Food as medicine is having a moment, but for leaders like Richard Bennett of Epicured and Victor Penev of Edamam, this is not a passing trend. It is the long-building future of healthcare.

In this special highlight episode of StartUp Health NOW, Unity Stoakes brings together two conversations from members of the StartUp Health community on the growing role of nutrition in prevention, chronic disease management, and whole-person care.

First, Richard Bennett, CEO & Co-founder of Epicured, joins Logan Plaster to talk about why food is emerging as a powerful front door to trust, engagement, and better outcomes. He shares how Epicured is helping bridge healthcare and nutrition, why reimbursement is a game changer, and how culturally relevant meals can support more human-centered care.

Then, Unity sits down with Victor Penev, CEO & Founder of Edamam, to explore how AI and food data are reshaping what personalized nutrition can look like. From meal-planning agents to virtual nutrition support, Victor explains why this moment feels like an inflection point for the Food as Medicine movement, and why data remains the foundation for what comes next.

Together, these conversations highlight a major shift in healthcare: food is no longer peripheral to care. It is increasingly central to prevention, treatment, and the future of personalized health.

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Ian Madom, MD, orthopedic spine surgeon and co-founder of Mocingbird, joins us on StartUp Health NOW to discuss how administrative friction quietly limits healthcare access and clinician capacity.

Drawing from his own experience in practice, Dr. Madom explains how state-by-state licensing, certification timelines, and compliance requirements create unnecessary drag for clinicians and administrators alike. He shares how Mocingbird helps organizations manage licensing end to end, why multistate practice is essential in a post-COVID, telehealth-driven world, and how thoughtful use of AI can support, not replace, human judgment. He also reflects on the doctorpreneur journey and the role the StartUp Health community has played in Mocingbird’s evolution.

Are you ready to tell YOUR story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world’s biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, journal, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of our Health Moonshot Membership. If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit.
» Learn more and join today.

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In this Health Moonshot Update, StartUp Health community member Justin Ayars of EqualityMD explains how the company is redefining employer healthcare through a pre-insurance model designed to resolve health needs before insurance is triggered.

EqualityMD delivers culturally competent virtual primary care, mental health support, urgent care, and prescription access without generating insurance claims. New research shows the platform can resolve up to 80 percent of employees’ diverse health needs pre-insurance, saving employers 20 to 30 percent in health claim and administrative costs and reducing employees’ out-of-pocket expenses by 40 to 70 percent.

Ayars shares why traditional telehealth often increases claims volume, how claim prevention changes the cost equation, and why rethinking healthcare upstream may be key to rebuilding trust and affordability in the system.

Are you ready to tell YOUR story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world’s biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, journal, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of our Health Moonshot Membership. If you’re mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit.
» Learn more and join today.

Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.