Founder, Interrupted: What it really takes to be a woman founder in health tech.

<p>In this episode of <em>Tech It to the Limit</em>, Sarah Harper and Elliott Wilson chat with Elizabeth Boudreau, ex-AWS exec and co-founder of Practical Acceleration. They kick off with a satirical “SnoreSense” pitch, then dive into real talk on building meaningful healthcare tech, covering equity, trust, and designing for life’s seasons. Honest, smart, and full of heart—don’t miss it.</p><p><strong>Key Takeaways</strong></p><ul><li>Tech equity starts at the margins. Building inclusive digital health solutions means designing first for the communities most often left out. Not only is it ethical, it's a smart strategy.</li></ul><ul><li>Startups need soul and structure. Elizabeth encourages founders to reject burnout culture and instead design businesses that align with their energy, values, and the season they’re in.</li></ul><ul><li>AI needs boundaries and trust. Success in health tech is about more than algorithms; it’s about solving real problems, with real people, in ways that build confidence and connection.</li></ul><ul><li>Talk to the people you're building for. Your user knows what’s broken. You just have to ask. Assume less. Ask more. Build better.</li></ul><p><strong>In this episode:</strong></p><ul><li>[00:00:00] Introduction: July birthdays, post-Pride recovery, and co-host reunion in NYC</li><li>[00:02:37] Startup satire: “Snore Sense” pitch parody AI pillows, shame graphs, and FDA awareness</li><li>[00:08:18] Interview with Elizabeth Boudreaux, Co-Founder of Practical Acceleration</li><li>[00:11:30] What is tech equity? Designing with, not just for, underserved communities</li><li>[00:16:50] AI hype cycle: The danger of black box solutions in healthcare</li><li>[00:18:00] The future of tech that disappears—ambient voice and reconnection at the bedside</li><li>[00:19:55] Women in tech: Navigating leadership, equity at home, and saying yes to the unknown</li><li>[00:26:07] A day in the life of a founder: Lists, calendars, and no such thing as “typical”</li><li>[00:30:04] Redefining success: Building companies that match your life stage</li><li>[00:35:35] Behind the scenes: Putting HIPAA data in the public cloud for the first time</li><li>[00:40:50] Founder advice: Talk to your user, challenge your assumptions, solve real problems</li><li>[00:45:12] Wise Nuggets: Career truths, growth seasons, and the ROI of building slow</li></ul><p><strong>Guest</strong></p><p>Elizabeth Boudreau is co-founder of Practical Acceleration, a firm that helps healt