Andre Bertram

Yo, you gotta hear about Andre Bertram. The dude’s the real deal in medtech and startups, no cap. He’s a young gun who’s been crushing it since he was basically a kid. Started out with a background in systems design engineering from Waterloo, that’s some serious tech cred right there. But what really sets him apart is how he turned that into a mission to make healthcare accessible and affordable.

So, here’s the scoop: Andre co-founded HelpWear back in 2015, and he was the CEO till 2023, now he’s just the Chairman. HelpWear’s all about at-home health tech, they built this HeartWatch, a clinical-grade ECG monitor you can wear 24/7. Think about it, a device that can catch heart issues in real time and even call for help if shit goes sideways. That’s advanced healthcare, and Andre’s been pushing it since day one. The fact that he led that through YC’s S17 batch (which is no joke) shows he’s got the hustle and vision.

But it’s not just that. Andre’s been involved with some heavy hitters, worked with Bayer on that Grants4Apps project, which is all about pushing healthcare innovation. He’s also been part of the Creative Destruction Lab West, which is basically Silicon Valley for startups on the West Coast, helping them grow and scale. And he’s got his fingers in a lot of pots, he’s on the board at the American Federation for Aging Research and the Academy for Health & Lifespan Research, plus he’s a founding member of the Longevity Biotechnology Association. That’s some serious commitment to pushing the boundaries of health tech and aging.

He didn’t stop there. Andre’s involved with The Thiel Foundation as a Thiel Fellow since 2018, that’s a big deal, given how selective and prestigious that is. Plus, he’s now running Bertram Endeavours, investing in healthcare and crypto. That shows he’s not just building stuff but also backing the future with his own capital.

What’s crazy is how young he is, he jumped into all this while still in his teens, and he’s been through programs like MIT Launch with Magnet and collaborated with LinkedIn. Dude’s always been about pushing the envelope. His process screams one thing: he’s motivated by a genuine desire to solve big problems, especially in healthcare, and he’s doing it with a mix of tech, grit, and a killer network.

And he’s based between Toronto and Abu Dhabi, which shows he’s got a global outlook. He’s not just playing local; he’s aiming for the world stage. Dude’s got recognition and funding coming in from all directions, UBC’s CDL, the Biomedical Zone, St. Mike’s, Ryerson, Waterloo, YC, you name it. That’s how you know he’s onto something.

Bottom line? Andre Bertram is one of those guys who saw a problem, jumped into it early, and kept pushing until he built real solutions that can change lives. He’s a young innovator with a track record of turning ideas into effective tech. He’s the kind of person you look at and think, “Holy shit, this guy’s just getting started.”