Explore every episode of the podcast The Healthtech Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #428 How to fix Global Health without a quantum computer: Madeleine Ballard from CHIC | 07 Jan 2026 | 01:16:09 | |
This week, James is joined on the podcast by Dr Madeleine Ballard, CEO of the Community Health Impact Coalition (CHIC). CHIC is a global movement making professional community health workers the norm worldwide by changing guidelines, funding, and policy. Connect with Madeleine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeleineballard/ Learn more about CHIC: https://joinchic.org/ Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.com Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com This podcast was brought to you by SomX. | |||
| #427 Taking wearable biosensors to the next level: Rafaël Michali from Sava | 17 Dec 2025 | 01:06:11 | |
James is joined by Rafaël Michali, co-founder and co-CEO of SAVA. SAVA is redefining the way people interact with their health by developing the most advanced biosensing technology science has to offer, capable of accessing bodily information in a painless, real-time and affordable way. Connect with Rafaël: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafa%C3%ABl-michali-656136101/ Learn more: https://www.sava.health/ Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.com Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com | |||
| #418 Sonia Szamocki, CEO at 32Co: What if every GP had a specialist on speed dial? | 09 Oct 2025 | 01:06:27 | |
In this episode, James is joined by Dr. Sonia Szamocki - former A&E doctor, BCG consultant, and now founder & CEO of 32Co - to explore how healthcare can finally unlock the full potential of its clinical workforce. Sonia shares her journey from frontline medicine to building a platform that helps generalists deliver specialist-level care, starting with dentistry and now expanding into sleep medicine. Together, they dig into:
Chapters | |||
| #335 Turning a parent's worst nightmare into impact and joy, with Dom Raban from Xploro | 29 Jan 2024 | 00:25:40 | |
We take a look back at episode 311, where James welcome Dom Raban, co-founder and CEO of Xploro. In this clip, Dom and James share their insights on gamification as a means to education, moving the adoption frontier forwards, and the importance of addressing fundamental needs before developing complex technology, with the simplest solutions sometimes being the most effective of all.
Xploro is a digital therapeutics platform that uses augmented reality, artificial intelligence and games to reduce anxiety for young patients going to hospital. Grab a ticket for The Healthtech Podcast LIVE and use the code james50 for 50% off! Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #334 How to bootstrap a massive, impactful healthtech company - with Harry Lykostratis from Open Medical | 17 Jan 2024 | 01:15:18 | |
Harry Lykostratis is an innovative software developer, start-up founder and practising orthopaedic surgeon, with a particular interest in all things digital, specifically designing effective and safe care pathways, data analysis and AI. Merging his extensive background in healthcare within the NHS together with his passion for software engineering led to the development of Pathpoint - an interoperable digital system for workflow management. https://www.openmedical.co.uk/ Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #333 Unlocking VC Funding: Secrets and strategies from entrepreneur and investor Gian Seehra | 10 Jan 2024 | 01:07:05 | |
This week, James is joined by Gian Seehra. A previous biotech entrepreneur where he raised $16m and a previous investor at Octopus Ventures in the health team. He now helps tech founders raise venture capital by helping them building fundraising operating systems. Founders have gone on to raise over $150,000,000 doing this. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #332 The dangers of the microbiome hype & the need for scientific rigour | 08 Dec 2023 | 00:18:23 | |
This week we look back at episode 293, where James and Thomas discuss the recent surge in public understanding of nutrition and the microbiome, the remaining knowledge gap, and the need to be wary of "cowboy" companies mistaking correlation for causation. Thomas Gurry is a computational biologist and co-founder of myota, a prebiotic supplement tailored to improve gut health Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #331 Gender stereotypes and leadership: rejecting the pressure to conform with Sasha Tory from Ally Health | 29 Nov 2023 | 00:25:31 | |
This week we're revisiting episode 302, where James and Sasha covered some of challenges women encounter in business, unpacking issues such as gender stereotypes in leadership roles and the pressure to conform to masculine traits, as well as highlighting the unique benefits women bring to the table. Sasha is the co-founder of Ally Health, a platform to connect patients and practitioners effectively to relieve pressure from the health ecosystem whilst delivering better patient outcomes. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #330 What has AI taught us about being human? | 22 Nov 2023 | 01:01:17 | |
Dr Harvinder Power is a medical doctor, and the co-founder and CEO at Motics. Born out of a frustration with the current state of physiotherapy, Harvinder and his co-founder developed the technology to enhance the physiotherapy experience, allowing users to transform their phone into a personal physiotherapy assistant, with AI-powered insights to track progress and optimise movements, and real-time feedback. Harvinder is also the founder of the CodeMD initiative, which improves access to coding skills in healthcare and brings technology experts and healthcare professionals together.
Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #329 Combining LLMs and the microbiome for truly personalised health, with Leo Grady from Jona | 15 Nov 2023 | 01:14:33 | |
Leo Grady who is internationally recognized for his work to deliver AI in healthcare for 20 years at pioneering bay area startups (HeartFlow), multinational medical companies (Siemens) and, most recently, as CEO of Paige.ai. As CEO of Paige, Leo led the company to become an industry leader, internationally launching groundbreaking products and receiving the first-ever FDA approval for an AI product in pathology. Leo is currently CEO in Residence with Breyer Capital and the Founder and CEO of Jona. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #328 Does 8M followers make you a healthtech entrepreneur? Is an influencer a new, tech-enabled public health doctor? With Dr Karan Rajan | 08 Nov 2023 | 01:09:33 | |
Dr Karan Rajan is an NHS surgeon and clinical lecturer at The University of Sunderland Medical School. However, he is also a social media educator, with over 5.2 million followers on TikTok, dispelling popular medical myths and working to make health, science and medicine engaging, entertaining, and accessible to a wide audience. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #327 Diagnostics, Data and a Department of Health Contract, with Hamish Grierson | 01 Nov 2023 | 00:55:37 | |
Hamish Grierson is CEO of the personal diagnostics and health platform, Thriva, which he set up in 2016 with co-founders, Eliot Brooks and Tom Livesey. Thriva's core mission is to put better health in people’s hands with affordable, clinical-grade testing based on the latest research. Thriva has helped over 650,000 people across the UK proactively manage their health. Its at-home testing kits can analyse anything from vitamins and minerals to hormone function to indicators of heart disease and diabetes. At Thriva, Hamish combined his interest with health and bio-hacking with his experience in technology and innovation. A serial entrepreneur and alumni of the New Entrepreneurs Foundation, Hamish has a background in Fintech innovation, brand building and international growth. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #326 Profit vs. Passion: The Delicate Balance in Healthcare Investments with Mark E Watson III from Aquila Capital Partners | 25 Oct 2023 | 01:05:00 | |
Mark E Watson III is an entrepreneur, BioTech investor, advisor and philanthropist. His portfolio companies range from the fastest-growing physician-dispensed skincare brand (Alasting Skincare) to a platform predicting patient responses to oncology therapeutics (Xsphera Biosciences), as well as several InsureTech startups in the US. An alumnus of Harvard Business School and YPO Presidents' Program, Mark went from a newspaper boy buying his first stock aged 11 (Walt Disney), to a an entrepreneur with 25 years' experience in investing and leadership, running 2 public companies and acquiring dozens. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #417 Tomasz George from Freyr Health: What Does Real Longevity Science Look Like? | 01 Oct 2025 | 01:30:15 | |
In this week’s episode, James is joined by Tomasz George, co-founder and CEO of Freyr Health. Freyr Health believe everyone should own, control, and benefit from their medical data. Their platform unlocks the value of fragmented health records, enabling individuals and organisations to securely manage, share, and monetise health data on their own terms. By bridging the gap between global health systems and personal data ownership, they are building a new health economy that rewards patients, accelerates research, and drives better outcomes for all. Connect with Tomasz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomaszgeorge/ Learn more:https://www.freyrhealth.com/ Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.com Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com | |||
| #325 Advising world leaders to world-leading AI, with Yonatan Adiri from Healthy.io | 18 Oct 2023 | 00:59:44 | |
Yonatan Adiri is the founder and CEO of Healthy.io, the global leader in providing platforms and services that offer at-home clinical-grade digital health solutions, including transforming the smartphone camera into an FDA-grade medical device. Recently selected as one of Fortune's 10 innovators shaping the future of health and listed in Time Magazine's 2018 "50 most influential people in healthcare", Adiri also served as the Chief Technology Officer to the President of Israel. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #324 Connection, people and innovating insurance, with Lukasz Rzeczkowski from Trustedoctor | 11 Oct 2023 | 01:26:33 | |
Lukasz is a founder of Trustedoctor (founded in 2016), a digital health platform infrastructure for medical providers, insurers and employers focused on virtual care in specialised medicine. Trustedoctor merged with Further in 2020 creating the world's first digitally enabled cancer insurance with over 4m policies holders in 35 countries. Since exiting, he now I am now focuses on the applications of AI in healthcare and bioscience. He is also in the process of building his second venture focused on AI drug discovery based on the proprietary pathway model. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukasz-rzeczkowski/ Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #323 Is it unethical NOT to be using AI in healthcare? With Dr Dom Pimenta from TORTUS | 04 Oct 2023 | 01:06:13 | |
This week, James is joined by Dr Dom Pimenta, CEO of TORTUS, an AI healthtech company co founded with Christopher Tan at Entrepreneur First in London in Nov 2022: https://tortus.ai Dom was formerly the lead specialty research physician at Richmond Research Institute, running clinical trials in digital health and AI, publishing original research in everything from in-human physiology studies to artificial intelligence and cardiac imaging to Big Data and the relationships between food and health. He was formerly the clinical lead for Cardiology at ORCHA, the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA)- bringing digital health in line with the core values of medicine; evidence, patient benefit, and rigor. And is the founding chair and former CEO of the Healthcare Workers’ Foundation Charity, a charity I helped set up in response to COVID, raising £3.2m in our first year of operations and becoming a registered charity. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #322 From patient to founder: redefining cancer care with Vann CEO Ani Haykuni | 27 Sep 2023 | 00:59:08 | |
This week, James is joined by Ani Haykuni, an engineer by background, a two-time cancer thriver and founder and CEO of Vann. Ani has an MBA from Oxford University and MPS from State University of New York and Syracuse University (New York). Ani developed Vann after her second cancer diagnosis to help unite people affected by cancer from around the world and help improve cancer care and research. Based in Oxford, Vann has been supported by the Oxford University Innovation and is on its way to revolutionise cancer care and support for people affected by cancer. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #321 The role of technology in adolescent wellbeing with Jo Goodall, co-founder CEO of Luna | 20 Sep 2023 | 01:01:38 | |
This week James is joined by Jo Goodall, co-founder of Luna, a digital health app dedicated to empowering teenagers and improving physical and mental wellbeing. Jo sheds light on Luna's role in providing a safe space for teens to ask questions, access expert content, and gain a deeper understanding of themselves. Dive into crucial topics such as teen mental health, the impact of technology, and the responsibilities of big tech companies. Jo also provides a glimpse into Luna's fundraising journey, the exciting plans for Luna 2.0, and how the app is making a positive impact on teenagers worldwide. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #320 How I co-founded a healthtech company that's raised $189.5M, with Daniel Nathrath from Ada Health | 13 Sep 2023 | 01:16:15 | |
This week, James is joined by Daniel Nathrath, CEO and co-founder of Ada Health. Ada is a global health company founded by doctors, scientists, and industry pioneers to create new possibilities for personal health and transform knowledge into better outcomes. Daniel is a serial entrepreneur with 20+ years’ experience in high-growth markets and technological transformation. During his career, he has founded and led several internet startups based in Denmark, Germany, the US and the UK. Daniel was a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group and studied law as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Houston. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #319 Why healthcare is the sexiest place for technology, with Kalle Conneryd Lundgren, COO at Kry/Livi | 06 Sep 2023 | 01:01:07 | |
This week, James is joined by Kalle Conneryd-Lundgren from Kry Livi- Europe's largest digital healthcare provider which has today delivered over 8 million patient appointments and has over 54 health clinics in France, Sweden and Norway. Kalle is a self-confessed ‘coding clinician nerd’ and ‘sneaker geek’ with a large collection of colourful trainers to his name. Kalle is driven by a passion for how technology can transform healthcare delivery to provide meaningful patient experiences and improved clinical outcomes. A specialist and associate professor in reconstructive plastic surgery and craniofacial diseases, Kalle held previous positions at Karolinska University Hospital, ranked as one of the world’s best university hospitals, where he was responsible for all operational strategy and medical technology. In 2021, Kalle moved to Europe’s fastest growing health tech start up, Kry, (known as Livi in the UK and France). At Kry, Kalle is Chief Operations Officer and leads the company’s Global Operations Team, responsible for expanding Kry’s offer and prioritizing more efficient digital healthcare for patients and clinicians. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #318 Nature vs nurture: Can anyone become an Entrepreneur? With Dr Julian Nesbitt | 30 Aug 2023 | 01:08:23 | |
Julian Nesbitt, Founder of Dr Julian Medical Group Ltd. Julian has a background as a doctor and still practices as a GP and founded the company to improve access to mental healthcare through using technology. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #317 Snapchat's surprising role in revolutionising brain health, with Dr. Hamzah Selim, CEO of MindStep | 23 Aug 2023 | 00:53:13 | |
Hamzah Selim is the Co-Founder & CEO of mindstep. Mindstep is creating a new care standard for cognitive health by providing AI-driven neurodiagnostics, screening for relevant risk factors, and comprehensive interventions. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #316 Biotech Innovations Transforming Cancer Diagnosis, with Guido Baechler | 16 Aug 2023 | 01:07:58 | |
This week, James is joined by Dr Guido Baechler, CEO and Director at Mainz Biomed, a leading developer of market-ready molecular genetic diagnostic solutions for life-threatening conditions. The Company's flagship product is ColoAlert, an accurate, non-invasive, and easy-to-use early detection test for colorectal cancer. Guido has 30 years of global experience leading public & private life science companies, having held senior executive roles at Singulex and SummerBio, and at Roche, where he led Roche Molecular’s global program management. | |||
| #416 Steve Roest from PocDoc: Is Point-of-Care Testing the Future of Preventative Health? | 26 Sep 2025 | 01:16:27 | |
In this week’s episode, James is joined by Steve Roest, co-founder and CEO of PocDoc. PocDocis is on a mission to transform how we detect and prevent chronic diseases—bringing diagnostics out of the lab and into the hands of the public. By combining proprietary smartphone-based blood testing with their digital health platform, PocDoc enables anyone to screen for conditions like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and chronic kidney disease—all with just a fingerprick of blood. Connect with Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveroest/ Learn more: https://pocdoc.co/ Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.com Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com | |||
| #315 How AI can keep us fitter, for longer, with Ahmed Wobi | 09 Aug 2023 | 01:17:21 | |
This week, James is joined by Ahmed Wobi, Co-founder of Tonus Tech, who is pioneering machine learning techniques to sensor fusion technology that improves human longevity through mobility augmentation. After graduating from Oxford University with honours in Neuroscience, Ahmed completed his medical training in Imperial College London and specialised in Radiology. Prior to Tonus, he founded a diabetes startup and has extensive startup experience in telemedicine. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #314 How we built a $30M healthtech startup by scrapping our business strategy with Piotr Orzechowski | 02 Aug 2023 | 01:14:10 | |
Piotr Orzechowski is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Infermedica, one of the leading AI health companies dedicated to improving the process of preliminary symptom analysis and digital triage. Infermedica’s goal is to increase healthcare accessibility, minimize the rate of misdiagnosis and streamline costs of providing quality care. Infermedica's platform has been used by over 13 million users worldwide and is offered to insurance, healthcare, and telemedicine companies. Piotr is an energetic IT entrepreneur with a strong technical background with key interests in digital health and machine learning. Before founding Infermedica, he was engaged in several startup ventures. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #313 Medical Device design, with Dr Marc Taub, VP at Abbott | 26 Jul 2023 | 01:07:08 | |
This week, James is joined by Dr. Marc Taub, PhD, Divisional Vice President of Technical Operations for Abbott’s Diabetes Care business. Since joining the global healthcare company in 2004, Dr. Taub has been one of the driving forces behind the development of the FreeStyle Libre system, a sensor-based glucose monitoring solution that gives people the precise data and unique insights needed to better manage their condition. His team are now expanding the application of this biowearable technology to one day be able to translate a wide range of biometrics and offer unprecedented understanding of the impact of diet, exercise and lifestyle, among other factors, on our metabolic health and wellbeing. Find out more: www.freestyle.abbott / www.hellolingo.com Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| BONUS: Tips for incoming FY1 doctors | 24 Jul 2023 | 01:07:12 | |
Join us for a fascinating bonus episode as we delve into the exciting and nerve-wracking world of newly graduated junior doctors as they step into the wards of UK hospitals in August, taking on the role of Foundation Year 1 (FY1) doctors. Host James, along with NHS cardiologist and computer scientist Rob Brisk, discuss the specific anxieties that come with being a junior doctor. Will, a current FY1, shares his experiences, while Tom, a medical student about to start his FY1, asks insightful questions. The discussion spans various scenarios, covering both routine medical tasks and high-stress emergencies, giving an authentic glimpse into the rollercoaster ride that awaits young doctors. Check out the FY1 Survival Guide from Eolas Medical: https://app.eolasmedical.com/access-link/86099d7e-490f-4559-a590-21b330380ca9 Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #312 Redefining medical record ownership with Mohammad Al-Ubaydli, CEO of Patients Know Best | 19 Jul 2023 | 01:20:21 | |
This week James is joined by Dr. Mohammad Al-Ubaydli founder and CEO of Patients Know Best – a UK-based provider of patient-controlled medical records. Mohammad trained as a physician at the University of Cambridge and worked as a staff scientist at the National Institute of Health. He is also the author of seven books focusing on effective management of patient health records and is an honorary senior research associate at UCL medical school for his research on patient-controlled medical records. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #311 Augmented reality, AI & paediatrics, with Dom Raban | 12 Jul 2023 | 00:52:41 | |
Dom Raban is the co-founder and CEO of Xploro, a digital therapeutics platform that uses augmented reality, artificial intelligence and games to reduce anxiety for young patients going to hospital. Dom established Xploro in 2016 after his daughter had recovered from cancer treatment and he realised the importance of providing patients with information about their treatment – something that was lacking in his daughter’s experience. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #310 - Tackling an inactivity pandemic, with Anton Derlyatka, CEO of Sweatcoin | 05 Jul 2023 | 00:51:49 | |
This week, James is joined by Anton Derlyatka, CEO and Co-Founder of Sweatcoin. Anton and his co-founders recognised how the modern world was conspiring to make us less physically active, with factors like increased delivery services and remote work contributing to a ‘pandemic of inactivity - resulting in the rapidly increasing prevalence of poor health conditions such as diabetes and cardio-vascular disease’. That is how Sweatcoin, effectively 'Airmiles for steps', was born. The free app harnesses behavioural science to incentivise people to become more physically active, rewarding users for their daily steps with in-app loyalty points, redeemable for goods in the Sweatcoin marketplace. In this episode, James and Anton will discuss how Sweatcoin recently partnered with the NHS to tackle the pandemic of inactivity and what this could mean for the future of healthcare. Sweatcoin has been downloaded by over 150M users worldwide and last year, was the most downloaded health and fitness app in the world. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #309 - Preventable deaths and health equity, with Ghalib Khan, CEO of Written Medicine | 28 Jun 2023 | 00:26:49 | |
In this powerful episode, James is joined by Ghalib Khan, an NHS Innovation Fellow and founder of Written Medicine. They aim to revolutionise medication information accessibility by translating healthcare information into languages patients can understand, positively impacting the lives of many. Join them as they explore Ghalib's journey, patient experience, and the urgent need for effective communication in healthcare. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #308 From Uber to Healthtech VC: A Journey Through the Tech Industry, with Gemma Bloemen | 21 Jun 2023 | 01:01:10 | |
This week, James is joined by Gemma Bloemen, Principal at Creandum. Gemma was previously COO at home care marketplace, Elder and before that a Senior Manager at Uber. Gemma is a prominent angel investor and at Creandum focuses on healthtech, climate and consumer. Creandum is a leading European Venture Capital firm, investing in category-defining businesses including Spotify, Kry and Depop since 2003. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #307 The neurome revolution with CEO Emil Hewage | 14 Jun 2023 | 01:12:18 | |
Uncover the groundbreaking realm of the "neurome" and its potential to transform healthcare. Emil Hewage, CEO & Co-Founder, BIOS Health, reveals how their neural interfaces and AI technology read and rewrite the neural "code" to correct faulty signals in real-time, paving the way for targeted digital therapies. Listen as Emil explores his journey into healthtech, BIOS Health's pivotal role in new drug discovery, and the immense impact their technology is poised to make. Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #415 Rachel Murphy from The Grafter: How Founders Can Grow, Raise, and Exit The Smart Way | 17 Sep 2025 | 00:55:49 | |
In this week’s episode, James is joined by Rachel Murphy, founder of The Grafter, a consultancy that helps entrepreneurs maximise the value of their businesses ahead of an exit. Rachel shares her extensive experience in building and successfully exiting healthcare companies, offering practical insights on what founders should focus on. Connect with Rachel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachthegrafter/ Learn more: https://thegrafter.com/ Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.com Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com | |||
| #306 LLMs will save healthcare, with Rob Brisk, NHS cardiologist & computer scientist | 07 Jun 2023 | 01:14:48 | |
This week, James is joined by Rob Brisk. Rob is an NHS cardiologist with a PhD in computer science. Alongside his clinical work, he has been a scientific advisor on to the Department of Health during COVID, overseen the life sciences research programme for the UK's most powerful supercomputer, and is now bringing large language models to the point of care in his role as Chief Scientific Officer of Eolas Medical. Rob is a passionate believer in the power of machine learning-based technologies to revolutionise healthcare. He is a strong advocate for medics upskilling in this space to help shape the future of healthtech. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #305 From Loss to Legacy: Paul Gaudin's Journey to Solve Social Care | 31 May 2023 | 01:38:58 | |
This week James is joined by Paul Gaudin, a mechanical engineer turned serial entrepreneur. He founded the New York Bagel Co., ran national screening programs, and now focuses on medtech, insurtech, and investing in innovative businesses. Paul is also the cofounder of carerooms.com, which introduces a new model of care using the sharing economy and technology-enabled support. He chairs several boards and is on the advisory board of the Biometric Research Centre. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #304 How to build a biotech company that changes everything, with Jack O'Meara, CEO of Ochre Bio | 24 May 2023 | 01:16:12 | |
In this episode, James discusses the use of computational biology, AI, and machine learning in biotech to identify disease-causing genes and develop potential treatments. His guest, Jack O'Meara, CEO of Ochre Bio, shares their ambitious approach of using human livers models for testing drug candidates, aiming to replace animal testing and improve the qualification of drugs for human clinical trials. They explore the potential impact of this innovation, including the FDA's potential ban on animal testing, and highlight the economic benefits and advancements it can bring to the pharmaceutical industry. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #303 When edtech meets healthtech: Bringing lifestyle medicine to light with co-founder Dr Ally Jaffee | 17 May 2023 | 00:48:40 | |
Join James as he discusses the intersection of mental health and technology with Dr. Ally Jaffee, co-founder of Nutritank. In this candid episode, Dr. Jaffee shares her personal journey with depression, anxiety, and the role of antidepressants. They explore how technology can facilitate human interaction, support education, and aid in mental health management. Discover the potential of technology in promoting mental wellbeing and the connection between nutrition, the microbiome, and mental health. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #302 Connecting patients and practitioners with co-founder Sasha Tory | 11 May 2023 | 01:05:20 | |
This week, James is joined by Sasha Tory, co-founder of Ally Health. Looking at the overburdened healthcare system and the nature of clinical staff still often working late nights and overtime, Ally Health was created with a mission to solve this problem. Ally Health is developing a platform that connects patients with practitioners in an efficient and effective way to deliver better patient outcomes overall and relive pressure from the healthcare ecosystem by providing a bridge between virtual and in-person care solutions. Sasha shares stories about her journey to starting Ally Health and the challenges they face while scaling the business. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #301 The future of data-driven decision making with founder & CEO Philip Russmeyer | 04 May 2023 | 01:08:23 | |
In this episode, James is joined by Philip Russmeyer, the founder of Fitfile, a healthtech company dedicated to unifying and making healthcare data usable. Philip shares his vision of a digitised healthcare system, where data interoperability and privacy are key. Fitfile aims to bring together various data points, such as hospital records, patient-reported outcomes, and activity metrics, to empower healthcare professionals and organizations to make informed decisions and drive transformative changes in healthcare. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #300 Building a Strong Community: Lessons with Musty from Big Picture Medicine | 27 Apr 2023 | 01:17:51 | |
What a better way to celebrate the 300th episode of The Healthtech Podcast than with none onther that Dr Mustafa Sultan (Musty), Host of the Big Picture Medicine podcast. Musty and James discuss the challenges of content creation and how to maintain enthusiasm for a long-term project - the importance of enjoying the content, creating a community, and serving the audience. They also discuss the pain killer versus vitamin model for content and how the podcast focuses on educating, inspiring, and entertaining listeners. Enjoy! Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #299 Ethics and Engineering Cells: Exploring the Boundaries with Dr Mark Kotter | 20 Apr 2023 | 00:12:50 | |
In this episode, we revisit episode 204 with Dr Mark Kotter, to discusses the ethical considerations surrounding cell engineering. Mark shares his view of "respect for life" and how it should guide the use of cell engineering for the greater good. He emphasises the importance of setting up a strong ethics board for technology companies working in the field, and being aware of both the ethical and scientific boundaries. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #298 The Road to Better Women's Health: Tech Startups on a Mission with Dr Michelle Griffin | 12 Apr 2023 | 00:12:06 | |
Welcome back! In this throwback episode, we delve into a compelling conversation about the current state of women's health and the challenges it faces. Dr Michelle Griffin, Women's health expert, sheds light on the intention behind women's health tech startups and emphasises the importance of tangible outcomes. James and Michelle discuss how businesses in this space should focus on the bigger picture, building purpose-driven ventures with a clear vision. Success, they argue, should be measured by the impact these businesses have on women's health. Listen to the rest of the conversation with Dr Michelle Griffin in episode number 287: Accelerating innovation in women's health, with Dr. Michelle Griffin. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #297 Will chatbots replace doctors? With founder and CEO Dr Alison Darcy | 31 Mar 2023 | 00:14:46 | |
This week, we're throwing back to episode 280 to hear from Dr Alison Darcy, founder and CEO of Woebot Health. Woebot is a friendly chatbot that helps with everyday stress, depression, and anxiety. In this episode, James and Alison ask the question: is technology dehumanising healthcare? Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #414 Olivia Burns from Hypoplas: What Startups Get So Wrong About ‘Patient-Centric’ Design | 10 Sep 2025 | 01:07:44 | |
In this week’s episode, James is joined by Olivia Burns, Founder of Hypoplas, a company on a mission to redesign the hospital gown to be more sustainable, dignified, and cost-effective for patients. Her mission is to drive sustainable innovation in healthcare by improving both patient care and system integration. Connect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctorodonovan/ Contact Olivia: hello@hypoplas.com Learn more: https://www.hypoplas.com/ Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.com Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com | |||
| #296 From business idea to reality with Founder and CEO Charles Fisher | 22 Mar 2023 | 00:16:50 | |
This week, we're revisiting episode 111 to delve into the true essence of entrepreneurship and the challenges of turning a mere idea into a thriving business. Join us as we listen to Charles Fisher, the founder and CEO of Unlearn.AI, share his fascinating journey, from the endless hours of coding to securing their first investment. Discover why Fisher believes that 'accidental entrepreneurship' may hold the key to success in this fiercely competitive industry. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #295 Health information and content creation with YouTube's Head of UK Health Dr Vishaal Virani | 16 Mar 2023 | 00:54:03 | |
This week James is joined by Dr Vishaal Virani, Head of Health, UK at YouTube. Vishaal started his diverse career as an NHS doctor, before beginning his journey outside of clinical practice in healthcare strategy consulting. With a new found passion for solving strategic business problems and creating new partnerships in the healthtech ecosystem, Vishaal now works at YouTube, where he is building out the brand new Health offering to empower millions of YouTube users and NHS organisations across the UK. This episode is packed with take-home career advice, fresh insight for aspiring healthtech entrepreneurs and a fascinating story into one of the worlds largest content creation platforms. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||
| #294 Collaboration, coordination and clinical trials with founder and CEO Zina Sarif | 08 Mar 2023 | 01:01:13 | |
This week James is joined by scientist turned CEO, Zina Sarif. Zina's journey to entrepreneurship started as a cancer scientist and clinical researcher with over 7 years in drug development and clinical trials operations, before founding Yendou - a digital platform to accelerate clinical trials. They discuss the current bottlenecks in clinical trial design, and how technology can digitalise and streamline clinical operations to help clinical trial’ providers deliver the latest medical innovation to the right clinic and the right patient. Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.com Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: Get in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com Learn more about SomX for your healthtech company at somx.health | |||