KAPSLY Blog

For HealthTech startups it is not very straightforward who their customers really are. There are patients, doctors, insurance companies, hospital procurement and medical technology department. Often the argumentation for new medical devices is that they diagnose more accurately, are less invasive, more accessible or safer for the patient - but all the points individually are not enough to lead someone to a purchasing decision and adaptation of your innovation in the market. 

In our previous blog, we explored the five most common reasons why HealthTech startups often struggle more with commercial activities than other startups. Now, we turn our attention to actionable strategies that can help you overcome these commercial challenges. Whether you're a startup founder or part of a growing team, these tips will offer valuable insights to help you navigate the complex HealthTech landscape.

The journey of a HealthTech founder is an exciting and challenging one. As they navigate the complex landscape of healthcare innovation, they often seek guidance and support from mentors, advisors, and coaches. While mentorship and coaching are incredibly valuable, there is a growing concern that many HealthTech founders might be overcoached.

Based on the latest VC-funding downturn and the overall economic situation, it is easy to believe that investing in startups could not be a good idea at the moment. Late-stage funding went down by 40% quarter over quarter. Early-stage funding is down 39% compared to last year. Seed stage funding has been impacted the least until now. It looks like there won’t be a quick V-shaped economic recovery like after Covid. 

Being a founder today sort of sucks. If you missed the opportunity to raise money during the all-time high of valuations and VC-funding, well, you missed out. But also startups that did not miss out struggle and face down rounds, which is often the beginning of the end.

Getting a complex medtech and digital health product to market usually takes a lot of time and capital. Autonomyo was able to accelerate this process and even do this without capital. An example that many startups can follow with the solution from KAPSLY.

Working on exciting new projects and benefiting from the financial upside sounds like a dream project to many agency owners.

But how can it be done in a professional way?

Did you know that the value of sweat equity in the USA equals 1.2 times their GDP, which is over 20 trillion USD¹? I was stunned when I read that.

The market for service-for-equity is probably not so big (yet). But it is definitely a serious option to get the resources you need to build a business. It is much more direct than fundraising and finding investors because here you can take the direct route. You can read a lot about fundraising and find programs that guide you through it. But what about service-for-equity and finding the right service investor? Not much on that.

So keep on reading if you consider this option to build your startup.

One of the main reasons startups fail is because they run out of money or have the wrong team. You're thinking, "that has nothing to do with me," that's probably true. But maybe you could do something about it and actually help startups succeed while increasing your team's utilization and generating higher profits for your agency. This blog post is for service agencies who want to help startups build their company and share in their success. 

In this article, I aim to take a closer look at convertible loans and some specific terms that every founder should know if they consider entering such an agreement.

Why do cofounders usually start to fight? Either because they can not agree on how to split equity in the beginning or later when a cofounder leaves prematurely. The former can be solved over a long weekend usually. The latter can lead to costly legal battles and the ruin of your company.

As a Startup ourselves we know that (Startup) life can be challenging during the bootstrapping period. Startups who are looking for funding need to prove their business model before talking to investors, usually by getting user traction or some kind of market validation.

That means either investing a lot of their own time or finding supporters to accelerate the process. Assuming that finding and compensating potential cofounders, supporters, freelancers or other service providers is simple and realistic, is it also more effective than receiving traditional money investment, especially in the early phase?  

Splitting equity is often a neglected topic and done at the last minute. However, it provides an important foundation for the success of your company, so I have asked myself if there is one formula that would allow everyone to get it right.