The Startup Blueprint series shares insights from the founders and operators building companies & ideas defining what the world could become. Hear about their journeys, learn from their insights, and maybe leave with a dose of inspiration.
A sit down with Hanie Yee, CCO and Chief of Staff at Alimetry. With 23 years in HealthTech across biotech, pharma, and medical devices, Hanie joined Alimetry to lead commercialisation efforts for their AI-powered gut health wearable. In this interview, she discusses the shift from corporate to startup, building a go-to-market strategy, and the potential global impact of Kiwi-led healthcare innovation.
Hanie is a leader in the health tech space with 23 years of international experience spanning the commercialisation of biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries.
Four years ago, she joined Alimetry as COO and one of their first employees—a return to the startup world after over two decades in clinical research, roles at major U.S.-based multinationals, a decade at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, and board positions with organisations dedicated to bridging the gap between science and commercialisation in New Zealand.
Alimetry is a MedTech startup on a mission to make gut health accessible to everyone. Their flagship product, an AI-powered wearable device, enables clinicians to quickly and accurately diagnose patients’ gut health issues, moving beyond trial and error to enable faster treatment and personalised care. Headquartered in New Zealand with a presence in the U.S. and U.K., they recently announced a US$18M raise to accelerate commercialisation and explore further applications for their proprietary technology.
Hanie’s career has always been driven by a broader mission: to elevate New Zealand as a formidable global player in MedTech while fostering an inclusive and diverse ecosystem.
Now as CCO and Chief of Staff, she continues to pursue that vision while playing a pivotal role in Alimetry’s growth. We sat down with Hanie to chat about:
- Her transition from corporate to startup: what led to the shift, how two decades of corporate experience laid a foundation, and what does (or doesn’t) translate to an early-stage MedTech company
- Building a go-to-market (GTM) strategy that leverages the company’s core strengths and overcomes common hurdles to early traction
- Their approach to entering offshore markets and insights into their U.S. operations
- The challenges and opportunities that are top of mind following Alimetry’s recent US$18m raise and next chapter of growth
- The role Kiwi startups can play in shaping the global future of healthcare
Kia ora Hanie,
Firstly, what drew you to join an early-stage startup, and what do you think was the biggest strength you brought from your corporate background and the biggest knowledge or experience gap you had to fill?
HY: I began my career with a brief stint at a startup in the biotech sector (Neuren Pharmaceuticals) before transitioning into larger roles across major U.S.-based multinationals and prominent New Zealand corporations. My time in these organisations provided me with invaluable resources, extensive training, and the freedom to fully immerse myself in my work, benefiting from international travel, rigorous schedules, and multiple career progression opportunities. This foundation helped me gain clarity on where I wanted to focus my future efforts.
When I joined Alimetry, I was at a stage in my career where I wanted my contributions to have a lasting impact, to leave a legacy, if you will. I wasn’t actively seeking a startup role, but after connecting with Greg, I quickly recognised how strongly aligned we were in terms of values and mission. Once I understood his vision for Alimetry, joining the journey felt like a natural choice.
There’s truth in the saying, “You can’t be what you haven’t seen.” Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working within exceptional international organisations, and I firmly believe that New Zealand has as much potential to thrive as a tech hub as it does in tourism and agriculture. My mission is to leverage all that I’ve learned to elevate New Zealand’s standing on the global stage as a formidable player in Medtech. Prior to Alimetry, I had very limited experience in capital raising; however, when your role depends on it, you learn very quickly!
For startups, whether in MedTech or other industries, finding scale often requires entering offshore markets. Alimetry is an incredible case study-in-progress, keeping HQ in New Zealand while establishing its presence in the U.S. and U.K. markets.
What has been key to initial success in the U.S., and are there things you’ve learned from the process that you’d apply when entering other markets?
HY: We are still in the process of establishing our foothold in the U.S., and while we haven't yet achieved full success, we remain committed to continuous improvement. I believe the key to entering any new market lies in minimising assumptions and focusing on learning rather than merely executing established strategies. Partnering with a select few initial accounts or customers is crucial during this learning phase.
Equally important is the choice of people placed in-market. Hands-on involvement and maintaining close proximity to market developments as they unfold are essential for laying a solid foundation upon which future growth can be built. Each stage presents critical insights—from selecting the right team members, determining optimal timing for onboarding, and refining the process of integrating both staff and customers, to identifying the "ideal" number of initial customer accounts. This ongoing learning cycle continually shapes our go-to-market strategy, which evolves in response to these insights.
"I believe the key to entering any new market lies in minimising assumptions and focusing on learning rather than merely executing established strategies. Partnering with a select few initial accounts or customers is crucial during this learning phase."
Alimetry has developed groundbreaking technology with the potential to transform the diagnostic pathway for millions of patients worldwide suffering from gastrointestinal disorders. However, trust in clinical outcomes, regulatory approval, and the backing of key opinion leaders is essential for customer adoption—common challenges in the MedTech startup landscape that can present significant hurdles to gaining early traction.
Could you elaborate on your strategy of ‘marketing through education’ and the internal motto of ‘customer service has to be on par with the science’? How have these approaches combatted the hurdles mentioned above and powered Alimetry’s success to date?
HY: Alimetry is a deep-tech company spun out of the university. Our founders are leading academics who are global authorities and subject matter experts in the field of functional gastric diseases. This wealth of expertise is a cornerstone of our go-to-market (GTM) strategy. We recognise that healthcare operates at the speed of trust, and when engaging with clinicians—professionals who constantly manage and mitigate risk—our priority is to communicate from a position of scientific rigor, backed by robust data and clinical evidence. This ensures that our message resonates powerfully within our target audience.
Our product is grounded in decades of rigorous scientific development, and this high standard is reflected across all aspects of our operations. Our highly skilled customer success team dedicates themselves to deeply understanding and responding to the unique needs of each customer, treating every relationship with a level of commitment as if it were our sole account. I am continually impressed by the depth of connections they establish and the lengths to which they go to achieve and sustain customer satisfaction.
The insights they gather are invaluable to our R&D team, driving precise product updates and ensuring that our development pipeline is purpose-built to meet evolving clinical needs. This dynamic creates a powerful flywheel, building trust and delivering value to all stakeholders involved.
Following Alimetry’s latest capital raise, you’ve grown the team and transitioned to CCO & Chief of Staff. In this next chapter of growth, what challenges or opportunities are top of mind?
HY: In the startup world, challenges are constantly evolving; they don’t disappear—they transform into new ones. We are incredibly fortunate to have successfully closed our funding round in the current climate, a testament to the dedication of our team and Greg's unwavering commitment to reaching our milestones. This round of funding enables us to expand both domestically and internationally, with our HQ housing all R&D, operations, regulatory, and quality functions, as well as part of our commercial team. However, the primary focus now is scaling our global presence and building in-market teams.
Our "secret sauce" has always been our team, our culture, and our shared values. Our biggest challenge moving forward will be scaling this culture alongside our international product reach, ensuring a cohesive and harmonious expansion. While this is no small feat, we’re confident in our ability to achieve it, embracing the inevitable learnings along the way.
Our ultimate opportunity lies in expanding access to advanced gastric health solutions worldwide. From day one, our mission and guiding vision have been to make Alimetry the first best test for every patient in need and the clinicians who treat them.
You have built an incredible career around bridging the gap between science and commercialisation.
How do you see the New Zealand MedTech landscape evolving over the next decade? What role do you believe Kiwi startups will play in shaping the future of healthcare, and how can we collectively do a better job at bridging this gap to enable that future?
HY: New Zealand is cultivating an impressive talent base, and I've had the privilege of meeting many remarkable individuals through my work with Return on Science (via UniServices). When I first arrived in New Zealand, there was only one major medical device company, and not much else in the sector. Over the past 10–15 years, however, the landscape has transformed dramatically. This evolution has been somewhat cyclical: as more innovative startups emerge, additional funding sources become available, and as investment flows into the tech sector, more entrepreneurs are encouraged and incentivised to take on the courageous challenge of founding companies and advancing their ideas toward commercialisation.
The startup community in New Zealand is exceptionally collaborative. We are well-connected and consistently benefit from sharing advice and insights, as we often face similar challenges. Organisations like Callaghan Innovation, NZTE, and various VCs have significantly contributed by fostering this camaraderie—organising events and creating platforms that engage and support the community's growth.
I am genuinely excited to be part of this ecosystem and to see how we can elevate New Zealand's healthtech talent on the global stage over the next decade..
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