DC Tech Meetup #95: HealthTech Edition

Contact Information:

DC Tech and Venture Coalition (DCTAV)

Contact: press@dctav.co

Release Date: March 4, 2026

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A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at the MLK Jr. Memorial Library for DC Tech Meetup #95. It was incredible to see over 350 registered founders, investors, and technologists come together to dive deep into the future of Healthtech.

The energy in the room proved that the conversation is shifting from AI hype to real-world deployment. We were inspired by the live demos and the thoughtful dialogue around scaling sustainable healthcare solutions.

Special thanks to our panelists, volunteers and community members for making the evening so impactful!

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Demos: Healthtech Innovation

Spotlighting four companies pushing the boundaries of Healthtech. ​

​​• Mindframe

Presenter: Pinar Gorgulu (Co-Founder)

‍An AI-powered behavioral health triage system designed to route patients quickly to the right care providers.

​• Feyenally

Presenter: Piotr Kruszynski (Co-Founder)

Smartphone-based ophthalmic diagnostics that enable clinical-grade vision testing outside traditional clinics.

​• Evra Health

‍Presenter: Dr. Amitha Kalaichandran (Founder/CEO)

An AI-native preventative health platform integrating labs, wearables, and lifestyle data into actionable insights.

​• BeneKinetic

Presenters: Gilbert Tyan (Co-Founder) and Daniel Puskin (Co-Founder)

Virtual, AI-led group rehabilitation programs that help payers improve physical therapy adherence.

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In Case You Missed It

​• Healthcare AI is moving from pilot to production. Founders emphasized that real adoption requires deep workflow integration and clinical trust.

​• Reimbursement pathways define viability. Many startups are navigating a mix of payer partnerships, employer channels, and provider adoption.

​• Patient adherence is the real unlock. From rehab to behavioral health, sustained engagement determines whether digital health tools actually improve outcomes.

​• Data interoperability remains a hurdle. Integration with EHR systems and legacy infrastructure continues to be one of the biggest technical challenges.

​• Regulation is both constraint and opportunity. Founders are closely watching federal policy and liability frameworks for AI-enabled care.

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Panel: Healthtech Innovators

The Healthtech Innovators Panel, moderated by Sara Dauber (Vice President, J.P. Morgan), featured founders from the evening’s demo companies. The discussion explored how healthtech startups navigate regulatory environments, payer relationships, and clinical adoption.

Panelists emphasized that scaling health innovation requires more than strong technology. It requires alignment with healthcare incentives and workflows.

Founders shared that building trust with clinicians and institutions often matters as much as the underlying AI models. Looking ahead, the panel agreed that the next wave of successful healthtech companies will be those that demonstrate measurable outcomes and sustainable reimbursement models.

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Speakers included:

Sara Dauber (Vice President, J.P. Morgan), Pinar Gorgulu (Co-Founder, Mindframe), ​​Piotr Kruszynski (Co-Founder, Feyenally), Dr. Amitha Kalaichandran (Founder/CEO, ​Evra Health), Gilbert Tyan (​Co-Founder, Benekinetic)

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Community Highlights:

• Cancer Navigator raised $7M in seed funding to help patients connect with specialized cancer experts.
• Chamber Cardio secured a $60M Series A to improve coordination across the cardiovascular care journey.
• MeTime Healing received a $130K Montgomery County grant to expand its AI-powered wellness companion.
• Epidaurus Health launched its Amphitheater AI platform to improve pharmacy benefit prior authorization workflows.
• Evia Wellness announced upcoming beta testing for its hormone-cycle-based health platform.

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Huge Thanks to Our Volunteers!

‍A special shoutout to the incredible volunteer crew who kept the night running smoothly. We absolutely could not pull this off without the hard work and hustle of everyone. Thank you all for keeping the energy high and making sure everything stayed on track.

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Volunteers include:

Manogna Jonnalagadda, Srujitha Devineni, Vaishali Jayaram, Simbarashe Mpofu, Harshith Kadaru, Amos Funguriro, and of course, Austin Sandler (Pulse organizing team)!

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Details

• Organizer: DC Tech Meetup (powered by DCTAV)
• Sponsors: Washington DC Economic Partnership, City Tap, Pulse, DC Public Library, Stream
• Date: March 2026
• Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
• Location: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, Washington, DC

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***APPLY TO DEMO***

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***ABOUT DC TECH MEETUP (DCTM)***

DC Tech Meetup brings together founders, technologists, investors, and the broader innovation community nearly every month. It’s where hundreds gather to launch, connect, and collaborate.

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***Brought to you by DC Tech & Venture Coalition (DCTAV)***

DCTAV is a network of tech execs, founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders working to make DC the best city in the world for tech and venture. Learn more at DCTAV.co

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