Ready to launch your own podcast? Book a strategy call.
Frontlines.io | Where B2B Founders Talk GTM.
Strategic Communications Advisory For Visionary Founders
Conversation
Highlights
Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech’s most innovative B2B founders. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Rafid Fadul, Co-Founder & CEO of Zivian Health, a healthcare technology company that’s raised $3 Million in funding.
Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:
- Healthcare workforce shortage: Rafid explains how the shortage of physicians, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic, led to the founding of Zivian Health. The company focuses on solving the growing gap between healthcare demand and the diminishing supply of doctors, nurses, and physician assistants.
- Evolution of the healthcare workforce: The conversation reveals that, while the number of doctors is dwindling, nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) are growing, but the infrastructure to support this shift in the workforce is lacking.
- The decision to raise venture capital: Rafid discusses why Zivian Health chose a venture-backed approach after two bootstrapped exits, emphasizing the need to accelerate SaaS development and bring in specialized talent.
- Building a three-sided marketplace: Zivian Health operates as both a marketplace and a SaaS platform, serving enterprises, physicians, and advanced practice providers. The focus is on making the experience seamless for all stakeholders.
- Addressing compliance challenges: A key differentiator for Zivian Health is its platform that manages complex compliance requirements for NPs and PAs across different states, enabling them to practice legally and safely.
- Creating a trusted network: Zivian’s ability to scale its physician network to over 8,000 licenses is driven by its focus on trust, verification, and ensuring a high-quality experience for all participants.
Actionable
Takeaways
Identify and Address Industry Gaps Early:
Rafid highlights how the growing physician shortage and healthcare workforce gap were clear signals to start Zivian Health. As a founder, look for systemic industry challenges where demand is rising and current solutions are insufficient. This can lead to major opportunities for innovation and growth.
Balancing Venture Capital with Control:
After two successful bootstrapped exits, Rafid opted for a small round of venture capital to scale Zivian Health faster. He emphasized the importance of choosing venture capital wisely, ensuring it aligns with long-term goals while maintaining control. Founders should consider the trade-off between speed and control before committing to outside funding.
Leverage a Dual Model for Defensibility:
Zivian Health operates both a marketplace and a SaaS platform. Rafid describes how the marketplace builds defensibility while providing the foundation for their SaaS offerings. Founders should consider combining business models to increase defensibility and create layered revenue streams.
Trust and Transparency Build Scalable Networks:
Rafid stresses the importance of trust in building Zivian Health’s network of over 8,000 physician licenses. The company vets practitioners through third-party verification to ensure quality and reliability. For founders building platforms, creating a trusted ecosystem with clear checks and balances is crucial for scaling effectively.
Leverage Strategic Partnerships to Scale:
One of Zivian Health’s key decisions was joining Microsoft’s Pegasus program to fast-track their expansion into hospitals. Strategic partnerships can accelerate growth, open new market opportunities, and drive product development. Founders should evaluate how partnerships can align with long-term GTM strategies and product readiness.
Recommended Founder
Interviews
Elad Ferber
CEO & Co-Founder of Synthpop
Elad Ferber, CEO & Co-Founder of Synthpop: $8 Million Raised to Build the Future of Healthcare Administration with AI
Joseph Schneier
CEO of Trusty Care
Joseph Schneier, CEO of Trusty Care: $13+ Million Raised to Shape the Future of Medicare
Senan Ebrahim
CEO & Founder of Delfina
Senan Ebrahim, CEO & Founder of Delfina: $10 Million Raised to Build the Future of Intelligent Pregnancy Care
Amar Kendale
President and Co-Founder of Homeward
Amar Kendale, President & Co-Founder of Homeward: $70 Million Raised to Transform Rural Healthcare Through Technology
Viral Patel
Founder and CEO of Radish Health
Viral Patel, CEO of Radish Health: $5 Million Raised to Connect Employees with a Better Healthcare Experience
Kourosh Davarpanah
Co-Founder and CEO of Inato
Kourosh Davarpanah, Co-Founder and CEO of Inato: Over $35 Million Raised to Build the Future of Clinical Trials
Dr Thomas Oakley
CEO of Feedback PLC
Dr Thomas Oakley, CEO of Feedback PLC: £20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Patient Data Sharing
Matthew Stoudt
CEO and Founder of AppliedVR
Matthew Stoudt, CEO and Founder of AppliedVR: Over $70 Million Raised to Build the Future of Chronic Pain Relief
Ben Albert
CEO & Co-Founder of Upfront Healthcare
Ben Albert, CEO & Co-Founder of Upfront Healthcare: $30 Million Raised to Power the Future of Patient Engagement
Brett Kleger
CEO of Datacubed Health
Brett Kleger, CEO of Datacubed Health: $43 Million Raised to Revolutionize Clinical Trial Data Collection
Brad Kittredge
CEO & Co-Founder of Brightside
Brad Kittredge, CEO & Co-Founder of Brightside: $150 Million Raised to Build the Future of Mental Healthcare
Brock Leonti
CEO & Co-Founder of Prescribe FIT
Brock Leonti, CEO & Co-Founder of Prescribe FIT: $15 Million Raised to Build the Future of Orthopedic Care
James Bates
CEO and Founder of AdviNOW Medical
James Bates, CEO and Founder of AdviNOW Medical: $24 Million Raised to Build the Future of AI-Powered Healthcare
Danny Freed
CEO & Founder of Blueprint
Danny Freed, CEO & Founder of Blueprint: $13.7 Million Raised to Build the Future of Therapist Enablement
Henry O’Connell
CEO & Founder of Canary Speech
Henry O’Connell, CEO & Founder of Canary Speech: $26 Million Raised to Build the Future of Vocal Biomarker Technology
Mark Lehmkuhle
CEO & Founder of Epitel
Mark Lehmkuhle, CEO & Founder of Epitel: $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Brain Health Monitoring
Rishi Nayyar
CEO and Co-Founder of PocketHealth
Rishi Nayyar, CEO and Co-Founder of PocketHealth: $22.5 Million Raised to Power the Future of Medical Image Sharing
Dilpreet Sahota
CEO of Trek Health
Dilpreet Sahota, CEO of Trek Health: $3 Million Raised to Help Mental Health Providers Accept Insurance
Alex Zekoff
CEO and Co-Founder of Thoughtful AI
Alex Zekoff, CEO and Co-Founder of Thoughtful AI: $21 Million Raised to Power the Future of Healthcare Automation
Daniel West
CEO of Prospection
Daniel West, CEO of Prospection: $36 Million Raised to Build the Future of Patient-Centric Intelligence
Amy Brown
CEO and Founder of Authenticx
Amy Brown, CEO and Founder of Authenticx: $28 Million Raised to Build the Future of Listening AI
Kevin Flyangolts
CEO and Founder of Aclid
Kevin Flyangolts, CEO & Founder of Aclid: $4 Million Raised to Build the Future of Biosecurity
Samson Magid
Co-Founder and CEO of HealthSnap
Samson Magid, Co-Founder and CEO of HealthSnap: Over $12 Million Raised to Build the Future of Remote Patient Monitoring
Michael Gorton
Founder of Teladoc
Teladoc Founder Michael Gorton on the Early Days of Pioneering the Telemedicine Category (And What’s He’s Up to Next)
Richard Queen
CEO and Co-Founder of DignifiHealth
Richard Queen, CEO and Co-Founder of DignifiHealth: $7 Million Raised to Drive Better Patient Outcomes in Rural Healthcare and Beyond
Vicky Demas
CEO of Identifeye Health
Vicky Demas, CEO of identifeye HEALTH: $90 Million Raised to Power the Future of Retinal Imaging
Dipanwita Das
CEO and Co-Founder of Sorcero
Dipanwita Das, CEO and Co-Founder of Sorcero: Over $20 Million Raised to Power Medical Affairs Teams of the Future
Ignacio Medrano
Founder & CMO of Savana
Ignacio Medrano, Founder & CMO of Savana: $44M Raised to Transform Healthcare Intelligence Through AI
Joe Gagnon
CEO of 1upHealth
Joe Gagnon, CEO at 1upHealth: Over $75 Million Raised to Build the Future of Healthcare Data
Derek Streat
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Dexcare
Derek Streat, CEO of Dexcare: $110 Million Raised to Help Health Systems to Find Time for the Best Care
Joshua Miller
CEO and Co-Founder of Gradient Health
Joshua Miller, CEO & Co-Founder of Gradient Health: $5.7 Million Raised to Build the Future of Medical Imaging
Alfred Griffin
CEO and Co-Founder of CEO and Co-Founder
Alfred Griffin, CEO and Co-Founder of LightForce: $150 Million Raised to Power the Future of Orthodontics
Dimitrios Skaltsas
CEO & Co-Founder of Intelligencia AI
Dimitrios Skaltsas, CEO & Co-Founder of Intelligencia AI: $15.5 Million Raised to Build the Future of Drug Development
Andreas Cleve
CEO and Co-Founder of Corti
Andreas Cleve, CEO and Co-Founder of Corti: $32 Million Raised to Power the Future of Patient Consultations
Stacy Edgar
CEO and Co-Founder of Venteur
Stacy Edgar, CEO & Co-Founder of Venteur: $7.6 Million Raised to Build the Future of Health Insurance
Cesar Herrera
CEO and Co-Founder of Yuvo Health
Cesar Herrera, CEO and Co-Founder of Yuvo Health: $28 Million Raised to Revolutionize Healthcare Access
Kyle Kiser
CEO of Arrive Health
Kyle Kiser, CEO of Arrive Health: Over $40 Million Raised to Improve the Value of Healthcare Through Informed Decision-Making
Dr. Nan-Wei Gong
CEO and Founder of FIGUR8
Dr. Nan-Wei Gong, CEO & Founder of FIGUR8: $40 Million Raised to Build the Future of Musculoskeletal Health and Injury Data Solutions
Khaled Boukadoum
Founder of Torch Dental
Khaled Boukadoum, Founder of Torch Dental: $49.5 Million Raised to Transform Dental Supply Management Through Digital Innovation
Ty Allen
CEO of SocialClimb
Ty Allen, CEO of SocialClimb: $12 Million Raised to Power the Future of Healthcare Marketing
Hala Borno
Founder and CEO of Trial Library
Hala Borno, Founder and CEO of Trial Library: $5M Raised to Improve Patient Recruitment and Diversity in Oncology Clinical Trials
Trenor Williams
CEO and Co-Founder of Socially Determined
Trenor Williams, CEO and Co-Founder of Socially Determined: $34 Million Raised to Build the Social Risk Intelligence Category
Kristen Valdes
CEO & Founder of B.well
Kristen Valdes, CEO & Founder of B.well: $100 Million Raised to Reimagine the Healthcare Experience
David Berry
CEO and Founder of Valo
David Berry, CEO and Founder of Valo: Over $500 Million Raised to Build the Future of Drug Discovery
Daniel Lambert
CEO of PathologyWatch
Daniel Lambert, CEO of PathologyWatch: Over $50 Million Raised to Build the Future of Digital Pathology
David King Lassman
Founder of GigXR
David King Lassman, Founder of GigXR: $7 Million Raised to Bring Immersive Learning to Healthcare
Armon Sharei
CEO & Founder of Portal
Armon Sharei, CEO & Founder of Portal: $5 Million Raised to Power the Future of Cell Engineering
Nick Soman
CEO & Founder of Decent
Nick Soman, CEO & Founder of Decent: $43 Million Raised to Build the Future of Direct Primary Care
Aasim Saeed
CEO and Founder of Amenities Health
Aasim Saeed, CEO and Founder of Amenities Health: $10 Million Raised to Build the Future of Patient Engagement
Matt Renfro
Co-Founder & CEO of Lynx
Matt Renfro, CEO of Lynx: $17.5 Million raised to Bring Modern Fintech to Healthcare
Justin Dearborn
Founder & CEO of Praia Health
Justin Dearborn, Founder & CEO of Praia Health: $20 Million Raised to Build the Future of Consumer Experience in Healthcare
Itzik Cohen
Co-Founder and CEO of PayZen
Itzik Cohen, Co-Founder and CEO of PayZen: $240 Million Raised to Build the Future of Affordable Health Care
Austin McChord
CEO of Casana
Austin McChord, CEO of Casana: Over $46 Million Raised to Create the Future of In-Home Health Monitoring