heva

High-Level Overview

Heva is an AI-native healthcare platform that connects patients seeking affordable, high-quality medical treatments with verified global providers, focusing on medical tourism specialties like dental care, cosmetics, orthopedics, cardiology, ophthalmology, and weight loss surgery.[1][2] It serves patients worldwide looking for cost savings—often a fraction of US prices—and medical providers aiming to expand internationally through streamlined tools for patient acquisition, appointments, and secure transactions.[2] The platform solves cross-border healthcare access barriers by using AI-powered matching, multilingual conversational agents, and culturally sensitive experiences, driving growth via Techstars completion and partnerships like with Dr. Abreu.[1]

Origin Story

Heva was co-founded by Varun (CEO), a product leader and engineer with experience at Apple (consumer electronics like Apple Watch), Google (AR Glasses), Stryker, and Noom, and Héctor (CTO), a software engineer expert in generative AI, iOS development, mechanical engineering, and AI for EHR systems from roles at Apple, Elo Touch Solutions, and Intellisys D. Corp.[1] Passionate black and brown immigrant founders, they identified medical tourism pain points from personal experiences and Varun's global travels, leading to an AI-driven platform idea.[1] Early traction included landing a key partnership with Dr. Abreu and completing the Techstars program, evolving from brainstorming AI features to a multilingual agent built with LangGraph, Claude 3.5, and GPT-4o that served over 1,000 patients and boosted conversions by 45%.[1][4]

Core Differentiators

• AI-Powered Matching and Assistance: Instant AI agents handle inquiries, scheduling, costs, and logistics with human-like typing, empathetic tone, and real-time responses, reducing provider workload by 30%.[2][4]
• Multilingual and Scalable Tech: Supports English/Spanish via GPT-4o, auto-scales with Kubernetes, caching, and streaming APIs for global time zones and peak traffic.[4]
• Security and User Focus: Verified providers, secure digital transactions with loss prevention, and culturally sensitive design for immigrants and emerging markets.[1][2]
• Cost Savings and Specialties: Targets high-demand fields with significant savings (e.g., dental implants, LASIK, joint replacements) compared to US/Europe, plus provider tools for international growth.[2]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Heva rides the medical tourism boom—projected to grow amid rising US healthcare costs and AI advancements in telemedicine—by making "Care Without Borders" seamless via generative AI and RAG for ethical, accurate matching.[1][2][4] Timing aligns with post-pandemic demand for affordable global care and AI scalability, amplified by founders' big tech pedigrees bridging consumer tech with healthcare.[1] Market forces like cost disparities (e.g., procedures at fractions of US prices) and provider globalization favor it, while integrations like Kubernetes position it against fragmented competitors; it influences the ecosystem by accelerating AI adoption in cross-border health, serving 1,000+ patients early and enabling providers' international expansion.[2][4]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Heva's momentum from Techstars, AI agent success (45% conversion lift), and specialty focus sets it for scaling verified provider networks and expanding languages/procedures.[1][4] Trends like AI ethics in telemedicine, rising medical tourism (especially weight loss/cosmetics), and emerging market growth will shape it, potentially evolving into a full-stack global health OS with more RAG-enhanced tools.[1][4] As cross-border care normalizes, Heva could redefine accessibility, transforming patient-provider connections from fragmented to AI-orchestrated—bridging gaps its immigrant founders first witnessed.