Author
Lucas Coelho
Date
21 June 2025
Become a Founder at Heron
We’re looking for a business-minded founder to take full ownership of Heron, our AI-powered healthcare communication product that’s already transforming how medical practices engage with patients. You’ll lead the company into its next chapter: scale our customer base, prepare for the next funding milestone, and grow Heron into a category-defining player in AI healthcare ops. You’ll receive a monthly stipend to support you during the first 6 months (or until our next raise), plus founder-level equity as you take the reins. You’ll have full autonomy, backed by Ryft’s team, capital, and network.
This role doesn't need to be in person, but we want the Founder in residence to be either in Australia (Sydney, Melbourne) or New Zealand (Auckland).
Why Heron?
Heron is currently focused on clinics across Australia and New Zealand, where it’s already delivering measurable impact. The next chapter includes expanding our footprint across these markets and preparing for future growth into the US. Heron is already making a real impact: 🕒 10+ hours saved per staff member, every week📞 89% reduction in missed communications📈 More bookings and smoother patient interactions
Clinics love the product. The foundation is strong. Now we need a leader who can scale it.
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What we're looking for
🏥 You obsess over patient outcomes
• You get that success in healthcare = better patient care, not just faster processes.
• You can connect communication improvements to tangible health results and business wins.
• You’re comfortable with compliance and privacy — not scared by it. You see it as part of earning trust.
⚡You move fast and wear many hats
• You’re comfortable switching between investor decks, customer calls, and product decisions.
• You’ll work alongside a a cross-functional team already driving Heron forward — including developers, SDRs, and product and design support.
• You understand enough technical detail to make smart product calls and collaborate effectively with engineers.
• You thrive in fast-moving, ambiguous environments where priorities shift and momentum matters.
🎯 The bigger picture
• You know how to position a product in a shifting landscape.
• You spot partnership opportunities and competitive risks early.
• You’re up to speed on AI and excited by its potential in healthcare.
❌ You don't need...
✅ To be a healthcare insider on day one — curiosity and customer instincts matter more.
✅ To be an engineer or AI expert — we’ve got technical talent; you bring market focus.
✅ To have raised millions before — we’ll help prep you. What matters is your ability to tell a compelling story and execute.
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What you’ll own
This isn’t a side hustle. It’s a full-time leadership role where you’ll:
1. Run day-to-day operations — lead customer success, sales, and business development.
2. Prepare for fundraising — collaborate with Ryft to build the story, materials, pitching and momentum.
3. Scale customer acquisition — expand our clinic base and land & expand with existing accounts.
4. Build market presence — represent Heron publicly, build partnerships, and drive credibility in the market.
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Why this role is different?
We’re not handing you a deck and asking you to “see what you can do.” We’re giving you a product that’s working, customers, and the mandate to take it to the next level — with real ownership.At Ryft, we back founders by building with them. You’ll have access to our team, capital, and support, but this will be your company to lead.
If you’re excited about building at the intersection of AI + healthcare, and you’re ready to move fast, fill out the form below. We’ll be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and reaching out to strong fits quickly.
