Krishna Moorthy and Venetia Wynter-Blyth, Co-founders Onkohealth: “it is the knowledge that there is a human behind the tech that drives engagement“.
Meet Krishna and Venetia, co-founders of Onkohealth
1. Describe your startup in two sentences?
Onkohealth provides intelligent prehabilitation to people undergoing treatment for cancer. Our digital-first programmes are rooted in behaviour change science, and guided by clinical evidence. Built using intelligent technology, they provide health coaching, tailored to the individual and are proven to improve clinical outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
Thanks to data-based profiling, they reorientate around precise risks, clinical pathways and goals, connecting patients to coaches and clinicians when their expertise is needed.
2. What gave you the inspiration?
As a surgeon I was able to observe that people diagnosed with cancer are often in poor health and cancer and its treatment results in further deterioration in health, which increases the risk of poor treatment outcomes. This is an intractable problem and despite advances in surgical techniques I was unable to reduce complications as much as I would have liked like. It occurred to me that the patient is the biggest variable, if you can develop a system to engage patients and optimise their health then you can shift the bar on cancer outcomes. For this reason, Onkohealth was borne. It is rooted in clinical experience, Venetia and I have seen first-hand how such an approach can influence outcomes for the better.
3. How did you meet?
We first started working together at Imperial almost 15 years ago now.
Over the years we have developed and worked on a number of projects together, won multiple awards but Onkohealth is the most exciting by far. We have very different perspectives. Venetia’s strengths are her meticulous attention to detail, qualitative data and she is far more ‘people oriented’. She focusses on clinical, operational and product delivery. My strengths are oriented towards a more quantitative approach through data-driven development and problem solving. I also love a commercial challenge. As a result, my focus is directed towards commercial and R&D.
Working with Venetia is one of the things I enjoy most about Onko. We are just completely aligned and we complement each other. We may have a different approach but we have the same values, work ethic and ambition. Yes, there are heated debates (we have very different perspectives) but that’s why I think we are creating something so unique. The debate reflects a diversity of opinion which only enhances the quality of everything we do .
4. What has been your greatest success to date? And your greatest challenge?
Our greatest success has been the feedback we’ve received from everyone who has experienced Onko. Our early traction with both the private and public healthcare systems is heartening because it tells us that we are on the right path. We can already see the impact of our product on all the key outcomes such as health improvement, quality of life and complications.
Our greatest challenge has been adjusting to remote working for the whole team. Being clinicians we were more comfortable with in-person teamwork and patient care but the fact that we have now successfully implemented a remote model of working and patient care whilst maintaining our core values and the impact of our product, has been a real revelation (and keeps our fixed costs low!)
5. What kind of impact is your business having and how do you measure it?
We are a data-driven company and really proud of our results which include:
- 90% of patients complete the full 12-week programme
- A 10% improvement in physical fitness and a 25% improvement in muscle strength in patients despite chemotherapy.
- An NPS of 83
- Our institutional customers are seeing reductions in healthcare utilisations on cancer pathways and resulting cost savings of nearly £1500 per patient.
We have over 7 peer-reviewed publications and have at least another 4 publications in the pipeline.
We are also growing a brilliant team who are totally on board with Onko’s values and mission and want to change people’s lives for the better.
6. How has Covid affected your business?
Interestingly, the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital technology in healthcare. There are a growing number of people who are comfortable receiving healthcare via apps and through video platforms.
We quickly recognised that to deliver a truly inclusive service we had to provide a web-based platform for people without access to smart technology or who may lack confidence with apps. The ability to cater for everyone irrespective of digital capability is a unique feature of Onkohealth and we currently have a 70% (app) v 30% (web-based) user split.
However, even with the most sophisticated algorithms and automation we still believe (and have validated this assumption with users) that every patient should have at least an initial consultation with a human coach. It is the knowledge that there is a human being behind the technology that drives engagement and adherence. This enables our data to be high quality, more complete and representative of the cancer population and is a key differentiator.
7. When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?
I’ve wanted to be a surgeon since my early teens (KM)
8. If you weren’t doing this, what would be your plan B?
I would have continued to work in the NHS but would have continued to develop innovations to improve cancer outcomes. Having personally seen the impact of cancer on people, I would always have strived to develop ideas, technologies and systems to give people a better quality of life (KM)
9.What would you save in a fire?
My children (KM)
10. Who is your role model/ greatest influence? And why?
People like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett not because they are commercially successful but because they see that as a way of making this world a better place (KM).
11. What is your happy track?
There’s no one track but I love jazz and have always dreamed of playing the saxophone like John Coltrane. Maybe my son will play ‘In a sentimental mood’ on my 60th birthday!
12. What’s your motto?
Kindness first We’re considerate, empathetic and professional - always.
Push further We debate, think, learn, evolve and break barriers.
Come one, come all We welcome new ideas and different perspectives.
13. What are you most looking forward to in 2023?
Getting closer to achieving our vision to improve the lives of a million people with cancer in 10 years (KM)