PigPug Health

I'm a firm believer that the biggest investment we can make is in PEOPLE! These types of investments pay dividends for years to come. I consider Kaiser Permanente's sponsorship of the Halcyon Health Fellows program to be one of them. During their program, Kaiser Permanente senior executives had an opportunity to mentor and coach the fellows on business practices and principles they can incorporate into their businesses and various techniques for pitching their companies to investors. This week, they closed their program with the Halcyon Fellows Spotlight event, where they showcased their businesses, some of which focus on empowering underserved diabetes patients to improve medication adherence, addressing the silent health risks due to the presence of toxic mold,?and a digital maternal health platform focused on identifying at-risk expecting and new mothers. I couldn't be more proud and inspired by each of these entrepreneurs! Their brilliance, tenacity, and desire to change people's lives for the better gives us hope. Kudos to all of you! ????????????Isis Ashford-Swain, Kehlin Swain, Andrea Crewe, Zarah Lakhani, John Russell, Bhakthi Sahgal, Vitali Karpeichyk, Peter Musimami, Kenneth Watson, Jr., JD, Anne Wanlund, and Dr. Elsa Zekeng. Special thanks to Israel Rocha for providing remarks and believing in the value of this program, as well as our moderator, Nicole Kelm, and our panelists, Richard J. McCarthy, MD, and Jason Robart. Thank you to Halcyon and TeamKP for showing up and supporting these amazing entrepreneurs! Cynthia Cifuentes, MBA, Daniel J. Barker, Kimberly Johnson Roberts, Emily R. Owen, Adam Caplan, Christina Davis, DES, Bill Wiechmann, Dr. Tati Warren, Deb St John, PCC, Wayne Coffen, CEM, Sammy Choi, Victoria Younes, CMP, VEMM, Gabrielle Furr, Cate Willing, Betty Hwang, Rachel Pugh Guzzone, and Elizabeth Osho #HalcyonHealthFellow #KaiserPermanente #KPandMe #HealthcareInnovation #SocialImpact

This week was a deeply personal one for me. As someone who understands the life-changing impact of access to quality healthcare—and the barriers that so many face—it was an honor to see the incredible work being done by Halcyon’s Health Cohort at the 2025 Halcyon Health Innovation Spotlight, hosted at Kaiser Permanente’s #CenterforTotalHealth in Washington, D.C. The event brought together imaginative #entrepreneurs, #investors, and #industry leaders who are driving systemic change in critical areas like #maternalchildhealth #mentalhealth, #AI-driven health risk identification, and #oncofertility. Watching these #innovators tackle such essential issues gave us hope for a future where healthcare is accessible, equitable, and groundbreaking. At #KaiserPermanente, we are proud to stand alongside Halcyon sharing our expertise and resources to empower these changemakers as they build solutions focused on social factors of health, making tomorrow healthier for everyone. Thank you to Israel Rocha for his powerful close and for his unwavering support to allow our team to continue to be #bold and color outside the lines to tell our story and make meaningful connections driving health equity in the DMV. Thank you to Richard J. McCarthy, MD and Jason Robart who led a powerful conversation about the intersections of technology, AI, clinical care, vulnerable populations and health outcomes. I am grateful for our exceptional Community Relations and Communications teams for their true collaboration and leadership ?????? Charima Young Wayne Coffen, CEM Victoria Younes, CMP, VEMM Seth Shapiro Cate Willing Sammy Choi For more about how Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States is advancing healthcare innovation and equity, visit kp.org/communityhealth

?? The highly anticipated Final Round of Tach Pitch League kicks off March 27th! After a rigorous selection process and an engaging preliminary phase, this is the last step before one visionary startup secures a $15K investment opportunity. Meet the Startups competing in the Final Round:? ?? Sweet – "We automate business tax return prep with AI" (Toni Witt) ? ?? Rely – "One rental verification with endless possibilities. Rent with confidence!" (Ashley Keyes)? ?? PigPug Health – "AI neurofeedback platform for kids with ADHD and Autism." (Vitali Karpeichyk)? ?? Genie TechBio Inc. – "The world's first AI Bioinformatician." (Iris Lam) ? ? ???Register now to watch the final four pitch their groundbreaking innovations live: https://lu.ma/4myes4l8? ? ?? Who do you think will walk away with the investment? Share your predictions in the comments and tag a friend who should be watching!? ? ?? Tach Pitch League Winner announcement on April 2nd – stay tuned!? ? Huge?thanks to eForte for joining our mission and empowering early-stage founders!? ? #TachPitchLeague #Startups #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #PitchCompetition #Tech

?? What are the latest trends, innovations, challenges, opportunities, and career paths in neurotech and BCI? ?? Welcome to The Knights of the Neurocareers Roundtable, April ‘25! Join us for a lively, collaborative conversation ?? Explore where the field is headed—and how you can be part of it! ?? Friday, April 4th | 12:00 PM EST | Live on LinkedIn ?? Goal: To create a casual, inclusive, and collaborative space where we can exchange insights on neurotech trends, innovations, job opportunities, and career development. ?? Meet the Roundtable Participants: ?? Facilitator – Milena Korostenskaja, PhD – Founder of Neurocareers coaching services at The Institute of Neuroapproaches | Host of the "Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible!" podcast ?? Shares what's trending in neurotech careers and what's coming up on the podcast ?? Hanna Aliashkevich, MD – Neurosurgeon & Brain Tumor Researcher ?| Co-founder of PigPug Health ?? Live demo of a neurofeedback device for ADHD from PigPug Health, connecting clinical practice with neurotech innovation ?? Diego Saldivar – Neurogame Developer ?? Sneak peek of an upcoming neurogame project blending gameplay and brain science ?? Zac C. – Learning & Memory Scientist | Founder of Matter Mechanics ?? Brings a unique perspective shaped by work across cognitive-behavioral psychology, molecular and computational neuroscience, and neuroethics. Shares insights from his journey of biohacking recovery, launching a consulting company, and publishing a memoir. ?? Sujata Yumnam Sinha, PhD – Cognitive & Rehabilitation Neuroscientist | Co-founder of RAINLAB ?? Explores EEG/ERP, rehabilitation neuroscience, and health-tech entrepreneurship from a postdoc & startup lens ??? Roundtable Agenda: Introductions What’s New on Your Radar? (books, projects, tech, news) Trends & Future Directions in Neurotech Biggest Challenges & Opportunities in the Field Upcoming Conferences, Courses, & Funding Opportunities Neurotech Job Market – Openings & Shifts Live Demos & Showcases (Hanna & Diego!) ?? Bring your questions! We'll be taking them live during the event — a chance to interact directly with our amazing panel. ?? Open to all: industry professionals, students, researchers, educators, founders, and curious minds. ?? Save your seat and join the roundtable to elevate your career – your quest begins here! ??! #neurotech #careers #neurotechcareers #neurotechnologies #braincomputerinterfaces #bci #neurocareers #podcast #neurocareerspodcast #neuroapproaches #neurogames #neurogamedevelopment #education #neuralinterfaces #stem #careerdevelopment #careeradvice #industrycareers #neurosurgery #entrepreneurship #books #demo #biofeedback #neurofeedback

?? Tach Pitch League Q1 2025 – Group 2 Winner Announcement! ?? On March 12th, an incredible lineup of early-stage startups pitched in Group 2’s Preliminary Round of the Tach Ignite Pitch League! Each founder brought their A-game, presenting innovative solutions spanning Biotech, HealthTech, Insurtech, and SocialTech. ?? After an intense round of pitches and thoughtful evaluation by the esteemed panel of judges, we’re excited to announce the Group 2 winner: ?? PigPug Health ?? They will receive a non-dilutive prize sponsored by Tach Ignite and are now a leading contender for the final on March 27th. A huge THANK YOU to our dedicated judges who made this event possible: Gerald Nardella, MBA, CMA, Ranjeeta Sondhi, CFA, Ali Ahmadi, Ram Senthamarai, Gangesh Pathak, Nima Niassati, Varun Turlapati, Shalin Varghese, Pouya Jafarian, Matthew Tsai, Sai Sree Teja Kethamreddy. But the excitement isn’t over! Group 3 closes the Preliminary Phase on March 18th, featuring another set of high-potential startups. Who will rise to the challenge? Stay tuned! ?? ?? Follow Tach Ignite to keep up with the action! #TachPitchLeague #TachIgnite #Startups #PitchCompetition

?? Big thanks to Halcyon for the opportunity to serve as a tech advisor to four incredible startups in their health-focused cohort! ?? Vitali Karpeichyk from PigPug Health is developing a neurofeedback solution for ADHD and autism—this technology has mind-blowing potential across many applications! ?? Andrea Crewe from Vitaliti is creating a black mold detection device to keep homes safe and healthy. ?? Kenneth Watson, Jr., JD from HealthLink360.ai is building an integrated health platform that delivers deep health insights using just a phone camera. ?? Peter Musimami from Gumbo is breaking language barriers in healthcare, making medical information accessible worldwide. I'm proud to be part of their journey and wishing these amazing entrepreneurs all the best! If you haven’t heard about Halcyon, you should! It’s a unique philanthropic accelerator focused on social impact, helping mission-driven founders turn vision into reality. #Halcyon #HealthTech #SocialImpact #Craftus #Startups #Innovation

?? Revolutionizing Early Childhood Development: The Impact of Maternal Nutrition Neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD and autism are on the rise, yet their preventable risk factors remain largely overlooked. One key factor? Maternal diet during pregnancy. ???? A groundbreaking study from Gentofte University Hospital, K?benhavns Universitet - University of Copenhagen, published in Nature Metabolism, reveals a strong association between a Western diet during pregnancy and an increased risk of ADHD and autism in children. Using large-scale cohorts and advanced metabolomics, researchers identified 15 key metabolites that mediate this link—offering potential biomarkers for early risk detection. ?? These findings emphasize the critical window of early pregnancy for intervention and open the door to personalized prenatal nutrition strategies that could reduce the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. ?? A call to action for founders and innovators: The intersection of nutrition, metabolomics, and early childhood health presents a massive opportunity for impact. How can we leverage AI, precision nutrition, and biomarker-based interventions to support maternal and child health? ?? If you're building in this space, let’s connect! ?? Read the full study in Nature Metabolism: ?? https://lnkd.in/eeuwvtNB

I've had this question stuck in my head lately: What does it take to have a really healthy brain? Not just fast thinking, but real mental clarity, focus, and long-term resilience. So I sat down with Hanna Aliashkevich, MD, a neurosurgeon, scientist, and poet, to unpack the science behind neuroplasticity, memory, and brain health. We talked about: ?? The 3 essential questions to test whether your brain is performing at its best ?? Why dopamine addiction is killing our focus (and how to fix it) ?? How to train your brain for better learning, creativity, and decision-making ?? The truth about sugar, sleep & longevity (spoiler: some myths are getting busted) Honestly, this conversation changed how I think about my own habits. And if you care about keeping your brain fast, focused, and built to last, you’ll want to hear this. ?? Watch & listen now: https://lnkd.in/edmDSyNy #Neuroscience #BrainHealth #Focus #Longevity #Neuroplasticity #FuturesInTheMaking

Join us on Tuesday, March 25th for Halcyon and Kaiser Permanente's Health Fellowship Innovation Spotlight, featuring the eight dynamic startups of Halcyon's 2025 Health cohort that are addressing some of the country's most pressing healthcare challenges. You'll have the opportunity to hear from the incredible entrepreneurs behind these ventures and explore opportunities to collaborate and support their groundbreaking work. We'll also be hosting executives for welcome remarks and a fireside chat exploring how health tech startups like these are partnering with integrated healthcare providers to increase equitable access to quality care. Whether you're a seasoned investor, a passionate advocate for improved health outcomes, a worker in the healthcare industry, or a member of our community, this dynamic event promises to inform and inspire. ??? Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2025 ? Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM EST ??Location: Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health (700 2nd Street NE, Washington, DC 20002) Register to attend: https://ow.ly/YwK850VfYEB Vitali Karpeichyk, PigPug Health, Gumbo, Rakia Finley, S?kerData, Kenneth Watson, Jr., JD, HealthLink360.ai, Isis Ashford-Swain, Kehlin Swain, Greens Health, John Russell, Bhakthi Sahgal, Oncovana, Andrea Crewe, Vitaliti, Anne Wanlund, Canopie