Inspired in 15

On this episode of Inspired in 15, we are joined by our four partners—Alexa von Tobel, Penny Pritzker, Mark Batsyian, and Lucy Deland—for an exciting announcement: introducing Inspired III, a $330M fund committed to backing fearless founders solving the hardest challenges facing humanity. We cover why we founded Inspired Capital five years ago, our view of where venture is headed, and how venture capital—when properly deployed—is the most powerful economic engine on the planet. Inspired III marks a new chapter in our long-term journey to support the most ambitious founders of our generation, and we encourage you to come say hello.

What lies ahead for the landscape of aesthetic dermatology in the coming decade? Praveen Ramineni, the Founder and CEO of Portrait, is revolutionizing the field by streamlining back-office operations for individual practitioners, allowing them to dedicate their energy to providing top-notch clinical care. In our discussion, we delve into the pivotal role mid-level providers are poised to play in healthcare, the strategic choice behind Portrait's launch within the aesthetic dermatology vertical, and the evolving partnership dynamics with pharmaceutical companies in the industry.

For many, Scholastic is synonymous with education as the largest publisher and distributor of children’s books with a reach of 54 million students. As Chief Academic Officer, Amanda Alexander leads Scholastic’s research and validation efforts to ensure that their products are impacting learning outcomes positively. We cover the human capital shortages in school districts, how technology will have an outsized impact on assessments, and why teachers are no longer the only educators in the classroom.

Sandra Clarke, the COO of Blue Shield of California, has taken on the ambitious task of overhauling the healthcare system to cater to the needs of everyone involved. Health Reimagined by Blue Shield is revolutionizing every facet of the flawed health system, from rethinking pharmacy care to streamlining real-time claims and integrating electronic health records. In this episode, we dive into the distorted incentives within the healthcare system, why paying for pharmaceutical drugs on a net-price basis is the goal, and how startups and payers can collaborate.

The idea of the fifth generation of mobile technology (or 5G) is familiar to most consumers who own a smartphone. However, how do enterprises benefit from the lightning-fast speed of 5G networks? Rajeev Shah, Co-Founder and CEO of Celona, is on a journey to make 5G technology as accessible to enterprises and industrial organizations as Wi-Fi. In this episode, we cover why the unlock for broader 5G adoption arrived in the past year, how 5G is powering enterprise use cases, and why computer vision got lost in the artificial intelligence hype cycle.

Physical security often goes unnoticed in the tech landscape. Dave Selinger is driven to revolutionize this industry by bringing in cutting-edge technology and innovation. As the CEO and Co-Founder of Deep Sentinel, he combines human capabilities with AI technology to combat crime effectively. In this conversation, we cover the importance of addressing consumers' primary concerns, the crucial role of honesty in decision-making, and strategies for mitigating bias in datasets.

As Chief Executive Officer of Folx Health, Liana Douillet Guzmán is leading the movement to bring a technology-driven, innovative care model tailored specifically to the LGBTQIA+ community's needs. After having been founded a mere two years ago, Folx Health is already at the forefront of serving the LGBTQIA+ community in a variety of ways. We cover the challenges in the regulatory landscape, why Folx opted for a direct-to-consumer business model, and how the incumbent healthcare system isn’t set up to treat the LGBTQIA+ community.

When Formic emerged in the realm of automation and robotics for manufacturing, the concept of seamlessly integrating cutting-edge robotics technology into small businesses appeared ambitious. However, Formic's Co-Founder and CEO, Saman Farid, has played a pivotal role in democratizing robotics by significantly enhancing accessibility and user-friendliness. We delve into the factors driving the rapid evolution of robotic intelligence, the persistent labor shortages in the manufacturing sector, and where to start if you are building in the industry.

Paul Appleby, the Chief Revenue Officer of Spring Health, is leading the charge in advancing precision mental healthcare into the mainstream. In this discussion, we delve into strategies for retaining the next generation of workers, the significance of fostering a healthy workforce community, and the initial deployment of generative AI as a tool to access additional therapeutic resources.

Justin Barad, the CEO and Founder of Osso VR, stands at the forefront of integrating virtual reality into the healthcare industry. He embarked on his journey as a video game developer before pursuing a degree in Orthopedic Surgery at UCLA Medical School. Following his medical education, he founded Osso VR with the mission of enhancing surgical training. In this discussion, we explore the various applications of virtual reality in healthcare, the pivotal role of robotics in shaping the industry's future, and strategies for establishing trust in new healthcare technologies.