Carta ranking, healthspan, Texas Medical Center Innovation and more.

🤘 Healthcare through a Kentucky lens. It's niche. But neat! 🤘

Author

Andrew Steen
September 16, 2025

Furnace Fest. But I’m not going to it, either.

 

US Startup Ecosystem Ranking

From Carta; data by metro area.

Nashville is #10 in healthtech, FWIW.

Strive Health ⇄ Humana

Value-based kidney care company Strive Health recently raised $300 million in a Series D equity round.

Strive Health Raises $550 Million in Series D Funding - Strive Health

The value-based kidney care company currently manages nearly $5 billion of annual medical spend and this funding allows it to further scale its business to support more patients and providers.

strivehealth.com/news/strive-health-raises-550-million-in-series-d-funding

Humana and Strive Health announced a collaboration in 2020.

Humana and Strive Health Announce Kidney Disease Care Coordination Services Collaboration In Kentucky and Indiana - Strive Health

Humana and Strive Health Announce Kidney Disease Care Coordination Services Collaboration In Kentucky and Indiana

strivehealth.com/news/humana-and-strive-health-announce-kidney-disease-care-coordination-services-collaboration-in-kentucky-and-indiana

Humana has other nephrology partners, as well. Ask Brandon Spicer.

RCM companies

Lots of action.

What’s behind the rapid rise of RCM companies

Revenue cycle management companies are in demand as providers navigate financial challenges, the new tax law and insurance companies.

www.modernhealthcare.com/providers/mh-revenue-cycle-services-rcm-ai-costs/?utm_source=modern-healthcare-alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20250915

And, ICYMI…

From ZirMed to Waystar

Healthcare revenue cycle management [RCM] is the financial process facilities use to manage the administrative and clinical functions associated with claims processing, payment and revenue generation. The Kentucky Secretary of State website shows that ZirMed.

www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-zirmed-waystar-liverpoollane-com-c6nbe

Healthspan

“Healthspan science, which focuses on biomedical innovations that target the biological aging process and contribute to healthy longevity, is a fast-growing field,” writes McKinsey.

Healthspan science may enable healthier lives for all

Biomedical interventions that materially affect the aging process and improve health outcomes may emerge in the future.

www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/healthspan-science-may-enable-healthier-lives-for-all?cid=soc-web

And, ICYMI Part II…
Brian Kennedy is “internationally recognized for his research in the basic biology of aging and is a visionary committed to translating research discoveries into new ways of delaying, detecting, preventing and treating age-related conditions.” He was born in Louisville.

Health Distilled with Brian Kennedy

“Yeah, we’re really interested in healthspan.”

www.liverpoollane.com/podcast/health-distilled-with-brian-kennedy

GLP-1s for Alzheimer's?

Interesting.

When GLP-1s become brain drugs

Doors are opening for Alzheimer's patients, for Novo, and for... Regeneron?

www.glp1digest.com/p/when-glp-1s-become-brain-drugs

TMCi at 10

“‘Unlike other clusters, which often focus on late-stage companies, TMC Innovation was built from the ground up to support startups,’ McKeon says.”

A Decade of Impact: Building a Global Hub for Life Science Innovation at TMC - Texas Medical Center

Ten years ago, William (Bill) McKeon, President and CEO of the Texas Medical Center (TMC), envisioned a bold future for the enterprise he now leads—the creation of a dynamic hub for life science innovation. At the time, innovation at TMC existed in isolated pockets, and fostering collaboration across TMC’s institutions was a challenge. Today, however, […]

www.tmc.edu/blog/a-decade-of-impact-building-a-global-hub-for-life-science-innovation-at-tmc

Biologistics

😉