madini joins as part of the Caspar Wistar Fellowship program, which supports younger researchers. Healthtech company Liife appointed former Amazon Web Services leader Elizabeth Boudreau to its advisory board. Boudreau currently runs a startup consulting firm, Practical Acceleration. Philly-based Kidas, an anti-bullying software for online games, partnered to provide its software on esports software company GgCircuit's platform. The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia awarded banking executive Daniel K. Fitzpatrick the 2024 William Penn Award, which recognizes the accomplishments of businesspeople in the region. Sarah Huffman is a 2022-2024 corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The Groundtruth Project that pairs young journalists with local newsrooms. This position is supported by the Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
