What AI Healthcare Founders Need to Know to Win Enterprise Deals
At nvp capital, we see massive potential for AI to transform healthcare—and payers are a critical part of the equation.
Healthcare is facing compounding pressures: rising costs, workforce burnout, and administrative complexity are pushing the system to its limits. But we also see this as a moment of tremendous opportunity. With vast data sets, evolving interoperability standards, and demand for smarter infrastructure, early-stage AI companies are uniquely positioned to step in with real solutions.
That’s why our conversation with Heather Staples Lavoie, Head of IT and Business Operations Technology at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, is so timely. As both an enterprise buyer and a long-time corporate partner of NVP Capital, Heather offers practical insights for founders building AI for healthcare—and specifically those trying to break into the payer market.
If you’re working on a healthcare startup or developing early-stage Vertical AI solutions for the industry, this episode is packed with critical lessons.
Key Takeaways for Healthcare Startups and Founders in AI:
1. Trust is Everything in AI for Healthcare
As we’ve outlined in our recent blog, AI’s Rx: Prescribing a Revolution in Healthcare, AI has enormous potential to transform healthcare—from simplifying front-office workflows to supporting clinical decision-making. But as Heather emphasizes, none of that matters without trust.
Payers aren’t just evaluating features—they’re asking: Can we trust this with our members’ data? Can we rely on this in production? Founders must prioritize enterprise-grade security, privacy, and compliance from the outset. This includes access control, data governance, and auditability—especially when working with protected health information (PHI).
2. Cybersecurity is a Sales Differentiator
One standout moment in our discussion was Heather’s focus on downstream cyber risk. Many early-stage teams work hard to secure their own environments, but overlook their vendors—model training partners, hosting platforms, or third-party processors.
Payers care about the full ecosystem. If a vendor in your stack gets breached, it’s your reputation on the line. Founders in AI must proactively monitor and manage their vendor security posture. Heather underscored the importance of maintaining a “walled garden” for sensitive healthcare data—training models on protected internal datasets while ensuring that external partners don’t compromise overall security. This isn’t just about risk mitigation—it’s a proactive sales advantage that shows maturity and foresight.
3. Real-World Data is the New IP
Too many founders talk about model performance in the abstract. Heather, on the other hand, wants to see relevance: Is your model trained on data drawn from actual healthcare settings, grounded in the complexity of real-world workflows?
She emphasized the importance of maintaining control over sensitive data—and being able to train the “last mile” internally. Strategic partnerships are key here: collaborating with organizations that can provide access to relevant, secure datasets helps build credible, performant models without compromising compliance. Founders must show that their solution works in the field, not just in theory.
Why This Matters Now
As we highlighted in our blog on AI’s role in healthcare, this sector is brimming with opportunity for founders who can meet the moment. The healthcare system is awash in multimodal data—from EHRs to insurance claims to operational metrics. With the 21st Century Cures Act pushing forward standardized, secure interoperability, there’s never been a better time to build responsibly.
But responsible doesn’t mean slow. As Heather notes, payers want to see evidence that you’re solving urgent, bottom-line problems—today. Founders who can deliver measurable ROI quickly, while also clearing the high bar of security and compliance, will have an edge.
Final Thoughts
Heather Staples Lavoie brings a rare perspective as both a technology leader and enterprise buyer. For any founder trying to navigate the complexities of healthcare and stand out in a crowded AI market, her advice is invaluable.
At nvp capital, we’re proud to support founders tackling these challenges head-on—and proud to have partners like Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield helping shape the future of this space.
