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Mohamed Kamara, founder and CEO of InovCares.
Grounded in a sobering reality: The United States has the highest rates of maternal mortality in the industrialized world. In May 2017, having lost both his sister and aunt to preventable pregnancy-related causes, Mo found himself in a place with the motivation and determination to confront this maternal mortality crisis head-on.
Mo ultimately founded InovCares to this end — to address the concerns of women of color who are, unfortunately, often dismissed in healthcare settings. Where in addition, many of them do not receive culturally humble and competent care that promotes trust between patients and providers. The cumulative effect of these dynamics is diminished confidence in healthcare, misdiagnosis, improper treatment, and, ultimately, worse outcomes for women of color and their babies — amounting to over $32B in total maternal morbidity costs across US births.
InovCares’ platform — which has already supported over 5,000 women of color with over 10,000 virtual consultations so far and is backed by organizations like Andreessen Horowitz TxO Fund, Ohio Impact Fund, and Jumpstart Foundry — is designed to minimize common barriers faced by pregnant and post-partum women by reducing costs, wait times and transportation needs, improving patient access to essential testing and prescriptions, providing a range of culturally competent specialists, and empowering and educating patients through easy access to online content.
Mo’s story is incredibly inspiring and it was a real pleasure to learn more about his journey so far.
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SPONSORS: JumpStart
JumpStart
Lay of the Land is brought to you by JumpStart, providing services and resources to fuel the growth of technology startups across Ohio. JumpStart’s experienced advisors offer personalized business services to help you overcome challenges and prepare to raise capital. With 1:1 advising, workshops, and accelerator programs, JumpStart has helped thousands of entrepreneurs — many of whom we’ve heard from here on Lay of The Land — transition from the early growth stage to venture-readiness. Additionally, founders can tap into a network of resources in marketing, software development, finance, and talent recruitment to drive their companies forward. to learn more about JumpStart please go to JumpStartInc.org/startups to get started today.
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LINKS:
InovCares Website: https://www.inovcares.com/
Connect with Mo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamedkamara/
InovCares on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inovcares
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What is Lay of The Land?
Telling the stories of entrepreneurship and builders in Cleveland and throughout Northeast Ohio. Every Thursday, Jeffrey Stern helps map the Cleveland/NEO business ecosystem by talking to founders, investors, and community builders to learn what makes Cleveland/NEO special.
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Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:00:00]:
It is the fact that we can really change the narrative for care for the most vulnerable population. That that excite me, and we will I hope that one Lay, we'll not repeat the same thing that caused my sister to die, My aunt should die. And so that's what motivates me. Anyway, it's my why, my Northeast Star. It's why people think I'm crazy enough to build in this space, and I'm a man, Well, I come alongside this space as an advocate. I just have a willpower to build to make sure that moms are respected throughout The. That's really with dignity throughout the entire pregnancy journey and postpartum.
Jeffrey Stern [00:00:38]:
Let's discover what people are building in the Greater Cleveland community. We are telling the stories Northeast Ohio's entrepreneurs, builders, and those supporting them. Welcome to The Lay of the Land podcast where we are exploring what people are building in Cleveland and throughout Northeast Ohio. I am your host, Jeffrey Stern. And today, I have The absolute Pleasure of speaking with Mohammed Kamara, the founder and CEO of Innocares. Grounded in a sobering Reality, the United States has the highest rates of maternal mortality in the industrialized world. And in May of 2017, teen. Having lost both his sister and his aunt to preventable pregnancy related causes, Mo found himself in a place With both the motivation and the determination to confront this maternal mortality crisis head on, Moe ultimately founded Of to this very end To address the concerns of women of color who are unfortunately often dismissed in health care settings, where in addition, many of them do not receive culturally humble and Competent care, which promotes trust between patients and providers.
Jeffrey Stern [00:01:50]:
The cumulative effect of these dynamics is diminished confidence in healthcare, misdiagnoses, Improper treatment Land ultimately worse outcomes for women of color and for their babies, amounting to over $32,000,000,000 in total maternal morbidity Cost across US births. Of platform, which has already supported over 5,000 women of color with over 10,000 virtual consultations thus FAR Land is backed by organizations like Andreessen Horowitz TXO Fund, Ohio Impact Fund, and Jumpstart Foundry, It's designed to minimize common barriers faced by pregnant and postpartum women by reducing costs, wait times, and transportation needs, Improving patient access to essential testing and to prescriptions, providing a range of culturally competent specialists, And empowering and educating patients through easy access to online content. Mo's story is genuinely firing, and it was a real pleasure to learn more about his journey thus far. So please enjoy my conversation with Mohammed Camara after A brief message from our sponsor. Lay of the Land is brought to you by Jumpstart, providing services and resources to fuel the growth of technology startups Across Ohio. Jumpstart's experienced advisers offer personalized business services to help you overcome challenges and prepare to raise capital. With 1 on 1 advising, workshops, and accelerator programs, Jumpstart has helped thousands of entrepreneurs, many of whom we have heard from here on On lay of the land, transition from early stage growth to venture readiness. Additionally, founders can tap into a network of resources in marketing, In software development, in finance, and in talent recruitment, all drive their companies forward.
Jeffrey Stern [00:03:37]:
To learn more about Jumpstart, Please go to jumpstartinc.org/startups to get started today. Over my time here in Cleveland, I've done my best to educate myself on the most Kind of pressing problems that our community faces from things like, you know, the general illiteracy rates To the digital divide and lack of Internet connectivity and poverty rates. But, really, I think one of the most tragic issues Here here in Cleveland is this issue of maternal and, infant mortality, specifically for For black mothers, who I think face death far in excess of of every other ethnic group, in addition to being far more likely to To lose their children. I don't mean to start off on such a somber note here, but in learning about your story and the work you're doing to address this problem, you know, both Here in Cleveland, but, really, you know, across the country, I found it, you know, deeply inspiring, and I'm excited to unpack it with you here today. So thank you for Coming on Land, sharing your story.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:04:51]:
Sure. Thanks for having me, Jeff. It's very sobering knowing that A state you grew up in has a merch maternal is considered one of the, marginal of deserts. Care delivery Hasn't been fair for specific groups. Right? Some some groups are a little more disenfranchised when access to care for them can be sometimes not there. And Mhmm. Most of the time, they can feel very anxious seeking care because The apprehensive of past. Right? They've been not treated fairly and Getting Cleveland some of that some of that have led to bad outcomes.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:05:36]:
And so for us, It's deeply rooted in the fact that we need to change that narrative, and so that narrative can look it can look different for different ethnic groups. My wife wanted to change this narrative. It's because of my sister who passed away childbirth. She took pregnancy image And, and then my aunt's actually in Columbus, Ohio. I of. So those conditions are really What are some of the driving factors that lead to this maternal mortality? Clearly, we need to we need to address in Ohio. And Cleveland is is, is not is one of those cities that can definitely use a little more empathy In delivering care, a little more personalization, and a little more thoughtfulness Land ensure that mothers Are safe during that process of care delivery. Their children have thought about even though they're they're not here yet, but in the in the delivery process, And The we're attentive to their to their needs, and we're proactive.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:06:42]:
So it's a little more I know it's a lot to unpack. Well, That's the that's the entire notion of attack beyond get diving a little bit into the technical piece. It's more so around just human nature, have a decency in delivering care to the people that needed it most, but in a very dignified way.
Jeffrey Stern [00:07:05]:
Yeah. And and we'll, you know, certainly take the time here to to unpack it in a lot more detail. But to, you know, just set the stage for the The rest of the conversation, I think we can, you know, start with with the why, always kind of a a good place to start. You mentioned already, I think, some of the Formative, moments, parts of your life that served as as motivation for for the work you're doing now with with Of. But I'd love to just hear from, you know, your perspective Land reflection, you know, what what drew you to entrepreneurship as, you know, the right way to to solve this problem? Tell us a little bit about, you know, your your background and, and how you came to to found this organization.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:07:45]:
Yeah. My dad and my mom were Entreprenuership. Eventually, I knew I was gonna fall into the path of. It's just how you get The might have been a little different, But my, I can record vividly, my mother owned a shop and still do on The shop in Sierra Leone. And part of her, well, provision for us was going to Guinea, which is a nearby country in sale by, by Sierra Leone. And she'll go The, buy products, Foods that are, at a re more reasonable price, go to go back to Sierra Leone with those goods and Sell them in her shop. That's how she was able to feed us. So it was just, and then my dad owned a clinic company and cleans banks, day cares, churches.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:08:40]:
Right? Land a couple of employees as well. And so Land knowing those 2 backgrounds, it was just a matter of time where my wife will will will come into place in our our jump as well, into building something more impactful. And so I guess entrepreneurship is in the blood. Risk taken was, a little more calculated. When my sister passed, I started to wanting to do research, right, because I had had to pivot from The traditional finance, I see background to I need to know about women's health Land what is the disparities and the gap in care delivery here Land how to actually address those. So I did not follow The traditional thing that people would do, but I did that. I Land down to, I volunteered. I was like, well, The Nonprofit organization that exists in this place that's already delivering care effectively outside of the US.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:09:43]:
So I went to Doctor, Project Hope, The of was one of those Nonprofits. And they were delivering care to women with that were affected by the Zika virus in in rural DR. And so we went The, load up load up trucks with med a med with medical equipment Land, Went to the rural part of, Doctor about 4 hours 4 4 to 5 or 5 hours Cleveland set up in The classroom. Of course, they had a The Community health center that had all the primary care, women's health, and The all other specialties, but we set up in a in a in a classroom so that The community can have easier access to the resources. And I was one of those guys that was taking the weight of the children and moms, Set up a medication area as well, helping the nurses. So from there, I was like, well, care delivery, People will volunteer. They'll come back to their country. Doctors will volunteer.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:10:41]:
We'll come back to their countries, but there is a gap. Right? Because they that patient wanna continue those relationship. So the gap is how you continue those relationship while you're still here in the Stern. Telemedicine can help with that. Right? And so that started to linger in my head and said, okay. Well, part of maternal mortality is an access problem. The second piece is, Lack of resources, I e, things that we refer to in health care, social The of health, right, that are outside of the clinic is very important. And how do we address that in a collective way? So I became I was a CFO for behavioral health clinic down in DC in ward 7 and 8.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:11:21]:
That's where we actually launched Platform. And it's from The, the the work began, rolling up the sleeve and creating the tech, taking The risk of Being my my first I'm the 1st I was the 1st investor, which which mean that I took 40,000 out of my four zero one k to better myself.
Jeffrey Stern [00:11:39]:
I mean, what a what a founding, you know, impetus and and journey. With, really, the scope and size of Of this problem, how do you begin to discern where it makes sense for you to start trying to address it In a meaningful way. And how did you approach, you know, what it needed to be to be of value originally?
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:12:05]:
So The are doc side already in the US that have gaps, that have maternal deserts. These are areas where there are limited access to care. OB GYNs, some of them are really bad. Ohio is one of those states, unfortunately. We're there. We're we're at the top. The are Tennessee, Georgia, Texas. So it's knowing those parameters allows you to say, okay.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:12:35]:
Where is the greatest need Land where can you start? Because Again, need have to meet a so a solution have to meet a need in order for people to actually want it. And so knowing that Those are the high desert area, maternal deserts area. Start reaching it. Start first with The pilots first in in some of those areas to prove out the concept that this can actually be something valuable. And I rolled up my sleeve. And so when I when we launched in DC, it was around We saw a thousand we saw a thou did a 1,000 consults between 2 clinics, The, a patient centered medical home, which you can Taking the 1st trial as an FQHC Federal qualified health center Land an OBGYN clinic. We saw 800 patients there, and there were Clear value outside even of the clinic where users needed support, right, that we refer to as now as a as health tribe. This is where Moms engage with each other.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:13:29]:
They do a peer to peer support. So these are things everything that's outside of the clinic is super, super essential for mothers, because They only have 15 minutes or so for those visit. Prenatal visits, where we catch a lot of The The condition's right. So we wanna increase the number of prenatal classes The these moms are having access to so that we can be able to capture with hypertension, very early on. Some of the conditions that actually lead to the so much more mortality. Very and then applying Telemedicine, I find we won't we will The ultrasounds. So that's that's how you add value. It is around First, I was literally studying clinicians and see how they interact with the app and what kind of value you can create.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:14:20]:
So I watched it as As someone that would do Lay residency, I watch them between different specialty and kinda observe how they interact with the mobile mobile app and actually see patients with them. So it wasn't built from, oh, I'm in a I'm in my office. This is what I think it should be. It was underground. This is what clinicians actually need, and go build and build alongside them.
Jeffrey Stern [00:14:41]:
And so just to help paint in a picture of what this looks and feels like in practice, Take us through the the functionality, if you will, of of what the beginning of this app looked like and, The the kind of experience that that folks would have who who are using it.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:14:59]:
Yeah. So, again, there's 2 mobile apps. One of them is the at the center of the mom's journey. They're just discovering the 1st time that they're they're getting they've gone pregnant or or or wanting to get pregnant. We had actually a unique case where we had a patient that is in Ohio who was having a very hard time getting pregnant and had an Of GYN that was been The dismissive of her needs. And so she reached out on the app, Land found a OB GYN physician that was Very culturally sensitive. They connected. Doctor Howard, he was one of those Cleveland.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:15:34]:
They connected. He told The a treatment Land for her infertility. Also then prescribe of, which we actually sent to the patient's home. Fast forward, I told her a trip The treatment plan was around when she will have a cycle, when, when she when she engage in in sexual intercourse. And to know that most of most of of, it it it's not it's not just on her. It's also on on the on her husband. And the 20%, they they don't know. Right? And so she was it gave her a little confidence to say, okay.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:16:06]:
I'm gonna follow this procedure, this recommendation from clinicians. And then 3 months after she tested the position that she's pregnant, 9 months after her first, her son was here. The the level of impact the patient journey. It is, first, they're completing assessment virtually, and The, we're capturing a lot of data around The The risk factors, The need for housing, food insecurity, safety. Right? Because We want the The to be safe if that's if they are pregnant. Yep. The the need for mental health aids. So thinking through those components that the assessment assessment has concluded, Of course, then, it's reviewed by the clinician, and then the 1st OB visit takes place.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:16:48]:
Also, that'll be a visit OB visit. That's where we then engage. Right? We deliver we work with clinics and outpatient clinics and as well as hospitals. We have a key that we give them to the give to the clinics and the clinics Land give the The key to the moms. The India, is that we won't we will we will monitoring tools as well for the, for the for the for the patients that would, like, monitor them at at home. What it allows for the clinics is, The, It's a way for them to be able to identify risk factors very early on because they can see this in the the dashboard now. But it's also for the clinic, it's also a way them to be able to expand their reach and increase the end of the patient population.
Jeffrey Stern [00:17:31]:
So re really, from The prenatal to the postpartum experience, it it kinda maps the whole maternal Care journey for for someone going through this process.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:17:45]:
Exactly. Exactly. Because, again, it's not just when they come in Postpartum, is where we actually infuse doulas, right, to help with that delivery process. Because Lay maybe a mom may need a doula to help with The, They're do delivery there to help them with their needs outside of The clinic. They can act as that that much as a care navigator. Then The if they have a birth plan Land The want the doula can be at the extension to advocate for her on her
Jeffrey Stern [00:18:15]:
delivery. In that in that 1st round of of pilots that you did, I'm curious how much of your learnings From all the observations that you got to do, how much of it just validated that you were on the right track, and how much of what you learned was surprising And and kind of had you, you know, reorient, if if at all, you know, anything that was surprising that you took from what you were able to observe there?
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:18:42]:
Yeah. We we've learned we've learned that certain specialties, have more appetites for for remote monitoring and, telemedicine and support groups. There's some some specialties The want no. We're not we're already at work. So I believe we what we're doing is we're exchanging the narrative Land bringing, machine learning Land AI into the obstetric space, which is more predictive analysis, predicting the risk before it get it gets who gets gets washed, and empowering the clinician with data so that they know exactly what's happening with the patient at all times. And they can then deploy the right resources to care for that patient rather than being surprised. Like, oh, mom half we're clumsier now. There are certain things that her food, like, her food intake recapture.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:19:31]:
We monitored her her blood her blood pressure So that The these these are things that that lead to a risk of quirk cancer, because then those are things that, in The model, we then Stern predicting. So I think that this is a previous risk, and this is all the our nutritional information, our biometric data, All of that all of that information, and this is what can lead to a risk a higher risk of clear clumps and other condition. So we're doing a lot of modeling, and we'll then we then report that back in a simplified form, report. And then the dashboard as well clearly shows those 2. Mhmm. Another thing is mom need to monitor the child, activate it off the child. We won't wait. So we empower clinicians to be able to do that through an ultrasound.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:20:14]:
So instead of you going into the office for an ultrasound, now you can do an ultrasound at home.
Jeffrey Stern [00:20:19]:
So with with that, you know, initial product and and offering built out, can you take us from there through just, you know, the the evolution of of the business, Of end of cares. You know, where where are you today? How has how has everything transpired? And what what what are what are you focused on at the moment?
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:20:36]:
Yeah. So for us, it's it's also one of the in in building a sustainable business is finding out who is gonna, like, ultimately pay for it. Right? It's super crucial in this in this journey. And all the years is our own proving The it works because they can have enough data to convince who's gonna pay for it. That's the evolution of health care. And so we've done the com we're The then we started to Sell to employers, and we learned that employers, yes, they love it. Well, there's the payer. The is your health insurance payer or the ultimate people that will write the check.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:21:12]:
So you're gonna like, hey. We like it. We need to partner up with The with the payer. Like, okay. Well, we know who ultimately is is the one that pull the plugs in this space, And their incentive is to reduce maternal mortality because they're getting penalized for Northeast. And they need to win RFP, So we bring business to the to the of, through the RFP process, and they need a differentiated product differentiation. And so we have that. We sell to them directly.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:21:40]:
We're partnering up with those with those payers. One of them is HGSE Texas of Of Cross Mutual of Texas, And we're dealing with Lay lot we've launched with them in, in Dallas. And then, also, we'll be launching with them here in in Hildago, which is south of Texas. And one of our partner in open aug in Dallas is Healing Hands Women's Health Clinic. The incentive is The wanna ask it's a beautiful clinic, beautiful, federal qualified health center clinic, they have, OB guy in a family practice, an eye doctor place as well, A for a pharmace a pharmacy in the building, but what they Lay is the infrastructure technology infrastructure, and we're So each point you're discovering The value that you bring to those, The payer pays for it The the value that you bring to the clinic Land why they say yes is because they don't have a great technology infrastructure, and that's what we provide.
Jeffrey Stern [00:22:35]:
Relative to The, I guess what you would call the the status quo today, you know, understanding there there is this gap that that exists, How you know, are they even kind of actively tracking these kinds of of problems and working to solve them today? You know, what what has been available To payers, employers, all the stakeholders to address this problem. And if there isn't something, You know, why why why has that been the The case? And and, I mean, obviously, that that creates opportunity for for what you're doing, but, you know, just curious what, I don't know if it's competition necessarily, but what what are the alternatives that have been available, if any?
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:23:17]:
Well, The they Stern to be working. Whatever The These are that they The want they they are working, and The that's a big question. And I think what has been the missing piece is actually Not doing a lot of talking in this space and actually using data to be able to prove out that The where the problem is. And that's probably the gap where A lot of solutions come in. They sell to an insurance period. Like, this is what we can do, and there's no customization. What we uniquely do is that we can customize. We can you can be a We can be a a true top partner alongside with you and customize dashboards based on the needs.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:23:55]:
And then we can, In evolution, we can go with you as well. Right? And that's what that's what makes us unique as a company, that we are true top partners with these payers. They like to collaborate with us because we're actually amenable to their needs and customize. And and that's the same thing for the clinics we've funneled with as well. So I think The our our our our our superpower per se is the fact that we're nimble. We listen deeply to our customers. We we help get them a solution that they're happy with through customization.
Jeffrey Stern [00:24:29]:
And so, ultimately, with all the work that that you've done so far Land raising some capital for for the business as well, you know, painting a picture for for what, You know, that future looks like if and if care is is able to achieve the vision that that you would like for it to achieve, What does that, you know, future exactly look like? What what are the you know, obviously, in service of closing this gap, reducing Maternal mortality rates, but how are you thinking about the overall healthcare experience and how, you know, it's fundamentally To be altered for for women, for women of color, for families, involved, for all all the the folks in the in the process.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:25:09]:
It is a world where moms feel dignified regardless of their ethnic background, or socioeconomic status. They feel as though they are heard and listened to. They can walk into a clinic and not feel tensed that, oh, this I'm gonna be judged because of The way I speak, and I'm not gonna be listening to. That's the narratives that they can have a peace of mind. Just like everybody else that goes into a hospital, They have a peace of mind that that person is gonna be a true advocate, and they don't have to defend themselves, right, to try to get a message across that I have a Pain. You need to listen to that pain. And I helped me solve that pain because I am the best part of that solution as well. Right? It's it's my body, And you are a thought partner in treating it.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:25:56]:
You have gone to medical school, but you don't understand my unique body either. There are different parts of my body that you probably have Spend a lot of time studying, but you're ultimately not the source and expert in in The in my body. I am the source and expert. So we are gonna collaborate as top partners to be able to solve this together and bring bring out a healthy baby and a healthy life into this world. So what does that look like? Dignified care. Distancy in this in this worldwide. And that's that's all that that we're all all fighting towards so that those moms Land not feel Stern. Because when you when you create an environment where it's already stressful for that mom, they're they're always dealing with an unknown life.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:26:38]:
Bring a life into The world. It's very unknown. It's very tragic. It's very scary. And now you on top of that, you're judging them you're not listening to them, and they feel paralyzed, which means they don't wanna even come into The hospital. More disparity. They may have transportation issues. But how do you uniquely solve for those things? It's with a lens of empathy.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:27:03]:
Empathy goes a far better Lay, And then be among The, through a a true thought partner. So it's a it's a world where I feel at peace The, as a mom, I can go, and as a family, that supporting that mom, we are gonna be listened to. We're gonna have a a true thought partner that is collaborative and that can actually help us bring this happy child into this world, and we all celebrate.
Jeffrey Stern [00:27:31]:
With with that vision in mind, what is the delta? You know? What what are the barriers, that you have to overcome to achieve it? And what do you think are the the stages of evolution that in of cares will go through In the approach of of solving this problem?
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:27:51]:
So there's always a need for fuel. Right? Just like in a car before you can go From 0.8 will be you need some kind of fuel. So we've been very strategic in what type of fuel that we We push and The. So that means when we are looking for thought for partners, capital partners, they have to be alongside the same vision as us to eradicate this maternal mortality truly. And what that what would that what that look like is to have a The partner that actually care, Gives a damn about this issue, not just I'm gonna give you a capital Lay run away. It's actually someone that will all up The cliff because you'll ultimately, when you say yes and The on that cap table, you You Land I are all working together. Alright? You walk like me off, we walk we walk together, and you are now an employee of EnofCares. And so he gonna roll up his Cleveland makes those sales call just like I'm The of my friends never making those sales calls.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:28:46]:
So because we all want to solve the same issue and and The potentially exit. Right?
Jeffrey Stern [00:28:51]:
Yeah. So I'm gonna
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:28:51]:
I have accountability as well. I'm gonna hold you of those accountability that you and I are working together. This is our principles The we are going to work together, that you're gonna you're gonna you're gonna act as my salesperson as well. I'm a sales guy. So I don't know sales. I had to learn sales on the job. So you are my salesperson as well to get open those doors as we go. So because we need fuel in The space in order to be able to get to different states like Louisiana, High high maternal desert area, Georgia, Ohio.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:29:23]:
So have those people that actually wanna wanna solve this issue. It's having capital as well to hire the right people that, mission driven in the because they wanna solve this alongside us.
Jeffrey Stern [00:29:34]:
And from there, how does the business grow and evolve? Is it in a, you know, in a geographic mechanism? Is it in The the amount of services that you're able to offer, how do you think about how do people even interface with with Of and and know that it is available to them To to use?
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:29:53]:
Yeah. So, again, we point out with great payers that wanna solve this issue, And so they'll find out find out from us through that that lens, and they also can pull us up online, and we're available on Iris and Android. We have doulos, midwife, The clinicians on on in the app, culturally sensitive clinicians. And then we also have Support groups as well, allow The mom to engage with each other, deliver medication to patients' home. So Seeing all this, the growth itself is is unlocking the potential of a partner like, a pair that exists. Right? Because HGSE Texas alone, our local New Jersey sectors, has 6,800,000 members. We can touch and change in the lives of Texas women through those relationships. And that's how we unlock the the opportunity, right, to be able to create Big impact with partnering with payers.
Jeffrey Stern [00:30:54]:
What do you foresee as The biggest challenges, on the road ahead.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:31:00]:
Capital raising is always a always a headache. They never when you when you find a company that they say they never tell you that you are also the chief finance, chief fundraising officer. They left that out of the job title. Right? The trouble is you actually have that there. You are a CEO or founder, but you're the chief fundraising officer. And so if you can't fundraise, you die, and so is your you so is your mission. So being able to maneuver that with traction And so on that, you're you're creating Land impact as well. It's a nice little dance.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:31:34]:
And so we're we're dancing around right now with The. And, hopefully, we can We can continue to have partners like a Stern z, capital partners like a 16 z, and others, Ohio Impact Fund, they are in Columbus, Land Johnstone foundry in Tennessee to be continue to be alongside this journey. So we invite other people as well that care about this mission, that are capital part capital partners that wanna join us along this journey, right, to create impact for moms. And it's not again, the returns are gonna be Tremendous too because Northeast life changing, which is very important. Well, your idea is financial returns as well that you get, like, creating this impact through an exit with a pair or strategic exit exit exit elsewhere. That makes sense.
Jeffrey Stern [00:32:23]:
In addition to all of the, long tail set of responsibilities and titles that come with CEO founder that, you didn't know maybe came with the job. Are are there other things that you've learned along the journey so far of Building this company that that you wish you knew, you know, when you when you had started it The you know now.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:32:45]:
Absolutely. You are wearing many hats, and one of those, again, as we said, is the chief fundraising officer, chief people officer. You gotta attract people to be able to help you to build and take care of The. It's very important. You didn't know that you were you're gonna be a chief people officer because Maybe you never you probably only take maybe 1 human resource class in college. Maybe the precision, in different situation now, then lord have mercy. Maneuvering those relationship and doing it with grace and empathy And having those values, there are a lot that you that that you stick by Land you hold yourself accountable to Land the company as well is super important. I I think for for us, out of the whole line, you know, as well or, thankfully, I had that skill set was being the CFO of your company too.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:33:37]:
As you build, of course, those you start delegating those roles. But before you're all of them, you're the chief product officer too. Coding was part of my the all The all the days of building the tech. I didn't know I didn't think I I would ever use a degree a minor in Computer programming. So I was like, man, I'm never gonna use this. I just I guess I was I wasn't bored in it. Clearly, I was busy in, OSU, but It was a skill set that came Land to build in the web version of the app, and then now I can actually understand The software engineers that are building too because that's the important piece that you can empathize with those people. And you can just kinda say, why can't you Kill or build a new feature in a Lay.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:34:21]:
It takes time. It actually takes time to don't don't not having that empathy From that product product engineer point of view and not being close to customers, it's super important to understand that aspect as well that The building and coding takes a lot of time and effort. It is you you go to empathize with the the software engineers in your team. Yeah. So all all all all saying, you wear a few hats, and you put to god that you are continuing to learn, and you execute with grace.
Jeffrey Stern [00:34:57]:
What do you wish other people knew about this space And the work that you're doing that you find either they have misconceptions about or just are completely unfamiliar with overall?
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:35:12]:
It's a good question. Because most people, when they say The were like, if someone's, asked me, is this a nonprofit? Is it do you raise money? Is this yes. So the company is venture backed. It is venture backed. It is a for profit, And it is a for profit with a with heart. And so we are changing the narrative to help expand care for People that oftentimes are ignored in this in this, health care space. So very key on that mission. And Surprisingly, there's a lot of lot of, return that'll come from that mission.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:35:51]:
Right? 1,300,000,000 people. It's a 1,300,000,000 opportunity, right, to be able to serve those those those The, individuals in terms of when you think about the market. So it's really big enough, right, to be able to go and create a niche within just all women. Because we again, we focus on all women, but whatever the specialization on women of color. So that is just not black. It's also Hispanic, but indigenous women, Asian women. We The the term women of color because It is looking from building from that in that inclusive point of view. That's where I, I've always want to be raised for that inclusive Land even Just personally, that's how my family have raised me to be thoughtful of others, be inclusive.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:36:38]:
My friends are very diverse as well, just not just in ethnic, well, as well as top thoughts. So building a company to We really carried our Lay as well and and be able to impact women of color and change The narrative for The care delivery process.
Jeffrey Stern [00:36:57]:
I I think you've you've painted a a great picture, you know, speaking to the the care part of of the puzzle, you know, from assessment, telemedicine, Ultrasounds, you know, engagement monitoring. I'm curious on the the flip side of the coin. How much of the problem overall is is a problem of of education and the community component Land and how important, You know, that is to this this overall equation and how you weigh, you know, those those 2 pieces of it.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:37:29]:
Yeah. I mean, that's Heavily part of the solution. Right? It's, it's being able to educate them and say, why do you need So get your get your homeboy or get your significant The, your boo. Why? Your of. Do you need to get them to get to a la la print in The class or or just hop on Zoom and and do the class virtually or hop on our app and do the class virtually? Why is that important? Because it gives you comfort to ask to be able to ask the right questions during your delivery so you hold The physician accountable, And you you hold the hospital accountable as well in that delivery process. You're empowered now. You can actually make sure that you they are doing the right things as well by in your Stern because, ultimately, they don't they don't have an incentive to do the right things value. But now you're empowered with the knowledge.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:38:17]:
You'll keep them accountable so that you can make sure that you can You're safe when you're delivering that baby Land as well as The child that's coming out, and your partner is there to advocate for you. So it is that triangle. Child is gonna be coming, but the mom is empowered with knowledge to know that what's in her birth plan is followed, that The father is there. If the fellow is not there, the doula is there to advocate on her behalf to make sure that things are done the right way.
Jeffrey Stern [00:38:43]:
How effective is Telemedicine as a tool and and component of of this equation as well.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:38:52]:
I mean, telemedicine, it's always been here, but the Flexibility is also doing the assessment, using AI machine learning to get data to the patients so they feel empowered. Telemedicine, when a mom can may can make it to the clinic Land they need still need care, they need that knowledge, Create that opportunity before they come in into that clinic. It lessen the work for the affiliates, the providers as well because you can capture that data so that the The The delivery itself is very similar as when they come walk into that clinic. You're not frantic. If you call it if you know exactly While the patient is there, what's been bothering them? And then you can cut you can get you serve them effectively in a comprehensive way. It's no wonder, of course, they get frustrating because you send them this here. You send them this here The go get medication, bring it up care over here. It's all over this place, and then mom is exhausted Land, like, forget it.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:39:45]:
I'm not doing that. Where the guy that's where the gap exists. So now you're serving them comprehensively. And within the app as well, you're serving comprehensively because it's not just the interaction between the mom and the resources that's supported in the patient app. There's also the the provider act, Physicians, doublers, midwife, primary care doc, behavioral health specialists that are working in tandem as a collective team supporting that single mom to deliver that care. Right? That's meaning The single patient to deliver that care.
Jeffrey Stern [00:40:14]:
You've you've spoken to examples of what in practice The this looks like. I'd love to hear just any other salient, you know, stories you've you've heard from patients that speaks anecdotally to, You know, their their experience and and the outcomes that you're you're hoping to drive with with the platform, with with with patients.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:40:35]:
Yeah. Absolutely. I think for us, one of the thing that's important that we look at is like, Most of our moms The are are seen 65% are seen by doulas were insured were insured by, Medicaid. Right? So a 4th of those months, 28% stated that they would not have received care if virtual care was not available. Nearly 99% felt treated with respect by their provider. Super important. The majority of those patients served were pregnant moms, 54% and then 38% were, postmortem moms. So we cannot continue Continue of care.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:41:08]:
Right? After the delivery is super important to treat it. So I also monitor them at books for them because that's where a lot of the deaths happen as well. So it's not just before delivery or after delivery, very essential. And so when The when you Think of care delivery itself. It is The nuances that patients are saying matters. If a fourth of the women, 28% said they will not receive care. Virtual care was not avail available. Please make it available.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:41:37]:
It's a point point, and so we'll listen to those very deeply. That that's why we that's why we exist.
Jeffrey Stern [00:41:43]:
Mhmm. What what are you most excited about, you know, with, an eye towards the future?
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:41:48]:
It is the fact that we can really change the narrative for care for the most vulnerable population. That that excite The. And we will I hope that one Lay, we'll not repeat the same thing that caused my sister to die, my aunt to die. And so that's what motivates me. Anyway, it's my why might not start. It's why people think I'm crazy enough to build in this space Land I'm a man, but I come alongside This space as an advocate. I just have a willpower to build to make sure that moms are respected throughout this that's treated with dignity throughout the entire pregnancy journey and postpartum.
Jeffrey Stern [00:42:26]:
Wow. That's powerful. I think we, you know, of a a a lot of ground here. I'm curious, Again, in reflection on on the whole journey so far, either, you know, personally, as you reflect on it or, you know, from from the business side itself, If there are any things unsaid, you know, that that we haven't touched on that that you think are are particularly important as part of Of The Stern.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:42:53]:
I think Ohio, we we are working to get into Ohio. It's probably I am I am a local. I grew up in Ohio, and it sometime can be daunting to know that I'm servicing and supporting moms in Texa. Texas Texan moms and not bringing the same same service to Ohio moms, that needed. So hopefully The when I speak to you next, that narrative will will have changed. There's a need here. Whoever the gatekeepers are, get out of the Lay. Let's solve this issue, and let's stop talking about it.
Jeffrey Stern [00:43:29]:
Yeah. I mean, I certainly hope so. I'm gonna do what I what I can to to help make it happen. Well, I think we can we can bookend it with our our our traditional closing question here, which is, you know, completely unrelated to anything we've, Talked about so far, but it is for, a hidden gem in Cleveland, something that, you know, other folks may not know about, but maybe they should.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:43:54]:
I love food. And so if you haven't gotten the chance to, to indulge in African cuisine, Do a little Google search. There's a few African restaurants in The space as well that, it is to kill for. The food is. You'd be surprised that Cleveland has a lot of food to offer as well. The ethnically diverse. I was also struck by the fact that there's stuff to do in Cleveland. Because I came in The, you know, the poor narrative that's been in this space because left everybody all the supposed Lay.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:44:31]:
Supposedly of The stores and businesses left with him. Whatever that narrative is, I had walked into that Cleveland thinking The, like, well, no. I was challenged to say, let me come in with an open mind and discover myself. And I'm like, Lay. Cleveland. So Cleveland is solid. It's a good city Land looking looking looking to discover more and more things here.
Jeffrey Stern [00:44:54]:
Amazing. Thank you again, Mo, for, you know, coming on and, sharing a little bit more about yourself and The work that you're doing, which, again, is really inspiring and and important.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:45:07]:
Thanks, Jeff. Really appreciate you, inviting me on and having this Dialogue.
Jeffrey Stern [00:45:12]:
Absolutely. If folks had anything that they wanted to follow-up with you about, what would be the the best way for for them to do so?
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:45:19]:
When I am an open book, I feel I feel as I get calls, or you can reach me, you know, you know, cares. So mkmar@inofcares.com. You can read me reach me directly as well. Oftentimes, I think my cell, Some ways, it's of it's a available tool. I'm on LinkedIn. I'm probably more active on LinkedIn than other social media platforms. There's a podcast too as well that we do called the Empowered Patient Northeast, so you can reach us there in terms of learning and listening to some of the guests that we've So we can turn this space. Some of the few venues to reach us.
Jeffrey Stern [00:45:56]:
Amazing. Well, thank you again.
Mohamed Kamara (InovCares) [00:45:58]:
Thanks,
Jeffrey Stern [00:46:00]:
That's all for this week. Thank you for listening. We'd love to hear your thoughts on today's show. So if you have any feedback, please send over an Mail to Jeffrey at lay of the land dotfm or find us on Twitter at pod Lay of the land or at Stern, j e Jeffrey. If you or someone you know would make a good guest for our show, please reach out as well and let us know. And if you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe Land leave a review on or on your preferred podcast player. Your support goes a long way to help us spread the word and continue to bring the Cleveland founders and builders we love having on the show. We'll be back here next week at the same time to map more of the land.
Jeffrey Stern [00:46:38]:
The Lay of the Land podcast was developed in collaboration with The Up Company LLC. At the time of this recording, unless otherwise indicated, we do not own equity or other financial interests in the company which appear on the show. All opinions expressed by podcast participants are solely their own and do not reflect the opinions of any entity which employs us. This podcast is for informational purposes only And should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions. Thank you for listening, and we'll talk to you next week.