In this episode of the Startup Operator Podcast, Roshan sits down with Dilip Kumar, investor at Rainmatter, to unpack the complex world of healthcare startups in India. The conversation dives into the fundamental challenges of building trust, why tech solutions often fall short, and the cultural and structural nuances that make healthcare a uniquely difficult sector to crack. Dilip shares his journey from founder to investor, the gaps in India’s healthcare infrastructure, and why founders must rethink traditional VC playbooks if they want to buildfor Bharat.

Whether you’re building in healthtech or just curious about India’s evolving startup landscape, this episode is packed with sharp, first-principles insights.

Topics00:00 Sneak Peek01:00 Introduction – From Founder to Investor03:45 Why Healthcare Is Unlike Any Other Sector07:50 India’s Unique Healthcare Economics10:55 Why Copy-Paste Models Don’t Work in India14:40 Choosing Your Audience: 1M vs 500M17:10 The Real Challenge: Building Trust, Not Just Tech21:00 Post-Covid Shift: Health Awareness and Consumer Behavior24:30 Has the Quantified Self Movement Peaked?29:00 What’s Missing in Mental Health Startups31:25 EEG Wearables, AI Therapy & Future of Wellness33:10 Ayurveda, Quacks & the Problem of Outcomes34:50 How to Find Your Own Healthcare Startup Idea37:00 Why Trust Is the Ultimate Moat in Healthtech39:30 Healthcare Needs Patient Capital, Not Just VC41:00 Dilip’s Personal Health Transformation Journey44:15 Push-Up Challenge & Sign Off 💪

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