After 7 years at McKinsey, I left to build an AI healthtech startup. I had to unlearn the pursuit of perfection.

Julius Bruch trained in general medicine and neurology and completed a Ph.D. focused on molecular aspects of dementia and drug discovery. He joined McKinsey to understand healthcare systems broadly and spent seven-and-a-half years working with payers, health systems, and state governments on value-based care, chronic condition management, and digital health. He left McKinsey in 2021 to build an AI healthtech startup, seeking to apply his knowledge in practice. Consulting supplied problem-structuring skills, industry knowledge, and a strong alumni and client network that provided relationships, fundraising contacts, and operational insight. Leaving corporate life felt risky but made startup milestones deeply rewarding.

"Coming out of the research world, I went into McKinsey because I was interested in how the healthcare system works more broadly and how the different parts fit together. During my seven-and-a-half years at McKinsey, I worked with payers, health systems, and state governments on value-based care, chronic condition management, and digital health. I left in 2021 because I wanted to move on and put things into practice."

"Consulting was a fantastic training opportunity. I learned a lot about how the healthcare system works, how different parts work together, and how to structure a problem. I would say it was the best possible preparation for being a founder that you can think of. The relationships I built - both inside the firm and with clients - have been a key success driver for the business."

Read at Business Insider