Startp Founder Interview: Stefaniya Barabanava of Sphere Health

Stefaniya Barabanava, the co-founder of Sphere Health, discusses her company's focus on healthcare operations intelligence. The company aims to address the growing insurance complexity by providing an AI-driven solution that automates the work typically managed through phone calls, portals, and spreadsheets. Stefaniya and her co-founder Serge complement each other's strengths, with Stefaniya digging deep to understand problems and Serge building the product. They both share a common goal of not accepting the status quo in healthcare workflows.

Stefaniya emphasizes that success for Sphere Health is measured by both the business and the practices using the product. The business metrics include paying practices, usage, and retention, while the practice metrics focus on reducing calls, preventable claim problems, and time spent searching for answers. She wants both sets of metrics to move in tandem, indicating that Sphere is not only growing the business but also improving the lives of those using its services.

The company's traction is primarily organic, with practices spreading the word about Sphere to others in the industry. This approach has led to a significant portion of customers coming through provider referrals. Stefaniya believes that the next year will be crucial for Sphere as it aims to expand through provider referrals while taking on more operational work within each office.

Ultimately, the company aspires to provide small practices with the operational capacity of larger organizations without sacrificing their independence.