Why I’m asking for your vote to speak at SXSW 2026
Three years ago, I launched Fit Minded with one goal: to help digital health and wellness companies use science not as a checkbox, but as a catalyst for growth.
After decades in academia and industry, I saw firsthand how hard it can be for fast-moving teams to access meaningful, real-world scientific insight, especially in ways that align with product goals, timelines, and business needs. I knew there had to be a better way to bridge rigor and relevance.
That vision became Fit Minded.
Today, I’m proud to say that vision is working.
We’ve helped companies across digital mental health, maternal wellness, AI-driven coaching, EAPs, and healthcare generate nearly 40 peer-reviewed studies. We’ve shaped product strategies, refined messaging, built clinical models, and helped teams turn real-world data into strategic advantage.
One of those companies is Bend Health.
Bend has been one of my primary clients for the past three years. As their fractional Chief Science Officer, I worked alongside founder Dr. Monika Roots to embed science across every layer of the business. Together, we built a research and clinical strategy from the ground up, introducing new assessments (including the first for caregivers in this space), leading data analysis for product teams and advisory boards, publishing 17+ peer-reviewed studies, and securing a fundable NIH grant.
The acquisition announcement specifically highlights Bend’s clinical credibility, outcomes, and commitment to measurement—outcomes we helped make possible through thoughtful, behind-the-scenes work.
Now, Monika and I are teaming up to share that story at SXSW 2026 in hopes of showing what’s possible when science is part of the strategy from day one. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at what real collaboration between founders and scientists can unlock, and we’d love your help bringing it to the stage.
Vote here (Voting requires a free SXSW account—quick to create, no badge required)
The Panel: Science Isn’t Just for Studies—It Fuels Startups
In our fireside chat, Monika and I will share how science became a core part of Bend’s strategy, not just for validation, but for product development, clinical outcomes, team alignment, go-to-market, and growth.
We’ll walk through:
- How to bridge the gap between startup urgency and scientific rigor
- How embedded research can improve outcomes and retention
- How to position evidence as an asset for investors, enterprise buyers, and even acquisition
Whether you’re a founder, a product leader, or an investor, this panel offers real insight into what it looks like to operationalize science in a startup without slowing down, and the surprising returns it can generate.
Why Your Vote Matters
SXSW uses a public voting process to help select which panels make it onto the stage. This panel won’t happen without enough votes, and that’s where you come in.
Voting closes August 24, and every single vote counts.
If you’ve followed our work at Fit Minded, believed in our mission, or partnered with us along the way, now’s the time to back that belief with a vote.
And if you’re just discovering this now, thank you for being here. I promise this panel will be worth it.
Why This Story?
Science can’t wait until the end of the roadmap. When embedded early, it becomes the foundation for credibility, alignment, and sustained growth. It helps teams move faster with more clarity, align around what actually works, and build the kind of trust that leads to funding, adoption, and long-term traction.
That’s the story we want to tell on the SXSW stage. Not just because it’s our story, but because it’s a model more founders, product leaders, and investors need to see.
Thanks for reading, and for voting. We’re proud of this work, and even prouder of what it represents: a better way forward for science, strategy, and startups.
Turn science into your startup’s secret weapon—let’s talk.