So You Want To Build an AI Company?

The ambient clinical documentation market has become one of healthcare’s most competitive spaces, with companies like Ambience Healthcare, Nabla, and Suki on a mission to solve the physician burnout crisis by turning hours of note-taking into automated workflows. These three founders entered the ambient scribe market at a pivotal moment when physicians were drowning in documentation burden and EHR fatigue, creating what seemed like a perfect opportunity for AI disruption. But selling into health systems is not easy, to put it lightly. Building startups in healthcare means confronting challenges that don’t exist in other industries: complicated medical terminology, liability concerns, privacy requirements, long procurement cycles and generally higher-stakes overall. These founders are ready to share the candid truth about what it takes to build in this space, from the early wins that validated their vision to the moments when deals fell through, competitors were circling, and technical challenges were a reality. Because if you want to build an AI company, persistence, passion and the ability to welcome healthy competition are all part of the process!