Priyang Shah

Yo, you gotta hear about Priyang Shah. Dude’s the real deal – a total tech and health insurance nerd who’s just crushed it with his startup, Healia. So, he’s in YC W24 now, but this guy’s been around the block for over 10 years in healthcare, insurance, and software. Started out at places like Root Insurance – he was like the first product guy there, one of the early 15 employees. Then he jumped into Olive AI too. Basically, he’s been deep in the trenches of health tech and insurance, building stuff that actually matters.

But here’s the kicker – even with all that experience, Priyang faced his own nightmare trying to pick the right health plan for his family. Sounds simple, right? Nope. It’s a total mess out there. The tools suck, the info’s scattered, and figuring out what’s best is a giant headache. That frustration lit a fire under him. Why the hell isn’t this easier? So, he decided to build something that actually helps people like him – dual-income families, trying to guide the crazy world of health insurance.

That’s how Healia was born in 2022. The main product, the Total Care Option (TCO), is a big change. It lets companies cover out-of-pocket costs for employees who are on their spouse’s plan – saving cash for the employers and giving employees real coverage. No more bullshit, just simple, smart solutions. And it’s working. They’ve already signed up 14 companies and pulling in over $200K a year – not bad for a startup still early.

Healia’s also got some solid backing – raised half a million in pre-seed, and just jumped into YC’s Winter 2024 batch. They’re based in Columbus, Ohio, which is kinda cool – not the usual Silicon Valley spot, but shows you don’t need to be in SF to build big things. The team’s growing, super tech-focused, all about making insurance better for real people.

What’s wild is, Priyang’s story isn’t just about building a company. It’s about someone who’s been through the pain, saw the bullshit in the industry, and decided to fix it from the ground up. His process screams motivation – not just to succeed, but to make a dent in a seriously broken system. That’s what makes him important. He’s not just another founder – he’s someone who turned personal frustration into a legit movement to change how health insurance works for families.

TL;DR – Priyang Shah’s the guy who saw the pain, jumped into the startup world with all his experience, and is now building something that actually helps people. He’s all about fixing the broken parts of health insurance, and he’s only just getting started.