SimCare AI secures $2M in funding to expand AI-powered healthcare training platform

Co-founder, Vrishank Saini

Two former University of Chicago students who dropped out to build an AI-driven healthcare simulation company have secured $2 million in seed funding to expand their platform.

SimCare AI, co-founded by Vrishank Saini and Tigran Bdoyan, aims to improve clinical training by using AI-generated patient interactions to reduce training costs and time while maintaining accreditation standards.

The funding round was led by Y Combinator and Drive Capital, with participation from Harper Court Ventures Fund, Singularity Capital, Triple S Ventures, Goodwater Capital, Asymmetry Ventures, Sand Hill North, and Transpose Platform.

AI-powered training for clinicians

SimCare AI was developed after Saini failed a clinical communications exam and could not afford the $9,000 tutoring fee. In response, he and Bdoyan built an AI-based solution that quickly gained traction, reaching 2,500 users and generating $5,000 in monthly revenue within three weeks. After an initial rejection from Y Combinator’s startup program, the co-founders reapplied using different email addresses. Y Combinator eventually accepted them and provided $500,000 in initial funding.

"We took a risk to prove our point," Saini said. “By using AI patients, we’ve set a clinical benchmark for how training should be measured—efficient, reliable, and cost-effective. Current training methods excel at teaching acute conditions but fall short with chronic diseases that develop over months and years.

“A medication change today might not show its impact for months, and missed interventions might not reveal their consequences for years. SimCare AI’s simulations compress these timelines dramatically, allowing clinicians to witness disease progression patterns that would traditionally take years to experience.”

Reducing costs and increasing access

SimCare AI’s platform is designed for multiple healthcare fields, including residency programs, therapy education, and telehealth recruitment. The AI-driven system is used to assess and train job applicants, reducing hiring and onboarding costs. The company has secured 30 pilot programs, including one with the University of Pennsylvania.

The growing shortage of experienced physicians and rising demand for clinical training have put pressure on healthcare institutions. Traditional models require extensive faculty supervision and role-playing exercises, which are expensive and time-consuming. SimCare AI seeks to address these challenges by offering scalable, AI-powered training that reduces faculty workload while improving access to standardized patient interactions.

SimCare AI’s model allows clinical competency to be assessed with 20 AI-driven patient encounters instead of the 200 typically required. The AI system generates decision trees for patient interactions, enabling users to engage in real-time simulations that align with accreditation standards.

Professor Douglas A. Drossman, President of DrossmanCare and Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, highlighted the impact of SimCare AI’s technology:

“I have been extremely impressed with our collaboration with SimCare AI. At DrossmanCare, in partnership with the Rome Foundation, we develop educational programs designed to enhance healthcare providers' communication skills with patients. SimCare AI has seamlessly integrated our vast library of publications and videos on communication into an innovative program that allows providers to engage in advanced, simulated patient interviews with a virtual avatar.

“This approach enables providers to gain valuable insights into complex psychosocial issues through the use of sophisticated interview techniques. Additionally, the program provides real-time feedback, allowing providers to continuously refine their skills. I’ve never encountered a company with such a refined ability to replicate the nuances of a clinical encounter, offering a truly remarkable training experience.”

Looking ahead, SimCare AI plans to expand its platform by integrating more clinical data, including transcripts and diagnostic assessments. The company aims to create a standardized evaluation system for clinical training, helping healthcare organizations assess and improve workforce competency.