INAUGURAL 2026

STARTUP PHYSICIANS

RISING STARS

Announcing the 2026 Rising Stars in Healthcare Innovation

A recognition list spotlighting physicians in founder and co-founder roles who are transforming healthcare through early-stage ventures.

Meet The Rising Stars

From Clinical Insight to Company: A Founder’s RoadmaP

WATCH THE WEBINAR NOW!

A free session for physicians exploring the path from idea to healthcare startup — led by Alison Curfman, MD, MBA. Learn what it takes to move from clinical practice to co-founder, and how you can create momentum before raising capital.

Watch the Webinar Now

MEET THE RISING STARS

Founder, GeneSprout. Pediatrician and former Harvard Medical School professor building solutions to deliver accessible, actionable genetic insights for families.

Ann Wu, MD MPH

Dr Gupta is the Founder & CEO of Tembo Health, a national dementia care company helping patients and caregivers navigate one of healthcare’s most complex and underserved journeys.

Anurag Gupta, MD, MBA, MMSC

Chief Physician Executive, Atlas Oncology Partners. Urologic oncologist and physician operator building value-based care models and oncology platforms.

David Johnson, MD, MPH

CEO & Co-Founder, CardioOne. Physician executive building practice management solutions to support independent cardiologists and advance value-based care.

Jasen Gundersen, MD, MBA

Cofounder & CMO, Olivo Sciences, a physician-led AI company turning multimodal brain health data into precision tools that de-risk drug development for biopharma — from discovery to post-marketing.

Kristin Andruska, MD, PhD

President & Chief Product Officer, Evidently. Emergency physician and clinical AI leader building EHR-native tools that surface critical patient insights at the point of care.

Kalie Dove-Macquire, MD

Co-Founder, Cerula Care. Palliative care psychiatrist and psycho-oncologist building scalable behavioral health integration within cancer care.

Kyle Lavin, MD, MPH

Founder, Ryze Health. Physician entrepreneur and former CEO of BASE10 building innovative health plan solutions for independent practices.

Michael Fang, MD

Founder & CEO, Marti Health. Physician entrepreneur building value-based care models for adults with sickle cell disease.

Michael V. Smith, MD

Founder & CEO, Counsel Health. Physician executive and former CMO of Notable Health building AI-native clinical services for modern healthcare delivery.

Muthu Alagappan, MD

Co-Founder & CEO, Impiricus. Physician entrepreneur building AI-powered platforms to improve how physicians access critical medical information.

Osama Hashmi, MD, MPH

Founder, SafeBeat. Triple board-certified electrophysiologist and bioengineer building AI-driven tools to guide atrial fibrillation treatment and monitoring.

Rachita Navara, MD

Founder & CEO, LIVEMED Telehealth. Physician entrepreneur building AI-powered technology to modernize hospital care delivery and improve clinical communication.

Saamer Siddiqi, MD

Co-Founder & CEO, LunaJoy Health. Psychiatrist and entrepreneur building modern mental health care solutions for women.

Sipra Laddha, MD

Founder, Kivo Health. Emergency physician building AI-powered virtual care for seniors with chronic disease, starting with COPD.

Victor Sadauskas, MD

WHAT ARE THE RISING STARS?

No existing recognition program in healthcare focuses specifically on the physician as founder. The Rising Stars list changes that — identifying and celebrating the physicians building the next generation of healthcare companies.

The list is curated through nominations from ecosystem leaders, reviewed by a Selection Council of industry experts, and published in May, 2026.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Nominees must meet all four criteria to be considered for the Rising Stars list.

  1. Physician (MD/DO): The nominee holds an MD or DO degree.

  2. Co-Founder Role: The nominee serves as a founder / co-founder of a healthcare startup.

  3. Founded Since 2020: The venture was founded in the U.S. in 2020 or after.

  4. Meaningful Traction: The venture demonstrates measurable progress: revenue, clinical evidence, equity funding, or patient impact.

SELECTION COUNCIL

The shortlist will be reviewed by a council of ecosystem leaders who bring distinct vantage points on physician-led innovation.

Council Chair

Alison Curfman, MD

Founder & CEO, Startup Physicians. Practicing pediatric emergency physician. Co-founded Imagine Pediatrics (multi-nine-figure valuation).

Council Member

Kimberly Sharp

Chief Capital Officer, Thinkhat Venture Studio. 30 years in healthcare and life sciences capital strategy, investor pipeline development, and deal structuring.

Council Member

David Strickler

Operating Partner, Chicago Pacific Founders. CEO, Qoros Health. Former CEO of Imagine Pediatrics, HarmonyCares, and Evergreen Nephrology. Healthcare operator and growth strategist.

Council Member

Peter Alperin, MD

Co-lead, DxAngels. Former commercial and product leader, Doximity. UCSF faculty physician. Digital health leader with 25+ years of experience.

Ready to Build What Comes Next?

The Startup Physicians Incubator is a six-month program for physician-founders ready to move from idea to execution. Applications close June 30, 2026.

Explore the Incubator