WoW Woman in Health Tech I Priya Patel, founder and CEO of Wellen
Based in New York City, Priya Patel is a seasoned entrepreneur in the health tech sector with over 18 years of diverse experience. She is the founder and CEO of Wellen, a pioneering digital health platform for active aging that focuses on personalized exercise programs for conditions such as osteoporosis and osteopenia.
Before building Wellen, Priya was on the founding team of Sesame, a direct-to-patient healthcare marketplace, where she led product from inception through to launching the company nationwide during the pandemic. Priya's journey in the tech world is marked by her non-traditional path that started in law, ventured through non-profit work, and culminated in the intersection of healthcare and technology.
Outside of her professional life, Priya is a mom of two children whom she hopes to inspire to pursue their dreams while making a positive impact on the world.
Wellen is a pioneering digital health platform committed to transforming the landscape of active aging. With an initial focus on osteoporosis and osteopenia, Wellen is empowering women over 50 with digital tools to help them lead active, independent lives. From building an AI-powered chatbot for bone health information to developing personalized exercise regimens, Wellen leverages the latest technology to deliver science-backed, personalized wellness. Based in New York City, Wellen stands at the forefront of healthcare innovation, dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of millions of women worldwide.
Tell us a bit about your background and your projects so far.
Raised in a family of doctors who deeply value service, I’ve always been passionate about making a scalable, positive impact on the world. I've started a non-profit working with artisans in India, journeyed through law, and ultimately discovered my niche in UX design and product leadership. As the first employee and head of product at Sesame, a direct-to-patient healthcare marketplace, I honed my skills in building digital health solutions. Now, as the founder of Wellen, I'm addressing an incredibly overlooked space in women’s health – active aging. We're pioneering digital tools like our personalized osteoporosis and osteopenia programs and generative AI chatbot to empower women over 50 to live life actively and independently.
How did you get into this industry? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?
Transitioning into the tech industry was a circuitous journey for me. Initially trained as a lawyer, my entrepreneurial spirit led me to help launch a non-profit and later, to join a startup through TechStars. There, I immersed myself in the startup culture, and despite being one of the few women in the program at the time, I loved the experience. But, the industry's male-dominated culture, combined with my desire for motherhood, led me to step back temporarily.
During my hiatus, I reskilled as a UX designer, bridging my analytical and creative talents. This led me back to startups and into digital health, an industry where I found my true calling. However, the path hasn't been without challenges. As a woman in a still predominantly male sector, and balancing my responsibilities as a mother, I've had to overcome several hurdles.
Navigating this path inspired me to create Wellen – a solution not just for women's health, but also as a statement towards more gender balance in the tech industry. My hope is to pave the way for more women entrepreneurs and to challenge the narrative around aging for women.
How long did it take you to be where you are now? What was the biggest obstacle? What are the challenges of being in the industry you are in?
It's been a 20-year journey since my graduation from Harvard to founding Wellen. The biggest obstacle was navigating a male-dominated tech industry while balancing motherhood, which led me to a hiatus from startups. As a woman in tech, the challenges are multifaceted, ranging from lack of representation and role models to lack of access to capital. In the health tech space, specifically, one key challenge is pushing for more inclusive innovation that addresses the often overlooked health needs of older women, rather than following the well-trodden paths of tech solutions aimed predominantly at younger demographics.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
Building Wellen is, of course, one of my biggest accomplishments to date. Our mission is not just to build a successful business, but to make a positive, scalable impact on health and wellness, and we're doing that every day. Equally important to me is navigating motherhood alongside this entrepreneurial journey. Demonstrating to my daughter and son that it's possible to passionately pursue professional dreams while also being a present, engaged parent is an achievement I’m extremely proud of. I can’t wait to see what problems my children will help solve someday.
What are the projects you are currently working on?
At Wellen, we are building a platform for active aging, with an initial focus on osteoporosis and osteopenia. 1 in 2 women over 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis – this is a staggering statistic. We've developed a personalized exercise program to empower women diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia to proactively manage their bone health and prevent falls and fractures. Additionally, we've recently introduced a generative AI chatbot, leveraging LLMs, which provides accessible, comprehensible information about bone health based on our expert-written Well Guide, furthering our mission to support active aging.
Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
Unquestionably, the #WomenInTech movement is vital to me. The tech sector, powered by venture capital, has the potential to drastically transform lives. However, solutions are usually generated for problems we deeply comprehend. When tech is male-dominated, many problems that women encounter are overlooked. Women, who live longer, control considerable wealth, and face unique challenges, need their issues addressed. Ensuring more women participate in tech doesn't only enhance equity, it broadens the scope of problems we can solve. The #WomenInTech movement is not just beneficial for women, but indispensable for society at large.
What will be the key trends in your industry in the next five years and where do you see them heading?
I believe the next five years will see two key trends reshaping our industry. First, the burgeoning potential of AI, particularly generative AI, will seep into our everyday lives in unprecedented ways. At Wellen, we've just begun to leverage AI with our chatbot, and we plan to incorporate generative AI into our core product experience. I foresee this integration of AI becoming a universal trend across industries.
Secondly, the aging baby boomer population, coupled with increased longevity, will spur the development of tailored solutions for this demographic. This will result in a surge of innovation centered around enhancing the quality of life for the aging population. I'm thrilled to witness and contribute to these impending transformations.
What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry?
Make it happen. Becoming a tech founder and building a company from the ground up requires a lot of grit. You’ll get rejection and roadblocks - some because you’re a woman and some just because entrepreneurship is a hard path to tread - but remain steadfast in your belief in yourself and your vision. The path may be strewn with ups and downs, but the price is worth paying when you’re building something that has the potential to change the world.
Who are three inspirational women in your respective industry you admire?
Firstly, Ada Lovelace, a woman ahead of her time, authored the world's first machine algorithm, essentially becoming the first computer programmer. Secondly, I'm inspired by Anne Wojcicki, co-founder of 23andMe. Her work democratizing access to genetic information has revolutionized our understanding of ourselves. Lastly, I have profound respect for Kate Ryder, the founder of Maven Clinic, for her pioneering work in women's health.
What inspired you to build this company?
My personal journey profoundly shapes Wellen's mission. The painful experience of watching my grandmother’s severe osteoporosis lead to physical decline, confinement to a wheelchair, and ultimately a nursing home, despite having no other ailments, deeply affected me. She passed away in the nursing home early in the pandemic and saying goodbye to her, separated by a glass window, was one of the hardest moments of my life -- and is what inspired me to create Wellen.
Osteoporosis is not just my grandmother's story; it's also my mother’s and potentially my own, as one in two women over 50 will suffer a bone break due to this condition. Our mission at Wellen is to rewrite this narrative.
If you want to share your story with us and be featured on our WoW Women blog, get in touch.
This interview was conducted by Marija Butkovic, Digital Marketing and PR strategist, founder, and CEO of Women of Wearables. She regularly writes and speaks on topics of wearable tech, fashion tech, IoT, entrepreneurship, and diversity. Follow Marija on Twitter @MarijaButkovic and read her stories for Forbes here.