The Startup Protocol: Building the Next Generation of Health Innovation

The most common mistake healthtech founders make is building a great product without aligning it to market, regulatory, and reimbursement realities.

In this episode, Sally Ann Frank, Global Health and Life Sciences Lead for Microsoft Startups, discusses her journey from computer science to healthcare innovation and how she helps early-stage companies thrive in the complex healthtech landscape. She reflects on milestones like IoT-driven remote monitoring, the growing centrality of AI, and the cultural shift toward cloud adoption. 

Sally shares insights from her book The Startup Protocol, emphasizing the need for startups to align product, go-to-market, and compliance strategies while engaging “proxy customers” early to validate ideas before investing heavily. She highlights the critical role of partnerships, integration with electronic health records, and ensuring solutions solve problems that healthcare organizations are willing to pay to fix. 

Diversity and equity are also front and center, with efforts to support minority founders through targeted programs. Looking ahead, Sally previews her upcoming book, The Unicorn Protocol, in which unicorn founders reveal the lessons behind their success, from servant leadership to seizing overlooked opportunities.

Tune in and learn how to navigate the unique challenges of building successful digital health startups!