Six founders from our 2025 cohort look back on what they learned – and what they'd tell the next class of applicants.

Every year, a new cohort of health tech founders walks through the (virtual and literal) doors of Healthworx Accelerator with a plan, a pitch, and a lot of questions about how the payer world actually works. Twelve weeks later, they walk out with something harder to put a price on: relationships, fluency in an industry that's notoriously difficult to break into, and – for many – real commercial momentum.

We sat down with six founders from our 2025 cohort to ask what they wish they'd known before Day One. Here's what they told us.

"It's not transactional – it's relational."

For Thiv Paramsothy, founder of Hera Fertility, the biggest mindset shift was realizing the program wasn't a checklist to complete. "Don't look at this as transactional – it's about building relationships," he said. "These people are going to be in your corner as your company grows." He pointed to the effort the Healthworx team and its BlueCross BlueShield partners put in from day one: "Everyone puts so much effort in – from Soo to the partners and advisors they bring in. That was evident from day one." His advice to future applicants: "There's a reason Healthworx exists. They made a strategic decision to invest in early-stage companies. Don't miss the opportunity by treating it transactionally."

"You don't know what you don't know – until you do."

That knowledge gap is exactly what drew Shimin Ooi, founder of Sleep Reset, to the program. "I didn't have any industry contacts – I didn't know anyone with institutional healthcare experience. The Healthworx Accelerator filled that gap in a way I couldn't have replicated anywhere else," she said. As a tech founder without decades in healthcare, she found the curriculum reshaped how her company operates: "Healthworx Accelerator helped me understand how payers think, what employers look for, and what you need to demonstrate from an ROI perspective. That foundation changed how we approach every conversation." Her tip for getting the most out of advisor sessions: "For the advisors speaking on topics most relevant to your company, try to get one-on-one time with them after. That's where you get advice that's actually tailored to your situation."

"Come with sharp questions – time is the real currency."

Pete Celano of LiverRight put it bluntly: preparation is everything. "Question prep is job one. They have tons of answers – but not tons of time. Thirty minutes with the right questions can feel like three hundred," he said. Celano, who's been part of nearly a hundred incubators over his career, ranks Healthworx among the best he's seen – largely because of its payer focus. "I've been involved in close to a hundred incubators over my career. This is by far one of the best, for two reasons. First, it's payer-focused, which is rare and incredibly valuable. Second, the folks there have tangibly guided our strategy in new and better ways." He estimates the program saved LiverRight roughly a year of work: "Payers all speak the same coding language – once you understand how they think, you can take that model anywhere."

"Pick one goal and go all in."

Aabid Shariff, founder of Citrus Oncology, learned early that trying to do everything at once waters down results. "Have clarity on what you're looking for – deals, learning, or fundraising. You can't do all three well. Pick one and go all in," he said. The payoff for that focus has been tangible: "All of the conversations I'm having with payers right now – those connections came from Healthworx. Point blank." He also described a lasting shift in how he shows up to conversations with health plans: "The curriculum gave me a foundation that I would have had to piece together over years otherwise. More importantly, it gave me the confidence to have real conversations with payers who used to seem out of reach."

"There's nothing to lose by applying."

Jason Cardinal of Nidus AI has been building companies since 1999 – and says Healthworx still exceeded his expectations. "The program far exceeded my expectations – and I've been in this business since 1999. The depth of access to payer leadership, external advisors, and the whole ecosystem was just way broader than I anticipated." Even the application process changed how he thinks about his pitch: "Even the application process got me to rethink how I pitch my company. The questions they ask are built on a deep understanding of what payers and investors actually look for." His advice for anyone on the fence: "There's really nothing to lose by applying – and so much to gain. I would go as far as to say it's a big loss if you don't."

"Healthcare runs on trust – and Healthworx gives you access to it."

Andreea Bodnari of ALIGNMT AI came into the program further along commercially than most of her cohort, but still found real value in the network. "Healthcare is a trust-based network – and Healthworx provides exactly that kind of validation. It expedited conversations that, in a different environment, would have been much more difficult to make happen," she said. She also highlighted a key difference from other accelerators: "Unlike other programs where you engage an innovation budget without the person who owns the workflow, Healthworx connects you with the actual business owners. You get real, tangible feedback on whether you're solving a real problem." Her takeaway for founders newer to the space: "For a founder just entering healthcare, the educational value alone would have been transformative."

The Common Thread

Across all six conversations, a few themes kept surfacing: come in with a clear goal, treat advisors as long-term relationships rather than one-off resources, and don't underestimate how much unfamiliar territory – payer logic, regulatory nuance, ROI expectations – the program can help you navigate in a fraction of the time it would take alone.

As Aabid put it, the shift isn't just tactical. It's a change in confidence. And for founders trying to break into one of the most complex industries there is, that might be the most valuable thing Healthworx Accelerator offers.