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In 2003, when the New York Times asked Steve Jobs why the iPod became an overnight success, he didnt talk about its storage capacity, hardware specs, or marketing campaign. He said, simply: Design. People think it’s this veneer, he added. That the designers are handed this box and told, Make it look good! That’s not what we think design is. Its not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works. He was talking about music players. But he couldve been talking about healthcare. Because today, in 2025, American healthcare is still stuck in its MS-DOS era. The systems might be powerful, but the interface is broken. You feel it the moment you try to understand your lab results. Instead of something you can scan and absorb, you get a dense, clinical PDF full of acronyms and numbers, usually without any explanation of what they mean or what to do next). No context. No clarity. Its like receiving an email in binary code and needing a doctor to translate. Most people dont go back to their doctor for clarity. According to a new national survey from my firm Cactus, 71% of patients turn to WebMD after a diagnosis. Nearly half now use AI tools like ChatGPT to make sense of their care. One in four say those tools help them understand their health better than their own doctor does. Thats not just a curiosity. Its a crisis. A comprehension crisis. One that affects everyone: Patients, providers, and the health systems trying to keep up. TRUST ISNT THE ISSUE. COMPREHENSION IS. Heres the paradox: 78% of Americans say they trust their doctor. But more than 1 in 4 walk out of appointments more confused than when they walked in. Why? Because the system still communicates like its running on a command line system where users literally need to learn a new language to ask their questions. Your health and care answers are there, but its buried in jargon, fragmented across systems, and delivered in ways that overwhelm or alienate. Patients arent given context, only data. No wonder they forget what was said. No wonder they turn to Google. Weve built a $4.5 trillion industry on clinical excellence but wrapped it in a user experience from the 1980s. This isnt just a communication problem. Its an interface problem. And its costing us dearly. THE COST OF CONFUSION Poor communication doesnt just frustrate patients. It drives worse outcomes, higher costs, and missed opportunities for connection and care. According to Cactus survey, 20% of Americans believe miscommunication with a doctor has led to worse health outcomes. That number isnt theoretical. It shows up in delayed diagnoses, unnecessary ER visits, and care plans that never get follow-through. Even more concerning, 30% of Americans are currently sitting on a specific, known health concern that they havent brought up with a medical professional. The reasons: They dont know how to start, fear its not serious enough, or feel they wont be understood. The cost of silence is high. Yet, many providers are missing the signal patients are sending. Those patients dont just want better communication; theyre willing to pay for it. Nearly half of Americans say theyd pay out-of-pocket for more personalized, ongoing care. Thats not just dissatisfaction. Its demand. Its a market signal for a better-designed experienceone that prioritizes clarity, empathy, and usability alongside clinical excellence. TIME TO UPGRADE THE INTERFACE When I was 11, my family brought home our first Apple computer, the Apple II. It was a revelation. Not because the machine was so advanced, but because for the first time, I could use it without a teacher guiding me. I designed a birthday banner. I clicked instead of typed. The same underlying machine had become exponentially more useful, simply because it was designed with the user in mind. Now imagine if your next doctors visit was designed that way. Instead of cryptic PDFs, your lab results live on an interactive health dashboard. Biomarkers are plotted on a bell curve that shows whats optimal and where you stand. Explanations are written in plain language. Click a number and you get verified insights from your care team. Time spent with clinicians is engrossing and educational. Time spent with digital tools is satisfying and motivating. Thats not a future fantasy. Its possible right now. But only if we bring design to the table earlier and stop treating it as cosmetic. DESIGN ISNT DECORATION. ITS INFRASTRUCTURE. In healthcare, communication isnt a soft skill. Its a system function. When patients dont understand, outcomes suffer. When doctors cant easily share information or collaborate across teams, outcomes suffer. That isnt a design detail. Its a product flaw. In most industries, design is how people get from input to impact. Its how they navigate complexity, make decisions, and take action. From airports to financial apps, good design anticipates human needs. It removes friction. It builds trust. Healthcare deserves the same standard. Instead of treating design as something to layer on at the end, we need to treat comprehension as infrastructure. We need systems that explain, not just record. Tools that coordinate, not just collect. Interfaces that feel intuitive and human, even in high-stakes, high-stress moments. What patients are asking for isnt unreasonable. They want care that feels clear. Tools that help them follow through and communication that builds confidence. Design can deliver that. But only if we prioritize understanding as a core part of the system, not an afterthought. Noah Waxman is CEO and cofounder at Cactus.
Category:
E-Commerce
The explosive rise of GLP-1 medicationssuch as Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Wegovyhas ignited more than just headlines. It has fundamentally shifted how Americans access and pay for medications, driving innovation in affordability models, and fueling a dramatic increase in direct-to-consumer (DTC) healthcare platforms. Originally approved for type 2 diabetes, GLP-1s have surged in popularity due to their effectiveness in treating obesity and other cardiometabolic conditions. Yet their high list prices and limited insurance coverage have exposed critical gaps in the traditional pharmacy system. Today, more than 19 million people in the U.S. do not have coverage for GLP-1s prescribed for weight loss. Others face complicated, time-consuming restrictions such as step therapy or prior authorizations before they can begin GLP-1 treatment. As demand has soared, so has the urgency for new access models that bypass conventional barriers. In response, a new generation of direct-to-consumer (DTC) healthcare platforms has emerged. From telehealth companies to digital pharmacies, these companies are reshaping how patients engage with care. Many now offer bundled GLP-1 programs that include virtual consultations, lab testing, prescription delivery, and coachingall for a cash price. These models circumvent insurance entirely and appeal to patients seeking affordability, convenience, and transparency. Simultaneously, pharmaceutical manufacturers have responded with creative pricing partnerships, cash pay programs, and manufacturer savings cards. For example, Novo Nordisk just launched a new program with GoodRx to offer Ozempic and Wegovy for $499 per month to eligible patients at over 70,000 pharmacies nationwide. These efforts improve access and affordability by breaking down the cost barrier to care, making previously unaffordable treatments more attainable to consumers with valid prescriptions. GLP-1 manufacturers and patients alike are seeing success with this model. Earlier this year, Eli Lilly reported that roughly 100,000 people buy Zepbound each month directly through the companys LillyDirect platform. Its a case study illustrating the demand for these DTC platforms, which make affordability and access more widely available to the consumers who need these medications. GLP-1s have become more than a class of breakthrough medicationstheyve become a catalyst for redefining how Americans experience pharmacy care. They are rewiring the infrastructure of U.S. drug access, with implications that extend far beyond weight loss. This shift is laying the groundwork for a broader rethinking of affordability models for high-impact medications, especially those where cost and coverage are often barriers to care. Other high-cost conditions, from cancer to autoimmune diseases to womens health, can significantly benefit from this model. Beyond the cost hurdles, the DTC approach can offer greater convenience for consumers struggling with a debilitating condition that requires specific, non-generic medications. Mental health is a great example of this given demand for services often far surpasses what the existing healthcare infrastructure can supportnot unlike the obesity epidemic. As a result, experts predict well begin to see more DTC options come to market to improve access to medications and treatments within the mental health space. The government is contributing to this change, too. With significant pressure on manufacturers to deliver on most-favored-nation pricing for US-based consumers, offering a DTC distribution model is one of the requested actions. In my role, Im actively working with leaders in pharma to share how GoodRx can be leveraged to create exclusive affordable cash price programs or integrate existing DTC offerings into our platform, which is used by nearly 30 million consumers and over one million healthcare professionals each year. In this reimagined landscape, the system can work better for everyone. Consumers gain more control and options regarding their treatment choices. Healthcare professionals and pharmacists are presented with fewer administrative burdens. Pharma manufacturers can establish a more direct relationship with their end users, enhancing brand trust and patient satisfaction. And insurance companies might be pushed to reconsider their coverage strategies due to the competitive alternatives arising in the patient pay marketplace. The GLP-1 revolution has shown that demand for effective treatment can outpace the system’s ability to deliver it equitably. In the process, it has accelerated experimentation with new pricing structures, affordability partnerships, and technology-driven delivery channels. If this momentum continues, we can create a future where equitable, affordable access to high-impact medications is the normnot the exception. Laura Jensen is chief commercial officer and president of pharma solutions for GoodRx.
Category:
E-Commerce
After a few slow years, M&A is heating up again. Crunchbase counted 537 M&A deals in Q4 2024. Its the strongest quarter in seven years, up 46% year-over-year, much of it driven by an interest in AI. AI acquisitions hit a record high in Q2 2025. One of them was my company, Kraftful. Amplitude, a public company, acquired Kraftful to integrate our companys AI-powered user feedback analysis directly into Amplitudes platform, empowering product teams to see what their users did and said, all in one place. Kraftful turns messy, multichannel user feedback into prioritized product insights that will be directly tied to product usage in Amplitude. Prior to the acquisition, I ran an M&A process involving 10+ potential buyers, from public tech giants to fast-growing private companies, and I learned a ton along the way. Here are eight lessons I learned from selling my company in the middle of an acquisition boom. 1. Startups are bought, not sold You may have heard this phrase before. I had too. But heres the nuance: Its not that you cant proactively sell your startup. Its that acquisitions driven by an acquirers initial interest usually yield better outcomes, given your situation and the state of the market. Our process started with inbound interest from a few companies looking to buy Kraftful for strategic reasons. To ensure the best deal, I also connected directly with CEOs, CTOs, and chief product officers at 25+ companies, leading to serious conversations with more than 10 companies. Ultimately, the companies that moved fastest were those who approached us first, because they already had a strong internal motivation to buy. 2. The big decision Even if an acquisition starts with inbound interest, you still need to evaluate if its strategically right for your company, whether the timing makes sense, and if the opportunity cost of investing time in the process is justified even if the deal falls through. If the opportunity looks promising, limit early conversations to a defined period to quickly validate genuine interest and viability. Ideally pursue an acquisition well before youre low on runway so you dont lose leverage if things drag out. Market conditions matter too. When we first started our M&A process, the environment was very different than it is today. Right now, theres an unusually high number of early-stage startups looking to get acquired, which makes securing the best possible outcome tougher. 3. The M&A process An acquisition usually takes months, though it can be squeezed into days if both parties are motivated, like the recent Windsurf/Cognition deal. Here are the main steps: Initial conversations Initial diligence Term sheet, typically a letter of intent (LOI) Deeper diligence Signing the definitive agreement (Sometimes) regulatory approval Once you sign an LOI, youre locked into an exclusivity periodso youll want to explore other options and negotiate key terms before signing an LOI. The more companies you can move to LOI in parallel, the better your outcome because you can explore all your options and use them as leverage during negotiations. 4. Invest in excellent M&A lawyers I was lucky to have stellar lawyers by my side. They were experienced, fast, pragmatic, and willing to keep redlines minimal. Choose counsel with relevant M&A experience. For example, being backed by Y Combinator, Kraftful raised on YC SAFEs during multiple funding rounds. SAFE is a standard YC financing instrument, but once you enter an acquisition process, those simple agreements often become a key area of legal complexity if you dont have experience with them. Some of the M&A lawyers I interviewed had never touched a SAFE before. I spent our calls educating them before disqualifying them. Much better to learn that upfront than to risk bad advice mid-deal. 5. Beware of snooping Yes, youll sign an NDA before acquisition talks. But in practice, little prevents a competitor from copying your product based on what they learn. Watch for red flags like unnecessary digging into the secret sauce of your product. My main goal in talking with multiple acquirers was to land the best deal. A side benefit was recognizing the types of questions genuine acquirers ask. That helped me spot a competitor fishing for information and to avoid disclosing trade secrets. 6. Experienced acquirers move faster The more experienced the acquirer, the faster they move. Speed is critical in M&A.I learned this the hard way. One inbound company was highly motivated to acquire us but had never made an acquisition despite being around for 15+ years. During diligence, it became obvious why: They dragged their feet and could not make a decision. Even if they eventually had been able close the deal (unlikely), their slow culture wouldve made post-acquisition life painful for any founder. 7. Dont get emotionally attached until you close Easier said than done. After spending months in acquisition talksoften at the expense of growing your businessits tempting to feel obligated to sell. Resist that urge. Throughout our process, I kept reminding myself of two things: Most acquisitions fall apart before closing: Nothing is certain until the ink is dry. I was genuinely excited about the company I was still building. The best way to stay flexible? Keep shipping. Our last major product launch happened during diligence, just before closing. We pushed new features weekly right up until the end. Staying emotionally detached helped me negotiate from a position of strength. On the flip side, whenever I let myself get too attached, I felt my leverage slip. 8. Use AI to your advantage I leaned heavily on ChatGPTs advanced reasoning models to educate myself on the M&A process and shape my strategy. I did much legal research myself with AI, then validated it with counsel. As with any negotiation, the better you understand the playing field, the better your odds. I hope this playbook helps anyone considering M&Aor simply curious about how the process really works. Yana Welinder is CEO and founder of Kraftful Inc.
Category:
E-Commerce
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