The Healthy Enterprise

In this episode, Stefan Lukianov, founder and CEO of Salve Therapeutics, shares his journey in biotech and the creation of a healthcare app designed to improve patient experiences. He discusses leveraging technology to lower drug development costs—especially for rare diseases—and the role of real-time health data in patient empowerment. Stefan also reflects on challenges such as fundraising, the founder-to-CEO transition, and the importance of mentorship, collaboration, and clear vision in driving innovation within the healthcare industry.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Salve Therapeutics and Patient Empowerment
02:58 The Role of Technology in Drug Development
06:00 Innovative Software Solutions for Rare Diseases
08:58 Patient Self-Management and Mobile Health Apps
12:06 Collaboration and Mentorship in Biotech
14:56 Real-Time Health Data and Patient Engagement
26:23 The Journey of App Development
31:01 Navigating Fundraising and Investor Relations
37:17 Transitioning from Founder to CEO
44:30 The Importance of Thoughtfulness in Leadership

Guest Information:
  • Guest's Name: Stefan Lukianov
  • Guest's Title/Position: Founder & CEO
  • Guest's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-n-lukianov-3a6862205/
  • Company / Affiliation:  Salve Therapeutics https://www.salvetherapeutics.com/
  • Guest's Bio: Stefan Lukianov is an artist, author, educator, businessman, and scientist with a background in computational bioengineering. He is the founder and CEO of Salve Therapeutics, where he is dedicated to advancing patient care through innovative viral and biologic therapies powered by advanced software solutions. His work centers on patient empowerment, with a focus on leveraging real-time health data and mobile health technologies to improve self-management, independence, and access to care. Beyond his role at Salve, Stefan is a strong advocate for mentorship and collaboration in the biotech industry, aiming to foster innovation, thoughtfulness, and a more patient-centered future for healthcare.
Takeaways:
  • Stefan Lukianov is the founder and CEO of Salve Therapeutics.
  • Salve Therapeutics focuses on patient empowerment through technology.
  • The company aims to reduce the cost of drug development for rare diseases.
  • Their software is designed for drug developers to streamline the process.
  • Real-time health data is crucial for patient engagement.
  • Collaboration and mentorship are key in the biotech field.
  • Mobile health apps can enhance patient self-management.
  • The goal is to make healthcare more accessible and efficient.
  • Patient independence is a priority in healthcare innovation.
  • Technology is transforming the way healthcare is delivered.  The app has been in development since spring 2022.
  • It's important to attract users with the app's design and functionality.
  • Fundraising is a complex process that requires careful planning.
  • Transitioning from founder to CEO involves balancing vision with operational realities.
  • Thoughtfulness in decision-making leads to better outcomes.
  • Listening to feedback is crucial for growth as a founder and CEO.
  • Building relationships with potential customers is key to success.
  • The healthcare app industry is heavily regulated, making development challenging.
  • Networking and attending events can lead to valuable connections.
  • Having a clear vision helps in managing investor expectations.

Creators and Guests

Host
Heath Fletcher
With over 30 years in creative marketing and visual storytelling, I’ve built a career on turning ideas into impact. From brand transformation to media production, podcast development, and outreach strategies, I craft compelling narratives that don’t just capture attention—they accelerate growth and drive measurable results.
Producer
Meghna Deshraj
Meghna Deshraj is the CEO and Founder of Bullzeye Media Marketing, where she partners with eCommerce brands, healthcare institutions, and small businesses to scale profitably without outside funding. Under her leadership, Bullzeye has driven over $580M in annual growth and more than $1B in collective direct revenue for its clients. With a background spanning corporate strategy, IT, finance, and process optimization, Meghna brings a unique blend of data-driven marketing expertise and operational leadership. A Certified Six Sigma Black Belt with deep experience in program management and business transformation, she has successfully led global teams, large-scale integrations, and organizational change initiatives. Her superpower lies in marketing strategy and consulting, fueled by a passion for helping businesses grow through innovation, efficiency, and strong client relationships.
Guest
Stefan Lukianov
Stefan Lukianov is an artist, author, educator, businessman, and scientist with a background in computational bioengineering. He is the founder and CEO of Salve Therapeutics, where he is dedicated to advancing patient care through innovative viral and biologic therapies powered by advanced software solutions. His work centers on patient empowerment, with a focus on leveraging real-time health data and mobile health technologies to improve self-management, independence, and access to care. Beyond his role at Salve, Stefan is a strong advocate for mentorship and collaboration in the biotech industry, aiming to foster innovation, thoughtfulness, and a more patient-centered future for healthcare.

What is The Healthy Enterprise?

Join host Heath Fletcher on The Healthy Enterprise as he explores how healthcare leaders and innovators are transforming the industry from the inside out. Whether you’re a provider, tech entrepreneur, marketing strategist, or industry executive, these conversations deliver actionable strategies, innovative solutions, and human-centered insights to help you grow, lead, and make a lasting impact.

Created and produced by Bullzeye Growth Partners — let’s make something great together.

Speaker 1:

Hey. Welcome to the Healthy Enterprise. If you are back to hear some more, well, thank you for coming. And if it's your first time, welcome. My guest today is Stefan Lugianov.

Speaker 1:

He is an artist, author, businessman, educator, and scientist in computational bioengineering. He's the founder and CEO of Solve Therapeutics, where they specialize in leveraging advanced software to pioneer the development of novel viral and biologic solutions. I'd like to welcome you and he to the show, so let's get started. Okay. So, Stephane, thank you for joining me today for this episode.

Speaker 1:

I'm looking forward to hearing about your journey in the biotech world and solve therapeutics and and getting us caught up with what you're doing. So maybe take a minute and introduce yourself to the listeners and tell us a bit about Salv Therapeutics.

Speaker 2:

Sure. Yeah. So hi. Thanks for having me, first of all.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. You're welcome.

Speaker 2:

I'm Stefan, the founder and CEO of Salvi Therapeutics. So we are a health tech startup based in Los Angeles that works on what I call patient empowerment software. I've been doing it for about we officially incorporated in 2022, but the ideas were kinda percolating maybe a year and a half before that. So it's it's been a good few years now. I've probably been more consistent with this job than any other one that I've held.

Speaker 2:

So it's it must mean it's enjoyable for me.

Speaker 1:

And this guy, it's a job that you can't get fired from. And Yeah. But you also but you also can't quit.

Speaker 2:

So I can't quit. No. It's it'd be like a messy divorce if I did. So I'm trying to avoid that. But Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. It's been it's been really fun. I I think it's it's been an adventure that sort of I didn't have previously with my kind of background job. So my my background's in science mostly. Right.

Speaker 2:

Like biochemistry, virology. And I've done a bit of education and journalism on the side too.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. I noticed that you did that. It was one of your you're an editor and

Speaker 2:

Yep.

Speaker 1:

Yep. And then several degrees in science before that. Right? Yes. All that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. Pretty much. So I think what what I've tried to do is is, like, tailor my communication skills alongside my science skills, and I wasn't really sure how to, like, apply that together to to something. But the company has really been a good opportunity for that because I need to communicate the science well to get people to believe us.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

And and, you know, whether it's an investor or somebody we're hiring, it just it really helps that I had that training beforehand to articulate our vision and get our message out there. Right. So so I it it was kind of unanticipated, like, all the you know, me wandering for years and then finally finding something that kinda brings it all together. So it's been fun. It's been rewarding, and I I love the people I work with.

Speaker 2:

I've been able to attract some really talented people. So I think that's been the highlight mostly.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. Yeah. What you said something what before you called it patient empowerment.

Speaker 2:

Yep.

Speaker 1:

That's a so that's a cool definition, but maybe explain what that means from your perspective. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

So the the software that we're developing, there's there's two main projects and and a a few other kind of ideas that we have bouncing around. But they all kind of orient around helping the patient take control of their own health care. And whether that's the the medication they take or the peripherals they use, like apps or devices, etcetera, you know, we want the patient to feel like they have control over the course of their care. Mhmm. Not not to the exclusion of the doctor, but sort of in in collaboration.

Speaker 2:

And so the the stuff that we're designing is is meant to basically make the patient's life more convenient, reduce their costs, bring them closer to their doctor without creating, like, an undue time burden, and also just help them live healthier lives. Mhmm. And and it kinda similar to how my my previous skills came together into the company in sort of unanticipated ways. I think that the ideas we had in in the software world, fell under this theme of patient empowerment kind of, also in an unanticipated manner. So, you know, we we were kinda moving along and, you know, had some ideas before others and then kinda recognize that there was a a theme or a vision behind it of of patient empowerment.

Speaker 2:

Maybe it's just, you know, we recognize what we're designing and sort of how to how to spin it.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

And it's it's been a good kind of thesis for because because our our projects kinda look divergent on the surface. Mhmm. But but I think that the idea of patient empowerment kinda brings them together into a whole, and and it makes us

Speaker 1:

as a

Speaker 2:

company make more sense that we're doing them.

Speaker 1:

Right. So the way you describe that sounds amazing. Like, now how do you actually accomplish that? How do you do all those things for patients? Like, how do you actually deliver that?

Speaker 2:

So, for example, one of our pieces of software, is design software for new types of, medicines for rare diseases.

Speaker 1:

Mhmm.

Speaker 2:

And these medicines are usually pretty expensive. Usually, biopharma doesn't really work on them because it's they have small patient populations, so it's hard to justify building a expensive medicine for a small payback, basically.

Speaker 1:

Right. Right.

Speaker 2:

So what what we hope to do with this particular software is reduce the cost of building those medications so that you actually can recoup those costs on on small patient patient populations. So what what that does for the patients or what what we hope it'll do eventually once we actually start building therapies and get out of, like, development phase is make medicine more accessible for them, bring sort of options to the table that they wouldn't have otherwise because of sort of the cost prohibitive nature of the medicines. And we we think that taking a tech first approach is kinda critical to all this because only with technology can you really precisely design things in such a way to ensure their costs are reduced. You can't really do that with a a lot of times in biology, things happen by accident

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

Or or through, like, large scale screens that use a lot of resources.

Speaker 1:

Sure.

Speaker 2:

So we we hope that using technology makes things more targeted. And and by doing that, it reduces the time and cost of actually building something new that that can help those patients. And then they it trickles down to the patients not having to pay as much for what's designed for them, basically.

Speaker 1:

So is the software this particular software that you're talking about, is it designed for the end user for the patient, or is it designed for the it's designed for the drug developers. Right?

Speaker 2:

Yeah. It's designed for the drug developer. So it's it's software they'd use to to get to answers more quickly as far as what kind of a drug would be feasible for targeting a certain type of rare disease.

Speaker 1:

Okay.

Speaker 2:

And there's a lot of kind of molecular mechanisms and algorithms that, you know, I I'm not sure I wanna get into for the No. It's actually It'd be understand much of it. Yeah. I don't understand much of it myself, honestly. That's why I hire tech people who are, like, way smarter and more capable than I am.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. You're you've got the science stuff nailed down, and then you and then you go, this is what I want the science to do. And then Yeah. Someone who can actually manipulate the technology to make that deliver those that data. Right?

Speaker 2:

Yep. Yep. That's pretty much it. So so, yeah, the end user would be the the drug developer.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

And, yeah, I I guess I I sorta have the idea for the software based on myself as the customer, as a drug developer.

Speaker 1:

Right. Right. That's the perfect perspective to have

Speaker 2:

Right.

Speaker 1:

For that.

Speaker 2:

Because I I I had some

Speaker 1:

you need to make your job easier, faster, cheaper. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

No. Exactly. Completely. Yeah. Because I I'd had some experience with drug development in my different courses of study, And it always seemed really clunky and

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

Sort of haphazard and and really un you know, unstandardized. So my my hope, even though I'm not a tech person myself, was to bring some engineering thinking to the process Mhmm. So that we can prototype drugs in a way that other inventions are prototyped before they're actually, like, produced and and more go to market. Oh, that's cool. That's not really what happens right now in in biotech.

Speaker 2:

So I think that we have we're not really we're not really inventing something new as much as combining fields

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

In a way that is, I think, kinda kinda novel. Right. So so I don't I don't pretend to be making, like, leaps and bounds or, like, dramatic new discoveries. It's more just like

Speaker 1:

I don't know. Streamlining the processes.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. Or, like, clever tricks and insights that can help, yeah, streamline the process and also cut out waste that Yeah. Would otherwise increase the cost of drug development.

Speaker 1:

I hear that a lot in in health care period in general across the board. Tremendous amount of waste, time waste, resource waste. Yeah. And and and that's, I think, what technology is doing now. You know?

Speaker 1:

If you're combining you're probably using AI. You're using Yep. A variety of different tools at your disposal to actually, you know, repair some of this weighted down processes and procedures and Yeah. Things that they've been doing things that the same way for, you know, decades. But that's just because that's all we had at our disposal.

Speaker 1:

But now we have we have so much more

Speaker 2:

Yep.

Speaker 1:

To work with that it it's time to it really is time to to level up.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. No. Exactly. No. We we are implementing machine learning as part of our our design platform.

Speaker 2:

Cool. It's been fun to learn about it just because it it wasn't my background. So a lot of the times, I'm I'm I'm taught more than I teach as part of my jobs and which is really fun and really rewarding.

Speaker 1:

In one room, you're the smartest guy in the room. And then if you go down the hall, you're not the smartest guy in the room.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. It's better to not be that. I feel like there's a lot of pressure

Speaker 1:

with that kind of relationship. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

I just I mean, I've I've seen that at lectures, like, where one guy always gets consulted during a lecture for, like, his answers. And it's just like, I don't know. I I never wanna be that guy because I feel like this just yeah. The pressure and also, like, you could be wrong. You know?

Speaker 2:

I just I And that's well, but that's what

Speaker 1:

you're what you're describing is a very stereotypical founder characteristic. Right? Like, founders are are typically guilty of having their fingers in too many pies and wanting to be a part of every conversation. I mean, a, it's not sustainable. Like, you you have to kind of at some point, yeah, and you probably experienced this, let someone else take the reins of certain aspects of of your of your operations.

Speaker 1:

Right? And then because how could you I mean, it's cool to hear that you've you've already seem to achieve that is that, you know, you know where you wanna be, and you let others be great at what they do.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. It's kinda well, it that's a good way to put it, and it's kind of it may sound counterintuitive, but I find it useful to be a follower more often than not. So even if somebody, you know, works for me, quote, unquote, I'd I'd I'd rather listen to them than than listen to me.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

Because I think that they have the answers to what to what they need and what they should do. And it's up to me to just, like, hear them out and help them find that themselves as a good sort of sounding board. And it's one example of it right now is for for another project and a mobile app we're working on. I just reconnected with a a co inventor of the app. We we invented the app several years ago, and now we're getting ready to, like, do clinical studies and potentially commercialize it.

Speaker 1:

Oh, wow.

Speaker 2:

So this this coin venture isn't part of my company, but but we've we we had a good relationship in the past and then kinda fell out of touch with each other. Right. And now for the purpose of these clinical studies, we've reconnected, and she's much more of an expert than I am in clinical studies and all she's an MD. You know? In all things medicine, she's she far surpasses anything that I know.

Speaker 2:

And it's been great to kind of let her take control. You know? Like like, contact the right people, ask the right questions.

Speaker 1:

Mhmm.

Speaker 2:

Take information from me and and, like, repackage it into better ways. It's it's been a huge relief actually because I I never would have thought of, you know, what she produces myself. And and it's and it's it makes us it makes our job so much easier. It makes us look so much better.

Speaker 1:

Mhmm.

Speaker 2:

And it's just it's it's really it's really nice to have that kind of guidance even when you're, like, the nominal head of the company.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

Because then it's like, it it just makes things much more collaborative. It makes things much more simple, I think. And it

Speaker 1:

Well, every

Speaker 2:

best results. Right. What's that?

Speaker 1:

Everybody needs a everybody needs a mentor. Yeah. Like, every every like, even, yeah, even the the the lead of the company, like, need someone to to talk to, to confide in, to, you know, share your share your burdens and and all you know, like, every everybody needs someone to that they can rely on and trust on in that in that way. You know?

Speaker 2:

No. For sure. Mentor's a good way to put it, and it it it really is a relief to have it feels like I have a mentor again Yeah. At a at a really critical stage of products development.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. Well, you need that for sure.

Speaker 2:

Completely. And and it just I feel so much more confident in, like, our future directions with with that mentor in place, than if I was just trying to wing it by myself.

Speaker 1:

Right. So this was a project we were talking about earlier that is in clinical, stage right now.

Speaker 2:

Yep. So Yeah. Not it's not the the design platform project. It's actually a a mobile app for patient self management, basically. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

So it it's it's a mobile app that allows patients to collect their health care data from home from, like, medical devices they may be using

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

Right. And share it with their doctors. And we're that that's kind of a broad definition because there's a lot of medical conditions that require home data collection

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

And and doctor sort of consultation. So we're we're focusing on a a small patient population to start just to kind of, you know, target our efforts to something feasible and and kind of manageable in a design sense. Yeah. And so the patient population we're looking at are patients on the drug warfarin. It's a blood thinner.

Speaker 1:

Oh, right. Okay.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. It's it's being replaced by other blood thinners, but there's still a pretty significant population that that take warfarin for different reasons. Mhmm. And kinda like diabetics, they have to test their blood at home.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. Pretty consistent.

Speaker 2:

That Yeah. Yeah. Their their blood clotting is, like, normal. So they they have devices to test their blood, but there aren't really good apps available in The US that can help them collect and organize that data and share it with their doctors. So that's exactly what our app intends to do is provide them a way to chart, graph, analyze, and notify their doctor of of their sort of, like, ongoing health results

Speaker 1:

Mhmm.

Speaker 2:

And get recommendations in return

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

From either, like, dosage adjustments or lifestyle changes. So it combines a lot of it combines data analysis and telehealth, which I think is pretty interesting.

Speaker 1:

Very interesting. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

And it it's at a stage where we have enough developed in terms of its front end to start considering putting it in patient hands.

Speaker 1:

Mhmm.

Speaker 2:

And so this this mentor, this colleague of mine came in because we're starting to talk to test sites that would actually enroll their patients in clinical studies for our app.

Speaker 1:

And That'd be great.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. It's it's exciting to think about. I mean, we still have some developmental tasks to complete before we can actually put it in patient hands. Like, we don't have a way to securely store patient data yet. Like, we have to be HIPAA compliant.

Speaker 2:

We have to make sure it's all private and safe and, you know, inaccessible to outside parties. So one once we design that, that'll be when it's ready to get into patient hands because they'll be putting in their data. It'll be safe, and we'll be good to go.

Speaker 1:

And that's data. So the the doctor will be able to access that. Yeah. And whoever wherever they get test results, so they'll be able to add test results and things back into that. So it's Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Sort of a full collection of everything that's going on in that person's health spectrum.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. No. For sure.

Speaker 1:

Wow. That's really cool.

Speaker 2:

That I mean, that exists to some extent in in what are called electronic health records. So there's there's software out there that already already collects patient data from tests and hospital visits and organizes it.

Speaker 1:

But there's a lot of them. Right? And they don't actually communicate, do they? They don't necessarily They

Speaker 2:

do have they do have some telehealth functions, but they're not, like, usually in mobile app form. Yeah. So I think and and they're not geared towards home care Right. Really. They're they're more sort of, like, on-site type functions.

Speaker 1:

In the facilities. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

So I think that for our app to, like, encourage home care and electronically streamline data transfer and this and and also those those other programs are pretty complicated to look at.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

A lot of times, the older patients that we're considering actually avoid them just because they're they're not intuitive to use. Whereas if we if we design, like, a really straightforward mobile app, everybody has a smartphone now.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

And and it'll be something that they can punch in their values really quickly to to share with their doctor. So it'll kind of provide another path to a a better path really to

Speaker 1:

Patient empowerment.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. Patient empowerment to

Speaker 1:

set upon Such a great way to say. Great way to define that because it's it really does, you know, put put the power back into the patient's hands, which I think a lot of them feel very alone and sort of unconnected in right now in a lot of different areas of health. But Yeah. These are the kind of tools I think are gonna really help people do feel more connected and attached and part of their of their recovery process or their treatment process.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. And it well, it's I'm glad you mentioned that because, you know, we wanna expand it beyond just this patient population because it has a design that's amenable to other types of home health care necessities.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

And, you know, whether it's diabetes or kidney care or medication management, you know, we we hope to kind of pull that all under the umbrella of the app eventually.

Speaker 1:

You're using this group as specifically for this pilot while you're testing

Speaker 2:

it. Right. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

You'll be

Speaker 1:

able to adopt other other conditions and other diseases. And

Speaker 2:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Pretty much. That's cool.

Speaker 1:

That's great.

Speaker 2:

And I and I think in terms of, like, making it accessible, you know, there's a lot of problems with rural health care.

Speaker 1:

Mhmm.

Speaker 2:

And Oh, yeah. Yeah. We hope to by, you know, getting the patient more in control of their health, also get people who are harder to reach sort of more involved in in their health care. You know, some places some rural areas don't even have adequate Internet access. No.

Speaker 2:

So that that might make it difficult to have an app in the first place. But I think that by by putting the health care in the home and making it accessible to the doctor, it doesn't matter where the patient is. They'll be able to sort of derive benefits from that.

Speaker 1:

Right. Right. Yeah. The rural thing's a a big one too. Because also, you know, having being more up to date with your data and the results of tests and etcetera, etcetera, I mean, actually puts people in a position where they're actually more being more preventative, where they learn about things that are maybe not not not going in the right direction earlier on rather than it becoming a an emergency situation.

Speaker 1:

They get so it gets indicated and whoever needs to know gets pinged. And and so everyone so to up to date a little bit quicker. It's more real time rather than, oh, well, this started three weeks ago, but, you know, I couldn't get in to see the doctor.

Speaker 2:

And Yeah.

Speaker 1:

You know? And now you've got a situation. So, yeah, I think that's yeah. That sounds great.

Speaker 2:

No. That that real time component is really critical. Thanks for mentioning it. It's definitely you know, one one of the reasons we want the patient to be more involved in their health care is to avoid those adverse events that happen if they have, like, a missed dosage or

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

You know, a a misdiagnosis, for example. So that that real time communication between the doctor and patient as their health data is evolving Right. Is really important for, like, protecting them overall.

Speaker 1:

And we I mean, the it's only as good as the user. So I suppose, you know, there's a bit of, like the person's gotta be committed to Right. Updating it, keeping it consistent. But, you know, if you're talking about someone who has an ongoing chronic health condition and, you know, they're pretty most people are pretty aware of when they're not feeling right, when they're you know, something when something shifts and they feel one way one day and they feel something different the next, you know, that it's maybe about about that accessibility where it's like, I'm not feeling that great today. Something's not right.

Speaker 1:

I guess I should go see my doctor. But instead, they can just put it into the system Type right. And yeah. And then the doctor gets it immediately. It's it's yeah.

Speaker 1:

It really, I would say, simplifies people's, you know, understanding of how to manage their own health and give them that independence.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. Definitely. Yeah. No. Well, that's I mean, we that's what we hope to foster.

Speaker 2:

And and you mentioned, you know, sort of the the the the frequency of use of the app kinda depends upon the person.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

And but but I think we can also encourage that. Like, if we if we design something that is maybe even fun to use in some ways Yeah. That potentially even gamifies the the health data collection process Yeah. And rewards sharing it with your doctor, you know, diligently and carefully. You know, then then we attract users to the app.

Speaker 2:

Also, like, how it looks, how it feels.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

So a big part of the pilot studies is measuring stuff like that. So, you know, is it is it something that the patients wanna use and makes their life more convenient?

Speaker 1:

Right. Cool. That sounds awesome, man. So how long do you think, before that, you'll be able to roll that out?

Speaker 2:

So we're we're still fundraising right now. We just got sort of a cost estimate for the pilot studies. And, honestly, even if we get funding right away, it'll still take months to get, like, a regulatory approval for for the study. It'll take more months to enroll patients after that.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

So I'm I'm under no illusions that it'll be like, you know, a hall, basically. But it's but it's kinda fun to think about it that way. I mean, this this app has been in development since, I think, spring twenty twenty two.

Speaker 1:

Mhmm.

Speaker 2:

And it's gone through different, like, levels of IP protection and different levels of development. And it's been fun to watch it grow over that time even though it's been, like, a slow growth. Well, I don't know. I don't know. I mean, a health care app is a little bit more complicated than other apps because there's

Speaker 1:

Oh, yeah.

Speaker 2:

So much more regulation involved. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

For sure.

Speaker 2:

Security and stuff like that. So There's so

Speaker 1:

much more at stake. Yeah. Right.

Speaker 2:

So so even though it's it's been going maybe slow by app standards, it's been really fun to watch. Yeah. And and it's been fun to see it kind of, like, attract talent and attention from programmers and clinicians and potential investors and and just get excited about it. And and so I think I think that'll continue as far as, like, planning for for clinical studies and, you know, for the development. I'm just I'm just excited to see where it goes, basically.

Speaker 1:

Well, everyone I mean, who doesn't know somebody who has some sort of health condition? Right? And and and and wouldn't like to see that improve, you know, you know, the whole experience. Having a health condition is one thing, but having to have to manage the system, you know, it's anything that would simplify or make that a more pleasurable experience. Who who wouldn't want that for

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

You know, a loved one or a family or a friend. You know? So, yeah, I'm sure people are really jumping on board who are, you know, in the tech field going, oh, man. We can make something really cool with this. This could be really, revolutionary.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. Well, our it's funny you should say that because, like, a lot of, times when I've described the project in, you know, electronic virtual sessions or other events, the peep people listening will say, oh, yeah. My dad was on Warfarin or, like, my uncle was on Warfarin. Yeah. And and his life was really inconvenient.

Speaker 2:

So it'd be it'd be great to have something that, you know, makes their lives easier. So there there's definitely already that anecdotal personal touch to it that Yeah. Makes the case more compelling. And, actually, our first investor, is on Warfarin himself. So Yeah.

Speaker 2:

So there's Yeah.

Speaker 1:

There's a connection there. Yeah. Definitely. So do you spend a lot of time doing that? Going out, speaking, and and, you know, attending seminars and conferences and and Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. Yeah. Definitely. I think I think I've I'm kind of a typically shy person, but I've learned to become a better networker through the company. And there's a lot I like, the company is based in LA, but I live on the East Coast.

Speaker 2:

Oh, you do? Okay. Yeah. There's a ton of great stuff around Boston all the time that

Speaker 1:

Is that where you are?

Speaker 2:

Yeah. That's where I am.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

That caters to the medical and and biomedical fields.

Speaker 1:

Right. So Oh, that's the hub.

Speaker 2:

There's there's no shortage of things to go to. I've made a ton of great connections that lead to other connections. And I think I think we're in and and since the app is it's actually co owned by Harvard University Oh, wow. And Brigham Women's Hospital. So Yeah.

Speaker 2:

It it kinda already has its access out here on these Yeah. No problem. So, like, me being here too. Yeah. Definitely.

Speaker 2:

Me being here and sort of advertising it is just a good alignment.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

And and I think anybody that we attract in terms of, like, additional support would would come from this area for for this project. So it's just kind of a matter of letting things continue to line up right now.

Speaker 1:

Certainly, investors. Yeah. In your in your neighborhood.

Speaker 2:

No. We're get well, it's it's funny because, like, I feel like a lot of times the temptation of a startup is, like, to try and get money as soon as possible or or, like, being a ticket to lots of money very quickly. And I've and I've kinda realized, like, you have to have something to spend it on before you can raise money.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

And and you have to also figure out, like, how much you can do without money before you can justify having it. And I think now that we're at a point where we we can't move forward without additional link, like, you know, capital because we can't run a clinical study by ourselves and you have to pay institutions to do

Speaker 1:

it. Right.

Speaker 2:

It's kinda put everything in perspective in terms of, like, what we've been able to accomplish through bootstrapping.

Speaker 1:

Mhmm.

Speaker 2:

And and also thinking about how much more we could do before actually requiring outside capital. So it's it's really kinda made my picture

Speaker 1:

of

Speaker 2:

capital more realistic. It's not just something you jump into. It's not something you sort of win like the lottery.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

You kinda you kinda have to earn it by having a good game plan and, like, a fundable idea and and and and project. So and and it's also maybe more cautious. Like, I think, like, once you get that capital, it comes with stipulations. You know? You you know answer to whoever gives it to you.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. And they have a say in your project, and it can it can run out too. So it's like, I've I've actually become much more cautious about fundraising just knowing that, like, the kind of sensitivities and magnitude of having to use money carefully for, like, a very for very specific project goals. Like, I've just I feel like this this project especially has kind of, like, sharpened me to those ideas. Mhmm.

Speaker 2:

And in some ways, maybe more reserved towards fundraising maybe. Maybe that's detrimental to it, but but I I just I just respect it more, I think, because of that.

Speaker 1:

It sounds like maybe you just sort of you're you're fine you're you've been able to fine tune the vision and where this is going without having the complexity of of having to manage someone else's money and also being accountable to them. And Yeah. And also having them have a say in what direction you're going and possibly a lot of more time constriction and and pressure. So there's I mean, there's all those variables that you gotta consider if, yeah, as soon as you bring on a bet, a great idea. It is like winning the lottery, but but it comes like you say, it comes with a lot of lot of strings and expectations and Yeah.

Speaker 1:

And and a commitment. So but this way, by by doing it your route, you're actually being able to fine tune it in a way where you know exactly where you want it to go so that when you do get that truckload of money delivered at your back door, you know exactly where it goes and and how to spend it wisely. So I I I would think many people would think that would be the a wiser approach for sure.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. No. For sure. I think well, I I think in terms of, like, aligning you know, I mentioned that it'll take several months to actually get a pilot study in place and balancing that with, like, the investor time demands you mentioned is kind of at the front of my mind.

Speaker 1:

Mhmm.

Speaker 2:

And and so, like, it I think I think you have to sort of form a partnership with people who have similar visions to you, obviously.

Speaker 1:

Mhmm. Mhmm.

Speaker 2:

And so it it have to be somebody who understands how long a clinical study takes Yeah. And and is okay with that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. Exactly.

Speaker 2:

Gets you know, and and is excited about the clinical study in itself and is is okay with it taking time.

Speaker 1:

Heard of the Pasadena Angels?

Speaker 2:

Yeah. I have.

Speaker 1:

Have you? Yeah. I met a guy I had a guy on there from, Kevin Scanlon from he's one of the angels, in Pasadena. Oh, cool. He was on an episode, so they love tech stuff.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. No. They do. For sure.

Speaker 1:

The West Coast, angels too?

Speaker 2:

Or tech there's

Speaker 1:

tech coast angels. Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. For sure.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. That's cool. Yeah. They love tech.

Speaker 2:

Well, I think for for us, like, it's a little bit more complicated because the the sites where we're doing the pilot studies are also, like, potential customers for the app Right. That we we maybe sell it to sort of for use in their patients. So the the traction we have is really early. It's just identifying these sites that are open to studies.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

But they but they haven't actually bought anything from us yet. So there has to be kind of a nuanced argument that, you know, demonstrates the traction we do have and indicates what we plan how we plan to get more in the future, how how to how we're gonna grow the relationships with the test sites

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

To turn them into customers, basically.

Speaker 1:

So someone getting in, you know, initial buy in from Yeah. Potential customers in the future. Like, oh, if you did this, yeah, we would be all over this and

Speaker 2:

Right.

Speaker 1:

Getting their sort of, yeah, early adopters.

Speaker 2:

I think we have to get that story sort of down pat to make sure, you know, investors understand it, basically.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. Yeah. That makes sense. That makes sense. So tell me a little bit we you guys touched on it earlier, but, you know, you made this migration from founder to CEO.

Speaker 1:

It was probably at first, it was all one job, but now it must be split into two very different roles. Tell me about how you've sort of how you manage that as as founder and CEO. Because there's other founders and CEOs that are, you know, at varying stages of this that are probably listening. And, you know, hearing from somebody who's been able to do what you did is a is to kind of understand where you fit in and where and when to step back. And, you know, I think that was a really good tip.

Speaker 1:

But are there other things about your experience with this founder CEO balance?

Speaker 2:

Well, I think I think when I first started out, I felt more like a founder, more like this pioneering type who's, you know, promulgating this new project

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

That is untested and is meant to fill gaps in the industry. And the CEO part came in more once we actually incorporated.

Speaker 1:

Mhmm.

Speaker 2:

That that sort of put the business official business label onto the founder mantle.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

And I think when that happens, I think there there are fewer illusions that you have. Like, suddenly, the the realities of economics and having to support a company come into play. Mhmm. You know, you you spend money to build a company before you make any money. So learning that as a CEO and finding a way to bootstrap appropriately has has, I think, forced a lot of responsibility on me that when you're when you're just a founder, doesn't really doesn't really register quite yet.

Speaker 2:

So but I but I kinda I don't know. I I guess that doesn't mean I've, like, abandoned the founder label at this point. Like, I definitely still

Speaker 1:

You get that for life.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. Whether you're CEO or not. That's true. No. You can never erase that.

Speaker 2:

I think it's it's still fun to, like, feel like I'm pushing things forward.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Like, with with this app project, you know, there there are other co owners of the app. There are other co inventors with sort of their interests and stakes in the app, but they're not really doing anything with those ownership interests.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

It's really us that are pushing for the development, the IP protection, the clinical angle. And so I think, like, that that pushing, that drive driving the project forward, I think, is more of a founder characteristic than a CEO characteristic.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

I think I think having like, because it it just demands vision. It demands endurance. It demands, like, compromise in a lot of ways, and it's it's fun pushing those boundaries. It's it's fun seeing how far you can take something Mhmm. With with, like, you know, spare resources and still seeing it grow into something important.

Speaker 1:

Well, it's a cool balance of, like, you know, having to have, you know, a very, very high level view of of the entire thing and and seeing what potential it could be and pushing sort of pushing the envelope so that it it is become it is innovative. It is not Yeah. Something that's been done before and pioneering something. You know? That's I think, you know, I think about founders and that's what they need to have.

Speaker 1:

I and then the CEO needs to have be able to see things, see the big picture as well.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

But maybe not quite as far ahead, you know, and and maybe that's a vague difference between the the two.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. I think well, I think the CEO is more procedural. Yeah. So, you know

Speaker 1:

He has to know where it's going.

Speaker 2:

Right.

Speaker 1:

He or she has has to know where that where it's going, but they also need to kinda step back and go, well, this is where we're at. This is reality. And Yeah. You know, these are the steps we gotta take to get to.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. That's kinda how it works out in my head. So Yeah. Me too. Founder produces the vision.

Speaker 2:

The CEO produces the steps to get there. Yeah. And and it so far, it's been compatible. People have asked me before, like, would you sell the company or would you step aside as CEO? And, you know, I've I've heard that it's it's not good for, like, a founder to be in control for too long.

Speaker 2:

Right. And I I I agree with that. Like, I think I think there'd be a time where sort of I'm in over my head in terms of expertise. And no matter how many

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

People and mentors I put around myself, I I still wouldn't be what's best for the company. So I think I think that's been a kind of lesson of maturity too is realizing that the company exists separate from me Right. And that it it might need something besides me to really grow and thrive. And

Speaker 1:

It also comes back to, you know, what do you wanna do every day? You're right? Yeah. Do you where where do you where do you feel like you want contribute more or wanna spend more time doing being doing founder duties or, you know, CEO duties? Because, you know, I don't know.

Speaker 1:

I don't know. As a scientific founder, do you ever kinda feel like you don't spend enough time hanging out with the scientists or, you know, you spend too much

Speaker 2:

time in the boardroom? Yeah. Yeah. No. Sometimes.

Speaker 2:

I mean, it look. We're a small team right now. So Yeah. I I am in pretty close contact with the tech and science side of things. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

I mean If you're, like, 3,003 staff and

Speaker 2:

Right. If it got bigger, that that definitely wouldn't be the case for sure.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. For sure.

Speaker 2:

No. I think I think there's still part of me that wants to maybe do science eventually again, kind of in a more academic role. You know, it's it's always an option that I can kind of go back to, I think. But but part of me also just wants to run my company. You know?

Speaker 2:

I I think Yeah. I think that especially seeing the traction we're getting and and sort of, like, the development we're observing with this this app. Yeah. That's that's rewarding. It's like, you know, I did that and shows and shows that maybe, like, my efforts as CEO are bearing fruit.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

So it sort of justifies my being CEO Yeah. Which is don't know. It's it's it's fun to run the company, and I'm not in any rush to, like, do anything else. Yeah. Just just kind of staying staying aware of options to not have any rude awakenings, maybe.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. So if you had if you give, you know, a couple of words of wisdom or advice to people who are, you know, walking in your shoes, maybe maybe Stefan two ten years ago or something or

Speaker 2:

Mhmm.

Speaker 1:

Or ten days ago, would would you give some advice for somebody who's, you know, you know, in in your trajectory?

Speaker 2:

Yeah. I think it's it's okay to think before you answer. I think so there there are times where I'll get feedback about something, you know, on, like, a virtual chat or something like that or or a a pitch session. And, you know, you you you always have an impulse to to react to it. Right.

Speaker 2:

And usually, that initial reaction isn't correct. So I think it's it's always good to take a step back and reflect on any sort of, like, feedback or input you get to see it more clearly and and understand how it's trying to help you. And those I think those moments are just what build a better founder and CEO. Like, when you can we can process and assimilate what you're getting from others to to humbly, you know, and steadily reinvent yourself.

Speaker 1:

Mhmm.

Speaker 2:

Like, I'm I made a I've made a ton of mistakes as a founder and a CEO. Like, a like, a this is my first company. You know, it could very well still fail. I'm very aware of that. And what's what's helped me keep adapting is to just keep listening and and integrating what I hear into what I'm doing so that if I'm doing what's wrong, I don't keep doing the same thing.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

And, like, just today, I got a lengthy piece of feedback from sort of a a prospective mentor on LinkedIn about a pitch deck. And at first, I was like, man, that's a lot of feedback. Then I was like I was like I was like ready to answer everything, like, kind of sloppily. And I was like, no. I'll I'll wait until tomorrow.

Speaker 2:

Like, I'll I'll I'll answer I'll answer those points tomorrow because I have to think about them first. Yeah. And I wanna give good answers. You know? Yeah.

Speaker 2:

And

Speaker 1:

I think thoughtfulness is what you're trying to say. Like, the thought having the time well, giving yourself the time to have that thoughtfulness and

Speaker 2:

really

Speaker 1:

thinking through rather than a knee jerk reaction like, oh, I don't agree with that. And, you know, but but really having the time to be thoughtful about it. And I I have heard that from from others who have said, you know, there's many times where I just didn't have time. And I and I reacted poorly or

Speaker 2:

Right.

Speaker 1:

Reacted in a way I I would've I wouldn't do again today, but that have taking the time to really reflect and and think about that conversation or that email or whatever. Yeah. It's good advice.

Speaker 2:

No. Definitely. A toughness goes a long way. Definitely.

Speaker 1:

Alright. Well, this has been great, Stefan. I really thanks for sharing everything you're doing over at oh, I want to ask you about the name, Salve.

Speaker 2:

Oh, yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. Tell me about that.

Speaker 2:

What Sure. It's it's pronounced Salve. I know it's written Salve.

Speaker 1:

Salve. Okay.

Speaker 2:

Sorry. Like, no. It's fine. I I I tried to have an accent put on the e, but I couldn't register the name with the government that way.

Speaker 1:

So Alright.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. But, salve, it's it's named after a a Latin hymn called Salve Regina. I used to sing in a in a choir, that that sang in Latin,

Speaker 1:

and that was one

Speaker 2:

of my favorite songs to sing. So, just thought it it sounded cool.

Speaker 1:

It does sound cool. I like it better than salve.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. No. For sure. I we're we're not into ointments or anything like that. So

Speaker 1:

Well, I kinda took it like salve, like, you know, soothing and Oh, okay. Simplifying and, you know, like, I kinda took it that way.

Speaker 2:

Like Yeah. That's good way to put it. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Calming. It was a calming it's a calming word too, but salve sounds way cool.

Speaker 2:

That's that's a welcome misconception. Misconception.

Speaker 1:

Well, awesome. Yeah. I really enjoyed meeting you and talking to you. And I look forward to seeing what's coming in the in the months and years to come with salve. I said Right?

Speaker 1:

Yep. And, yeah, we'll stay in touch. I really appreciate your time today and and being on the episode.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. Thanks, Keith. It was great to be here. Great to sort of detail some thoughts and have the conversation. Thank you.

Speaker 1:

Alright. You're welcome. Okay. That was great. I really enjoyed hanging out with Stefan today and and talking about patient empowerment.

Speaker 1:

I love that. It went at people are working to improve health care outcomes for patients and, you know, reducing costs and reducing waste. And and I think that's I really appreciate businesses that are doing that. Stefan wanted to share that collaboration and mentorship are crucial for success in his opinion, and that transitioning from founder to CEO, he found it involved balancing vision with operational realities, which is great way to phrase that. It's like it it is it is the balancing of two worlds and that taking some time and slowly processing his reactions and using thoughtfulness in his decision making also led to better outcomes.

Speaker 1:

So that's great advice for people in those kinds of roles. And listening to feedback is essential for growth as a founder and a CEO. I couldn't agree more. Thank you for listening. I hope you enjoyed this episode.

Speaker 1:

Please be healthy, and we'll see you again soon. Take care.