The Healthtech Podcast

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.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com

This week, James is joined on the podcast by Sam Winward, co-founder and CEO of Pastel Health. Pastel Health is an end-to-end outpatient clinic that supports Chronic pain sufferers referred from the NHS. The service aims to transform the experience for both patients and clinicians.Connect with Sam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelwinward/Learn more about Pastel: https://pastel-health.com/Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.comThis podcast was brought to you by SomX.

In the second episode of this two-part series, James is joined by Dr. Ross Harper, CEO and co-founder of Limbic. Limbic is developing clinical-grade AI tools for mental health care, designed to be deployed in clinical settings. Their goal is to enhance the capacity of trained professionals and help meet the overwhelming demand for mental health services.Listen to Part 1: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7wTwZ1SjfFsjy4IKkcOIzEConnect with Ross: https://www.linkedin.com/in/refharper/Learn more: https://www.limbic.ai/Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.comChapters00:00 Introduction to Limbic and AI in Healthcare04:01 The Role of AI in Treatment09:28 ChatGPT vs. Clinical AI: The Debate16:49 Human + AI: A Better Care Model19:43 Scaling Mental Health Services with AI26:09 Adapting Healthcare Models for AI36:57 Ensuring Clinical Rigor in AI Solutions

In this week’s episode, James is joined by Oscar Ferguson, co-founder of Deaku. Oscar is a doctor-turned-founder and award-winning creator and content strategist on a mission to make every creator’s life better. Deaku are building a connected workspace where creators, marketers, and production teams plan, collaborate, and grow - all in one place.Connect with Oscar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-oscar-ferguson/Learn more: https://www.deaku.app/homeApply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.comChapters00:00 Introduction to Health Tech and Creator Economy05:59 The Value of Long-Form vs Short-Form Content11:53 The Emotional Toll of Medical Practice18:03 The Decision to Leave Medicine21:12 Building a New Career in Health Tech32:55 The Importance of Networking and Mentorship35:12 Learning from Failure in the Real World36:02 Creating Impactful Health Content41:12 Building a Community for Content Creators48:05 Innovating in the Creator Economy56:26 The Future of AI in Content Creation59:17 The Value of Human-Made Content01:00:03 AI in Video Generation: Gimmick or Utility?01:04:51 Misinformation and Responsibility in Health Content01:06:40 The Purpose of Content Creation01:17:11 The Dream of Content Creation01:19:08 Creative Fulfillment in Content Creation01:20:26 Building Community with Deaku01:27:36 Connecting with the Creator Community

Hannah Madan joins us to share a rollercoaster journey of co-founding Prima Mente— an AI-driven neuroscience company building foundations models for the brain. This episode is packed with thought-provoking insights, including:— The biological hypothesis behind Prima Mente that "No one believed was true"— How Hannah made it by doing "just enough", not by being a top student— A baptism by fire— landing her first role as Chief of Staff and flying out for a YC launch party on her 25th birthday— Prima Mente's "Ecosystem plays" and atypical competitive strategies— Hannah's unique focus on the people she works with— deep personal understanding and fostering reflective behaviour — A decentralised vision for the future of healthcareConnect with Hannah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahmadan/Learn more: https://www.primamente.com/Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.comChapters:00:00:00 Welcome to the Health Tech Podcast00:01:23 Uncovering Novel Biology in the Neurodegenerative Space00:02:03 Primemente's Integrated Approach: Clinical Studies, Wet Lab, and Machine Learning00:03:22 Early Life 00:04:38 Undergraduate Studies00:08:58 PhD Research: The Link Between Diet, Diabetes, and Bowel Cancer00:12:23 Chief of Staff at Cambridge Cancer Genomics (CCG) and YC00:15:10 CCG's Mission: Liquid Biopsies for Cancer Treatment Monitoring00:19:05 The Road to Prima Mente00:22:19 Establishing Team Culture: Communication, Self-Reflection, and Growth00:27:13 Scientific Hypothesis: Cell-Free DNA and Epigenetics in Neurodegenerative Conditions00:30:03 Technical Approach: Using Transformer Architecture and Foundation Models00:33:47 The Pleiades Model and Diagnostic Accuracy00:34:56 The Sandbox Study: Pushing for Earlier Diagnosis00:37:47 Future Strategy: Focusing on Novel Clinically Actionable Targets

This week, James is joined by Dr. Declan Kelly, founder of Eolas Medical, a platform tackling one of healthcare’s most overlooked problems: knowledge management.Eolas Medical helps clinicians access the right information instantly at the point of care. Used by NHS Trusts, clinical teams, and individual practitioners, the platform consolidates essential medical knowledge from trusted sources—guidelines, protocols, and internal documents—into one simple, intuitive system.Connect with Declan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/declan-kelly-484bb7187/Learn more: https://www.eolasmedical.com/Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com

In this week’s episode, James is joined by Daniel Mansson, Chief Clinical Officer and founder of Flow Neuroscience. Flow Neuroscience is Europe and UK's only medically approved brain stimulation headset and therapy app home treatment for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).Connect with Daniel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielmanss/Learn more: https://www.flowneuroscience.com/Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com

In this week’s episode, James is joined by Dan Jamieson, CEO and founder of Biorelate. Biorelate helps scientists solve the most difficult biomedical challenges of today. They achieve this by providing the most comprehensive knowledge graph in biopharma, enabling better knowledge review, target and biomarker discovery.Connect with Mark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-jamieson-8498a33a/Learn more: https://biorelate.com/Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com

In this week’s episode, James is joined by Professor Mark Kendall, biomedical engineer, inventor, scientist, entrepreneur and business-builder with more than 25 years of experience. Mark is now CEO and Founder of WearOptimo. With a vision to shift the focus of healthcare to early identification and intervention, WearOptimo’s sensors track real-time data from the body’s biomarkers to detect conditions ranging from dehydration to heart attacks.Connect with Mark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-af-kendall/Learn more: https://wearoptimo.com/Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com

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:Why modern treatments fail without the right flow of informationHow 32Co builds trust between generalists and specialistsThe hidden emotional and structural barriers to clinician adoptionWhy AI isn’t the whole answer - and where the human connection still mattersChapters00:00 Sonia's Journey: From Medicine to Entrepreneurship02:59 The Role of Technology in Healthcare05:56 Building a MedTech Solution for Patient Care08:56 Challenges in Healthcare Adoption12:03 Creating Access to Specialist Care14:56 The Importance of Human Connection in Healthcare18:08 Expanding into Sleep Health20:50 The Complexity of Healthcare Structures23:58 Trust and Information Flow in Healthcare32:47 Building Trust in Healthcare35:51 Innovations in Sleep Apnea Treatment41:10 Bridging Gaps in Healthcare46:01 The Role of AI in Healthcare01:00:40 Entrepreneurship Journey and Insights

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.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com

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.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com

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.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com

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.comLearn more: https://www.hypoplas.com/Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com

In this week’s episode, James is joined by Dr. James O’Donovan, Head of Research at the Community Health Impact Coalition (CHIC). CHIC is a global movement working to ensure community health workers are recognised as essential, salaried professionals. Their mission is to transform healthcare systems by scaling high-impact, community-led models and driving policy change through evidence, advocacy, and grassroots leadership.Connect with James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctorodonovan/Learn more: https://joinchic.org/Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com

This week, James is joined by Aashima Gupta, global director of healthcare strategy and solutions at Google Cloud. With 26 years of experience growing, differentiating, and improving businesses through technology transformation, Aashima is passionate about collaborating with and empowering companies to elevate the strategic value delivered to their ecosystem - ranging from new models for care, revenue generation, and improved patient experiences. Aashima also leads the GenAI strategy for Healthcare industry at Google Cloud by navigating the dynamic intersection of industry needs and new technologies to make healthcare more accessible. Connect with Aashima: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aashimagupta/Apply to be a guest: https://www.thehealthtechpodcast.com/Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: https://www.healthtechpigeon.com/Get in touch with James: https://www.jamessomauroo.com/

In the first episode of this two-part series, James is joined by Dr. Ross Harper, CEO and co-founder of Limbic. Limbic is developing clinical-grade AI tools for mental health care, designed to be deployed in clinical settings. Their goal is to enhance the capacity of trained professionals and help meet the overwhelming demand for mental health services.Connect with Ross: https://www.linkedin.com/in/refharper/Learn more: https://www.limbic.ai/Apply to be a guest: www.thehealthtechpodcast.comSubscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: www.healthtechpigeon.comGet in touch with James: www.jamessomauroo.com

This week, James is joined by Lara Lewington, technology broadcaster, journalist, and AI commentator. Lara has presented a variety of programmes across ITV and BBC, including fifteen years on the BBC's flagship technology show, Click. Her book 'Hacking Humanity', published in July 2025, is the ultimate guide to the tech-driven health revolution we are approaching. Learn more: https://www.laralewington.com/Apply to be a guest: https://www.thehealthtechpodcast.com/ Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: https://www.healthtechpigeon.com/Get in touch with James: https://www.jamessomauroo.com/

This week, James is joined by Charles Nduka, founder and CSO of Emteq, a leader in the development of wearable technology that monitors and translates human facial expressions in real-world settings. Charles is a leading facial musculature expert with over 20 years of surgical experience, including 10 years as a Consultant Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon. He has an extensive background in research and development, including clinical trials, over 100 scientific publications, and is the Medical Advisory Board chair for the charity Facial Palsy UK. Connect with Charles: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-nduka-53055218/Learn more: https://www.emteqlabs.com/Apply to be a guest: https://www.thehealthtechpodcast.com/Subscribe to Healthtech Pigeon 🐦: https://www.healthtechpigeon.com/Get in touch with James: https://www.jamessomauroo.com/

When OpenAI and Penda Health dropped a preprint claiming their “AI Consult” tool cut diagnostic errors by 16% in Kenyan clinics, headlines lit up across healthtech. But veteran digital‑health researcher Dr Paul Wicks spotted the cracks.00:00 Introduction to OpenAI's Preprint and Its Significance05:55 Understanding Preprints and Their Impact on Research11:58 Evaluating the Methodology and Results of the Study18:01 The Importance of Trust and Transparency in AI Research23:49 Conclusion and Final Thoughts on AI's Role in Medicine29:50 Randomized Control Trials and Their Importance36:47 Building Trust in AI Systems43:05 The Need for Transparency in AI Development