Case Study
Healthcare Startup
Stage
Early-stage startup with a non-functional initial MVP
Goals
Provide CTO leadership, design & build initial MVP’s, establish a technical roadmap, ensure a scalable tech stack, and prepare in-house development capabilities
Challenges
Undefined Technical Direction
The startup's initial MVP wasn’t functioning as planned and lacked a structured technical architecture, leaving it unprepared for future integrations or scale. Given the area that the startup was launching into, information & data security, interoperability and integration were heavily regulated and needed to be a core factor in all technical decisions.
Reliance on External Partners
Their technical development was heavily dependent on third-party resources, which increased costs and limited flexibility. Lack of a CTO meant that direction was being dictated by multiple partners, leading to conflicts.
Lack of In-House Expertise
The client's long-term vision included building an internal development team but lacked a clear pathway to achieve this. A lack of CTO was impacting communication with investors, prospects and partners.
Fusion242’s Approach
Technical Review and Strategic Planning
Conducted a comprehensive assessment of the client's MVP, identifying gaps in functionality, scalability, and usability.
Developed a secure and scalable cloud & data strategy to ensure compliance with European, UK, and US (HIPAA) regulations, aligning with best practices for data privacy and security in healthcare
Solution Development
Replaced the initial MVP with a functional, compliant web application that met immediate user needs while providing a strong foundation for scale and integration.
Built separate mobile applications tailored for patients and doctors, each designed to enhance user experience and meet specific clinical and patient engagement needs.
Strategic CTO Representation
Acted as the client's CTO, representing their interests to global investors, hospitals, and clinics, which enhanced credibility and facilitated partnerships.
Guided the delivery of significant project milestones in alignment with an ongoing EU Horizon 2020 project, ensuring compliance with its objectives and timelines.
Vendor Assessment and Partner Optimisation
Evaluated and optimised the client's external partnerships, providing insights on which relationships aligned best with their long-term objectives.
Developed a roadmap to gradually transition key technical functions in-house, establishing a foundation for an internal development team to take ownership of ongoing technical needs.
Roadmap to In-House Development
Crafted a phased plan for building and training an internal development team, ensuring knowledge transfer and continuity. Conducted recruitment activities and vetting of applicants, along with salary and contract negotiations.
Implemented a technical framework for easy onboarding and support of future in-house development, setting the client up for long-term autonomy.
Results
Working MVPs & Firm Technical Direction
Working MVPs enabled the client to showcase their vision to interested parties and to start delivering the value of their solution to patients, caregivers and medical personnel.
Scalable Technical Architecture
Delivered a robust architecture plan with scalable infrastructure using Microsoft Azure, .NET web applications and serverless API infrastructure and react native applications across multiple mobile device platforms, enabling the client to expand their offerings and integrate seamlessly with third-party healthcare solutions.
Enhanced Cost Efficiency
By providing a clear path toward in-house development, the client could reduce dependency on costly third-party resources, leading to long-term savings.
Structured Team Growth
Enabled the client to build a knowledgeable, skilled in-house development team prepared to take ownership of the technical roadmap as the company grows.
Key Takeaways
Strategic Partner Selection
For healthcare startups, choosing partners who align with long-term goals is critical to achieving scalable growth.
Invest in Future-Proof Architecture
Early architectural planning saves significant costs and effort, especially in complex fields like healthcare tech.
Building Internal Capabilities
Establishing an in-house team can empower startups that will rely on rapid growth of their product to adapt quickly to market changes and innovation needs. Moving from the MVP to scaling phase becomes less risky.