Two former University of Chicago students, including Armenian co-founder Tigran Bdoyan, have secured $2 million in seed funding for their AI-driven healthcare simulation company, SimCare AI. The startup aims to revolutionize clinical training by providing AI-generated patient interactions, reducing costs while maintaining accreditation standards.
The funding round was led by Y Combinator and Drive Capital, with contributions from Harper Court Ventures Fund, Singularity Capital, Triple S Ventures, Goodwater Capital, Asymmetry Ventures, Sand Hill North, and Transpose Platform.
AI-Driven Training for Future Clinicians
SimCare AI was born from personal experience. Co-founder Vrishank Saini struggled with a clinical communications exam and could not afford expensive tutoring. This challenge inspired him and Bdoyan to create an AI-based solution. Their platform gained rapid traction, reaching 2,500 users and generating $5,000 in monthly revenue within just three weeks.
Initially rejected by Y Combinator, the co-founders reapplied with different emails and secured $500,000 in funding. As Saini mentioned the AI-powered simulations allow clinicians to witness disease progression patterns in a fraction of the time traditional training methods require.”
Expanding Access and Reducing Training Costs
SimCare AI’s platform is designed for residency programs, therapy education, and telehealth recruitment. The system reduces hiring and onboarding costs by providing real-time patient interactions. The company has secured 30 pilot programs, including one with the University of Pennsylvania.
With healthcare institutions facing a shortage of experienced physicians, SimCare AI offers a scalable solution. Traditional training models require extensive faculty supervision and role-playing exercises, which are expensive and time-consuming. The AI-driven system allows clinical competency to be assessed with 20 AI-generated patient encounters instead of the usual 200.
Professor Douglas A. Drossman, President of DrossmanCare, praised the technology: “SimCare AI has integrated our vast library of educational content into an innovative program that allows providers to engage in advanced, simulated patient interviews. The real-time feedback helps clinicians refine their skills like never before.”
Looking ahead, SimCare AI plans to expand its platform by incorporating more clinical data, including transcripts and diagnostic assessments. The company aims to establish a standardized evaluation system for clinical training, helping healthcare organizations enhance workforce competency.
