When creating groundbreaking health care technology, keeping products user friendly is a necessity. Photo via Getty Images

In the vibrant landscape of startups, the quest to build groundbreaking products can sometimes overshadow the true essence of our existence — to solve problems for our customers.

It's a trap many fall into, often leading to two common outcomes: prolonged product launches stretching over years or an unfortunate mismatch between product and market leading to startup death. But a dynamic solution exists, minimum viable products, or MVPs. MVP has propelled startups to unprecedented success.

A real-life testimony: MVP's power

Imagine a health care-focused at-home testing startup partnered with a major player. The aim: a telehealth support system for the at-home colon cancer screening. Unlike traditional telehealth services, this system required guiding members through a complex process of collecting stool samples accurately.

Challenges presented

  • Develop a user-friendly telehealth solution in five to six weeks on a limited budget and secure a high-stakes multimillion-dollar deal.
  • Carefully integrating telehealth on the existing portal for user-friendly access while aligning seamlessly with user expectations.
  • Address the complexities of Telehealth, including clinician staffing and regulatory adherence.

User Insights

User journeys and interviews confirmed the necessity for guided support during test-taking, but users showed reluctance to navigate the process independently and expressed a preference for customer support over a clinician assistant.

Interestingly, telehealth was not instinctively linked to test support, but rather to medical advice.

The birth of an MVP strategy: a catalyst for innovation

Since the main user problem was the guided support during test-taking, we created the following MVP solutions.

  • Video call integration: Direct video call button under customer support.
  • Guided messaging: Articulate call support purpose.
  • Testing guides: Portal's step-by-step guidance with videos.
  • Video guide in test kit materials.

Our MVP led us to an excellent NPS score and became a guide for our future roadmap.

Next time you build, remember this and embrace the dynamic MVP strategy — create, learn, and reiterate are the cornerstones of success in digital health product management's journey.

Here are four steps for building a successful MVP in telehealth.

  • Identify crucial user problems: Pinpoint your target customers' most pressing issue.
  • Solve a small problem simply: Initiate a straightforward solution to address a minor problem.
  • Plot the user's journey: Map out the user's path through your solution.
  • Prioritize ruthlessly: Discern the key features and prioritize with precision.
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Tanu Jain is the founder and CEO of Houston-based Digital Health Innovator, a strategic marketing firm for health care products.

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Houston VC funding surged in Q1 2025 to highest level in years, report says

by the numbers

First-quarter funding for Houston-area startups just hit its highest level since 2022, according to the latest PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor. But fundraising in subsequent quarters might not be as robust thanks to ongoing economic turmoil, the report warns.

In the first quarter of 2025, Houston-area startups raised $544.2 million in venture capital from investors, PitchBook-NVCA data shows. That compares with $263.5 million in Q1 2024 and $344.5 million in Q1 2023. For the first quarter of 2022, local startups nabbed $745.5 million in venture capital.

The Houston-area total for first-quarter VC funding this year fell well short of the sum for the Austin area (more than $3.3 billion) and Dallas-Fort Worth ($696.8 million), according to PitchBook-NVCA data.

While first-quarter 2025 funding for Houston-area startups got a boost, the number of VC deals declined versus the first quarters of 2024, 2023 and 2022. The PitchBook-NVCA Monitor reported 37 local VC deals in this year’s first quarter, compared with 45 during the same period in 2024, 53 in 2023, and 57 in 2022.

The PitchBook-NVCA report indicates fundraising figures for the Houston area, the Austin area, Dallas-Fort Worth and other markets might shrink in upcoming quarters.

“Should the latest iteration of tariffs stand, we expect significant pressure on fundraising and dealmaking in the near term as investors sit on the sidelines and wait for signs of market stabilization,” the report says.

Due to new trade tariffs and policy shifts, the chances of an upcoming rebound in the VC market have likely faded, says Nizar Tarhuni, executive vice president of research and market intelligence at PitchBook.

“These impacts amplify economic uncertainty and could further disrupt the private markets by complicating investment decisions, supply chains, exit windows, and portfolio strategies,” Tarhuni says. “While this may eventually lead to new domestic investment and create opportunities, the overall environment is facing volatility, hesitation, and structural change.”

Expert: Texas is building a cybersecurity wall — but it needs more bricklayers

Guest Column

Texas has always been a state that thinks in terms of scale. Big energy, big ambitions and now, big action in cybersecurity.

With the creation of the Texas Cyber Command under the Department of Information Resources, the state is recognizing what many of us in the industry have long understood: cybersecurity is not just an IT issue, it's a matter of public safety and economic resilience. Protecting municipal systems, schools, and critical energy infrastructure from cyber threats is no longer optional. It is essential.

For these efforts to succeed, Texas must invest as much in people as it does in technology. Without a capable, well-trained workforce to carry out the mission, even the strongest cyber strategies will struggle to hold the line.

The scope of the threat

Cyberattacks are not theoretical. In the last year alone, several cities in Texas experienced major ransomware attacks. One incident in Fort Worth took down core city systems, affecting everything from email access to permitting operations. The ripple effects were significant.

The energy sector is also under constant pressure. As a cornerstone of both the Texas and national economy, the it is a high-value target. Hackers are probing systems that manage oil, gas, and renewable energy infrastructure, looking for weaknesses that could be exploited to steal data or disrupt operations.

Texas has responded by centralizing its cyber incident response capabilities. The Texas Cyber Command is a smart step forward. It brings coordination and focus to an increasingly complex landscape. But its effectiveness will depend entirely on the professionals tasked with doing the work. And that’s where the challenge lies.

The workforce gap

Across the U.S., there are an estimated 400,000 unfilled cybersecurity positions. In Texas, more than 40,000 roles remain vacant, according to CyberSeek. These are not just numbers in a report. They represent a growing vulnerability with gaps in frontline defenses against real and persistent threats.

We cannot afford to rely solely on traditional pathways to fill this gap. Four-year degree programs are important, but they are not designed to scale fast enough or flexibly enough to meet today’s needs. Instead, we need to broaden our view of what a cybersecurity talent pipeline looks like and who it includes.

There needs to be an expanded focus on practical, skills-based training that takes high-aptitude individuals, including those from non-traditional backgrounds, and prepares them for success in cybersecurity careers through rigorous hands-on training that reflects the demands of real-world cyber roles. With the right structure and support, people from all walks of life are already proving they can become capable defenders of our digital infrastructure.

The same entrepreneurial spirit that drives innovation in other sectors can be applied to cybersecurity workforce development. We don’t have to wait years to grow the next generation of defenders. We can do it now, with the right focus and investment.

Texas has taken a critical first step by creating the Cyber Command, but if we want to build lasting resilience, we need to address the workforce bottleneck head-on. Cybersecurity needs more than tech…it needs talent.

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Dean Gefen is theCEO, NukuDo, a San Antonio-based cybersecurity workforce development and staffing company.