Cathleen Kuo, MD
CEO at Opalite Health (YC W26)
Palo Alto, California, USA
Cathleen Kuo, MD is a CEO at Opalite Health (YC W26), based in Palo Alto, California, USA, currently leading the Healthcare voice AI for limited-English-proficiency patients project, previously at Med-DX, Foundation Capital and BeMo Academic Consulting.
Cathleen Kuo, MD is the co-founder and CEO of Opalite Health (YC W26), a healthcare voice AI startup helping providers communicate with limited English proficiency patients across 150+ languages. Opalite Health went through Y Combinator's Winter 2026 batch and was featured by TechCrunch as one of the most interesting startups from YC W26 Demo Day. Before Opalite Health, Cathleen Kuo, MD co-founded Med-DX from January 2023 to February 2025, participated in the Foundation Capital Build Cohort from June to December 2024, served as an Academic Consultant at BeMo Academic Consulting from September 2023 to August 2024, and went through the AI Entrepreneurs at Berkeley incubator from February to June 2024. Based in Palo Alto, California, with an MD credential and a medical background informing Opalite Health's focus on high-stakes healthcare voice AI.
Currently
Co-Founder, CEO at Opalite Health (YC W26)
Dec 2024 — Present
Project: Healthcare voice AI for limited-English-proficiency patients
Since December 2024, Co-Founder, CEO at Opalite Health (YC W26). Co-founded and leads Opalite Health, a healthcare voice AI company helping providers communicate with limited English proficiency patients across 150+ languages. Opalite Health went through Y Combinator's Winter 2026 (W26) batch and was featured by TechCrunch as one of the most interesting startups from YC W26 Demo Day. The company focuses on safely deploying voice AI in high-stakes clinical situations and was spotlighted by Mercury in Times Square and presented at ViVE 2026. Co-founded with Alex Mehregan.
Previously
Co-Founder at Med-DX
Jan 2023 — Feb 2025
Project: Med-DX co-founding tenure
Co-Founder at Med-DX, January 2023 to February 2025. Co-founded Med-DX, overlapping with the launch of Opalite Health in December 2024, through February 2025.
Build Cohort at Foundation Capital
Jun 2024 — Dec 2024
Project: Foundation Capital Build Cohort (founder program)
Build Cohort at Foundation Capital, June 2024 to December 2024. Participated in Foundation Capital's Build Cohort founder program from June to December 2024.
Academic Consultant at BeMo Academic Consulting
Sep 2023 — Aug 2024
Project: Part-time academic consulting
Academic Consultant at BeMo Academic Consulting, September 2023 to August 2024. Served as a part-time Academic Consultant at BeMo Academic Consulting from September 2023 to August 2024.
Incubator at AI Entrepreneurs at Berkeley
Feb 2024 — Jun 2024
Project: AI Entrepreneurs at Berkeley incubator
Incubator at AI Entrepreneurs at Berkeley, February 2024 to June 2024. Participated in the AI Entrepreneurs at Berkeley incubator from February to June 2024, based in San Francisco, California.
Skills
- Healthcare Voice AI
- Medical Interpretation & Language Access
- Digital Health
- Clinical Medicine
- Y Combinator
- Founder Sales
- Healthcare Product Strategy
- Startup Leadership
- Healthcare Compliance
- Voice AI Safety
Frequently Asked
Who is Cathleen Kuo, MD?
Cathleen Kuo, MD is a CEO at Opalite Health (YC W26), based in Palo Alto, California, USA, currently leading the Healthcare voice AI for limited-English-proficiency patients project, previously at Med-DX, Foundation Capital and BeMo Academic Consulting.
What does Cathleen Kuo, MD do?
Cathleen Kuo, MD works as a CEO at Opalite Health (YC W26). Co-founded and leads Opalite Health, a healthcare voice AI company helping providers communicate with limited English proficiency patients across 150+ languages. Opalite Health went through Y Combinator's Winter 2026 (W26) batch and was featured by TechCrunch as one of the most interesting startups from YC W26 Demo Day. The company focuses on safely deploying voice AI in high-stakes clinical situations and was spotlighted by Mercury in Times Square and presented at ViVE 2026. Co-founded with Alex Mehregan.
Where is Cathleen Kuo, MD based?
Cathleen Kuo, MD is based in Palo Alto, California, USA.
What is Cathleen Kuo, MD working on?
Cathleen Kuo, MD is currently working on the Healthcare voice AI for limited-English-proficiency patients project at Opalite Health (YC W26). Co-founded and leads Opalite Health, a healthcare voice AI company helping providers communicate with limited English proficiency patients across 150+ languages. Opalite Health went through Y Combinator's Winter 2026 (W26) batch and was featured by TechCrunch as one of the most interesting startups from YC W26 Demo Day. The company focuses on safely deploying voice AI in high-stakes clinical situations and was spotlighted by Mercury in Times Square and presented at ViVE 2026. Co-founded with Alex Mehregan.
Where has Cathleen Kuo, MD worked before?
Before Opalite Health (YC W26), Cathleen Kuo, MD worked at Med-DX, Foundation Capital, BeMo Academic Consulting and AI Entrepreneurs at Berkeley.