#recombine

strange creach..

NOT EVERY LOOK IS NEAR. NO VILLAGE IS LATE. A CASTLE IS FREE AND EVERY FARMER IS FAR. EVERY STRANGER IS FAR. A DAY IS LATE. EVERY HOUSE IS DARK. AN EYE IS DEEP. NOT EVERY CASTLE IS OLD. EVERY DAY IS OLD. NOT EVERY GUEST IS ANGRY: A CHURCH IS NARROW. NO HOUSE IS OPEN AND NOT EVERY CHURCH IS SILENT. NOT EVERY EYE IS ANGRY. NO LOOK IS NEW.

“Against this backdrop, the team at Bloomberg Businessweekperfectly captured this moment using the pop-culture reference of the Boss’sBorn in the U.S.A. album cover to illustrate the struggle for Romney to connect with voters looking for a populist message. “ - Lindsay Ballant, Design Envy

Alex is a technology driven molecular biologist. Leveraging the most cutting edge advances in genomics and computer science, he builds products to improve the delivery of healthcare diagnostics for patients and medical providers.

Recombine is a clinical genetic testing company that facilitates informed medical decisions for patients and providers through innovative products and collaborative research. Their products are built on cutting-edge technologies and Recombine is driven by experts in diverse fields who share a vision of a world where the power of personalized genomics is fully harnessed. Recombine’s affordable tests and in-depth genetic counseling services deliver valuable insights to thousands of patients worldwide through their robust network of respected physicians. They leverage the power of big data to achieve new perspectives on the science and delivery of genetics in the realm of fertility and beyond. 

Alex answers our questions about healthcare, startups, coworking and other advice on becoming a successful founder. 

Who are your ideal clients?: At Recombine we help couples who are thinking about having children understand how their genetics may impact their child. Our clients are primarily IVF Clinics and Ob/Gyn offices: we partner with physicians to help them provide the best-in-class medical genetic testing services.

Is this your first business?: Yes, Recombine is my first company.

What is the biggest reason for your success so far?: People. I'm lucky to be surrounded by incredible people. My co-founders are industry experts with incredible backgrounds in fertility and genetics. I have excellent investors and advisors, and the team here at Recombine is the best. Everyday, I'm excited to come to work to be with such an intelligent, hard-working, passionate group of people.

What were the earliest indications that this business could be successful?: Genomics is a growing field. Over the past 15 years, the cost to sequence the human genome has gone from >$100M to less than $1000. That's huge. When we started Recombine, sequencing the genome was not the problem - it was interpreting the data. We built a business around better understanding genomic information, and further, helping physicians and patients understand how that impacts their healthcare.

What position did you hire first?: My first hire was my now Chief Product Officer, Neha Kumar. Neha is an incredible force: intelligent, hard-working and egoless. I'd say the most important trait in all the first employees is that everyone was willing to do anything the business needed. From shipping out marketing materials to advising on product decisions to writing software, we all chipped in to help launch the product.

What is working best for your marketing right now?: We do a combination of marketing focused on Healthcare Providers and Patient Education. This means generating and creating novel scientific content (through studies submitted to medical journals) to important social and patient perspective pieces (generally written by the staff here and published on news.recombine.com). I'd say understanding and reaching our different markets through different mediums has been very important. Our marketing team is awesome.

What is your biggest differentiator?: There are many other genetic testing companies out there. Before us, most testing was done by Quest and Labcorp, the two largest labs in the country. At Recombine, we've focused on bringing more tests to patients, yet still at a lower price. Beyond that, our biggest value-add is the service we built around the test. We employee some of the most dedicated Genetic Counselors in the industry who work everyday with our Physician partners and patients to help them interpret their results.

What is the toughest decision you've had to make in the last few months?: Many of our difficult decisions are usually of what NOT to be focusing on. There are many areas where our technology can add value though we have to be careful not to dilute our focus. We recently chose to stay out of a certain market so as to maintain our focus on a core set of markets and new products.

If it was possible, what advice would you give yourself 10 years ago?: Study Computer Science. I was a Molecular Biology major, and while this is an obviously important piece of background for Genomics, the field is rapidly in need of more experts with knowledge of computer science.

How did you meet your co-founders or business partners?: My co-founder, Dr. Santiago Munne, and myself were introduced through one of my professors at Princeton.

Do you ever use coworking spaces?: Prior to starting Recombine, and for our first few employees, I worked exclusively in co-working spaces. The sense of community and the individuals I met really helped form Recombine today.

What book are you most likely to give as a gift?: Tribal Leadership: It's a great book on company culture, how to diagnose, maintain, and elevate the environment of the peers we work with every day.

Favorite place to travel to?: Tough question. I prefer to go places where I have not been before.

What is the best small business in your neighborhood?: I love local coffee shops.

Do you have any favorite freelancers you have worked with?: Yes, I've worked with freelancers through TopTal, and they've been awesome.

What is your favorite app or online tool?: Right now, I'd say SoundCloud. Music helps me focus!

What was the best event that you recently attended?: We recently had a company bowling event at Recombine, and it was fun to spend some time with my wonderful co-workers.

How did you finance your business?: Our original financing was a seed round from a few high-net worth individuals. In February of 2014, we did a $3.3MM Series A fundraise led by FirstMark Capital. They have been really incredible partners helping to advise, connect and support the business over the past few years.

What business would you love for someone else to start?: Stem Cells: Someone please tackle stem cells! It'd be great if we can start replacing and regrowing parts of our body as needed.

What advice do you have for new founders?: Be extremely passionate about the business you are starting. There will always be highs and lows, and it's the passion in the subject matter that gets you through the lows.

The #1 industry in New York based on the number of employees is healthcare. Technology and an aging population that's demanding better care are pushing New York startups to greater accomplishments than recently thought possible. Improving child safety, online top-notch nutrition counseling and making a difference in the fight against cancer are just a few things these extraordinary healthcare startups are creating. Here are the hottest healthcare startups in New York. 

 #30

Datanomy

Datanomy is a data analytics firm for medical c-suite. They help healthcare executives unlock actionable insights about their organizations through business intelligence and data science. Their broad-ranging experience with providers, hospital networks, device, biotech/pharma & insurance companies has given them a multi-faceted and well-rounded understanding of the problems that many organizations face.  Additionally, they are preeminent experts on Electronic Medical Records implementation, reporting, project management and subject matter expertise for healthcare facilities both regionally and across the country. Thus, their understanding of software, medical data & clinical workflows has proven invaluable to their healthcare clients. 

http://www.datanomygroup.com/

 #29

MedPilot

Making it easier for patients to pay their medical bills. MedPilot helps healthcare providers and 3rd party BPOs increase the collection of patient balances while reducing manual administrative tasks involved in the revenue cycle. With High Deductible Health Plans shifting costs to patients, it is more important than ever for billing departments to have an efficient, simple solution to collect on these receivables.  MedPilot's technology engages patients in the payment process through personalized, automated communication, and facilitates payment plans and financial settlements based on individual circumstances to positively resolve balances. Providers and BPOs utilize MedPilot to boost patient reimbursement, strengthen customer relationships, and reduce collections costs. 

http://www.medpilot.com/

 #28

Calibrater Health

A real-time customer service platform for healthcare. At Calibrater Health, they believe that fantastic customer service will win the trust and loyalty of patients, allowing healthcare organizations to take better care of more people at lower cost. So they’re building a customer service platform for healthcare to help win patient visits.  They combine real-time patient feedback (via SMS / text message) with a ticketing and issue tracking system to make sure healthcare organizations never miss another opportunity to deliver an exceptional patient experience and have the tools and insights to constantly improve. 

http://www.calibrater.com/

 #27

RxData

RxData develops a platform that provides on-demand access to pharmaceutical pricing and clinical data. They consolidated this data into a user-friendly platform that provides a 360-view of the state of pharmaceutical reimbursement and pricing decision-making across the globe. This solution provides a cost-effective way for pharmaceutical companies and consulting firms to conduct research that can be used as a basis for strategy development and investment decisions.

http://www.rxdata.net/

 #26

Senior Reports

Expert senior living reviews. They help families find the best senior care for their loved one. Senior Reports is a free resource to help your family find the best senior living options using great photos, transparent pricing, and research you can't find anywhere else. They work with all senior living facilities including independent living, assisted living, and retirement communities.

http://www.seniorreports.com/

 #25

SPARKITE

SPARKITE is a customizable mobile and web-based aftercare support platform that provides Addiction Treatment Centers with a tool to stay in connection with their alumni. SPARKITE provides the alumni with added accountability to their recoveries, support, and connection to the Treatment Center and their support communities. This enhances the recovery of the alumni and brings in referrals and valuable data and metrics to the Treatment Center to help in understanding their effectiveness of treatment. 

http://www.sparkite.com/

 #24

Crediyo

Crediyo leverages big data to lower out of pocket medical expenses. The rising costs and complexity of receiving healthcare have made it difficult for Americans to receive the care they need and deserve. Enter Crediyo, a healthcare finance startup that tries to solve this problem using cutting age data analytics, simple technology, and innovative financing. 

https://www.crediyo.com/

 #23

Wellth

Wellth works together with healthcare payers and ACOs to produce cost-saving behavior changes in their members through science-based incentive plans. With rigorous actuarial modeling and reams of clinical data underlying each plan, they can offer meaningful incentives based upon solid estimates of ROI. Every plan is focused on producing verifiable behavior change. They can prove that your members are getting healthier and that their cost of care is dropping.

http://www.wellthapp.com/

 #22

Care Dox

Free digital health platform for the largest and most consistent health delivery system in the country: K-12 schools. CareDox leverages pediatric health data and this country’s most successful public health organization, the K-12 school system, to improve outcomes and learn about clinical health data outside of the provider’s office.

http://caredox.com/

 #21

PadInMotion

PadInMotion is a leader in tablet technology for hospitals and medical facilities such as nursing homes, sub-acute centers, rehab centers, cancer treatment centers and dialysis centers.  PadInMotion contracts with hospitals and other medical facilities to place a customized tablet at the patient bedside. The tablets provide patients with entertainment, connectivity to loved ones and information that helps patients better understand their medical condition, prognosis and expected recovery process. Patients may also download their software post discharge to stay connected to their medical facility and manage their long-term wellness. Their solution gives facilities an opportunity to increase revenue, improve patient satisfaction and improve quality care metrics.

http://www.padinmotion.com/

 #20

Allazo Health

They tackle the problem of medication non-adherence through predictive analytics and personalized interventions. Their purpose is to empower patients to better manage their illnesses to improve health and reduce billions of dollars in avoidable healthcare costs incurring each year in U.S. alone.  They combine behavioral science research, industry expertise, and advanced predictive analytics to anticipate medication non-adherence, and forecast the most effective intervention strategy for each individual patient. Their approach enables their clients to design and implement efficient medication adherence programs. They provide services to PBMs, health insurers, ACOs and hospital systems. 

http://allazohealth.com/

 #19

WayBetter

WayBetter makes games that motivate people to achieve their goals. Games that makes it fun to lose weight, to exercise more, to quit smoking. Games that could change your life. In each WayBetter game, money holds players accountable, achievable micro-goals keep them on track, and an incredibly supportive community helps everyone stay motivated.

http://www.waybetter.com/

 #18

Health Recovery Solutions

Helping hospitals reduce readmissions, avoid penalties and improve care through their innovative patient engagement platform. Health Recovery Solutions interactive tablet is designed to incentivize and engage the patient to comply with their 30-day post-discharge recovery plan while letting physicians and family track their progress. Predictive algorithms that alert physicians of "high-risk" patients, coupled with unique features such as medication reminders, and the ability to connect caregivers and patients face-to-face with embedded video chat technology, HRS provides technology that empowers patients to take control of their health. 

http://www.healthrecoverysolutions.com/index.html

 #17

RubiconMD

RubiconMD is connecting primary care providers to specialists for e-consults. Their web-based and mobile platform redesigns the referral process by bringing appropriate specialty expertise into the primary care setting. 

https://rubiconmd.com/

 #16

Aidin

Aidin is a hospital discharge planning tool that reduces readmissions. They make it easy to collect hard data about how well post-acute providers perform. Aidin is a tool used by hospitals that quickly matches patients to the post-discharge provider (like nursing homes or rehab centers) that is best suited to serve the patient's individual health needs. They do it by getting hard data on the quality of care of these providers and presenting it to the patient right when they need it most.

http://www.myaidin.com/

 #15

Docphin

The best way to keep up with medical research on smartphones. Docphin is a platform for healthcare professionals to personalize, access and connect through evidenced based research while also enabling hospitals to meet new accreditation and funding requirements. Docphin was initially launched at 3 Academic Medical Centers but rapidly expanded and is now available at over 35 medical centers nationwide, including Harvard, Hopkins, Penn & Stanford.

https://www.docphin.com/

 #14

iMedicare

iMedicare is a platform where pharmacies counsel patients on how to save money on their prescriptions and Medicare plan options. Thousands of pharmacists across the US use iMedicare because it saves tons of time and puts money in the pockets of pharmacies that truly care about their patients. And their patients love it.

https://imedicare.com/

 #13

Hammerhead

Smart, effortless bike navigation. The Hammerhead is a unique product that solves the problem of safely navigating on a bicycle. Safe, social, and elegantly simple, it communicates turn-by-turn direction instructions via easily visible light patterns. With the Hammerhead, you can keep your eyes on the road and your mind on the ride. Their device is smartphone-powered, giving you access to a range of capabilities that other GPS devices lack. Stay on safe routes and recommend your favorite rides to friends. Find the best and safest bike routes in your city. Or just get from point A to point B as quickly as the streets will allow. The Hammerhead is your window into a better, more connected and safer world of cycling. 

http://hammerhead.io/

 #12

Morsel

Morsel makes it easy to feed your company a healthy and delicious lunch. Their culinary team comes up with dozens of recipes every quarter to make sure that there are variety and seasonal flavor. Every meal is then vetted by a nutritionist to make sure it’s not just delicious, but also healthy. They vertically integrated and make all of the food themselves, which means they can deliver a level of quality that you won’t get from platforms that work with other restaurants.

http://morselclub.com/

 #11

SolveBio

SolveBio works with diagnostic and R&D labs to massively scale their precision medicine offering. Screening, Rare Disease, and Oncology genetics require accurate and fast assessment of variants. The SolveBio Genome Intelligence Service combines SolveBio’s proprietary data harmonization engine with a global network of trained genomics experts to deliver high-throughput, transparent, and reproducible DNA variant interpretation. SolveBio curation is scalable and available on-demand, allowing companies and labs to scale variant assessment as their test volume grows.

https://www.solvebio.com/

 #10

ZocDoc

Zocdoc is the tech company at the beginning of a better healthcare experience. Each month, millions of patients use Zocdoc to find in-network neighborhood doctors, instantly book appointments online, see what other real patients have to say, get reminders for upcoming appointments and preventive check-ups, fill out their paperwork online, and more. With a mission to give power to the patient, Zocdoc’s online marketplace delivers the accessible, seamless, and simple experience patients expect and deserve.

https://www.zocdoc.com/

 #9

Sherpaa

Delivering healthcare that is accessible, appropriate, and affordable. Sherpaa is an entirely new genre of healthcare delivery, completely redefining telehealth. They connect your employees directly to their in-house doctors and insurance guides to diagnose and resolve their health, wellness, and insurance needs while reducing utilization of your company's health plan. Fewer claims = lower costs. They are a human-powered service with a big focus on delivering the best healthcare experience possible.

https://sherpaa.com/

 #8

In Your Corner

In Your Corner is a marketplace for online counseling and coaching services. Through a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform, their service connects users with a carefully curated team of wellness professionals. By conducting online consultations via video chat, written journals, and even texting sessions, they have transformed traditional therapy into an experience that is low-cost, convenient, and completely confidential. 

https://inyourcorneronline.com/info

 #7

Cureatr

Providing real-time notifications during patient care transitions. Reducing preventable hospitalizations. Preventing 30-day re-admits. Cureatr’s notifications alert clinicians and payers in real-time on mobile or desktop applications when an attributed patient or member is receiving care anywhere within a region and delivers necessary information that is essential to reducing preventable hospitalizations and avoiding readmissions.

https://cureatr.com/

 #6

Zeel

Book same-day, in-home massage in seconds on your smartphone. Available in as little as an hour, or book up to a month in advance. All Zeel Massage Therapists are licensed, screened, background checked, vetted by the Zeel team, chosen for their excellence and experience, and devoted to reaching the highest levels of customer service and experience. Schedule and enjoy 7 days a week, 365 days a year, for start time as early as 8 am and as late as 10:30 pm.

https://www.zeel.com/

 #5

Recombine

Recombine is a genetic testing company. They provide responsible, comprehensive, and cost-effective clinical genetic testing. Currently being provided to thousands of patients around the world through their network of physicians. Recombine was founded by experts in fertility, clinical genetics, bioinformatics and computer science brought together with one goal in mind: to improve health outcomes based on actionable and responsible genetic testing.

https://recombine.com/

 #4

Eligible

Eligible is an integrations partner which offers connectivity and processing to every health insurance company in the country. Eligible's simple API network enables disparate systems to instantly send and receive transactions required for the processing of healthcare payments and reimbursements. Information retrieved includes, active or inactive policy status, deductibles, stop loss, coordination of benefits, procedures, diagnosis, plan type (HMO, PPO, POS, etc), effective dates, termination dates, claim denial reports and more. Information processed includes claims, payments, remittance reports, and preauthorization requests.

https://eligible.com/

 #3

Flatiron Health

A software company based in NYC that is trying to make a difference in the fight against cancer. Flatiron Health’s mission is to serve cancer patients and customers by dramatically improving treatment and accelerating research. Their team is building a disruptive, oncology-specific software platform that connects cancer centers across the world on a common technology infrastructure to address key healthcare challenges.  Today, the Flatiron Health platform includes the industry-leading electronic medical record for oncology, a first-of-its-kind analytics tool, patient portal, and integrated billing management. Their goal is to help cancer centers and life science companies leverage real-world oncology data at a scale and clinical depth never before seen to advance cancer care and accelerate research.

http://www.flatiron.com/

 #2

ClassPass

Thousands of classes. One pass. Sweat at the best boutique fitness studios. ClassPass is a membership program for fitness classes across multiple gyms and studios, making working out more accessible. ClassPass members enjoy greater variety and engagement in their fitness regime, all at a lower price than if they were to book classes individually on their own. Participating studios benefit by attracting new students and profitably filling excess capacity in classes.

https://classpass.com/

 #1

Oscar

A new kind of health insurance company. The Oscar team is focused on utilizing technology, design and data to humanize healthcare. They're a group of technology and healthcare professionals who looked at the current state of the US healthcare system got frustrated by the horrible consumer experience and decided to do something big about it. They've simply set out to revolutionize healthcare.

https://www.hioscar.com/

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