Sheji Ho is the co-founder and CEO of HD, a healthcare and surgery marketplace in emerging Southeast Asia. Born in Shanghai, raised in the Netherlands, and having worked in the US, China, and Southeast Asia, he has experienced different healthcare business models as a patient himself.

Drawing from companies like JD Health in China and Pristyn Care in India, the team at HD is on a mission to build "Airbnb for Surgeons" in Southeast Asia.

👋🏼 How would you explain your job to someone outside tech?

Building a healthcare and surgery marketplace to help:

• Patients get access to affordable care in emerging SEA countries.
• Healthcare providers increase utilization of vacant operating rooms.
• Surgeons regain their independence by empowering them to operate anywhere, anytime.

🧐 What's something about you or your job that would surprise us?

There's a big gap between what healthcare providers in emerging SEA countries really need versus what the market offers them.

We see hospitals operating on shared hotmail.com email inboxes for patient communications. Yet, they're being pitched crypto metaverse web3 healthcare and the next-gen telehealth virtual reality software.

🏆 What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

Enabling patients to undergo quality life-changing surgeries for less than what the market charges them.

🔍 What's a startup trend or space you're watching this year?‍

Seeing more startups going back to the basics and fundamentals versus chasing the next big thing.

💼 What advice would you give someone starting out in your industry?

Sharing a tweet that Andy Mychkovsky from the Healthcare Pizza Newsletter posted:

"Only start a healthcare co if you're willing to dedicate 10+ years on that one idea. Quick wins are incredibly rare when dealing with patients' safety. As they should be."

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🗣 What's one thing you can keep talking about for hours?

Healthcare business models

🎥 What's your favorite movie/TV show?

Breaking Bad

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🍨 What's your go-to ice cream flavor?‍

Chocolate