Investors laud emerging founder’s expertise as CarePilot logs $2.5M for AI healthtech tool
June 24, 2025 | Tommy Felts
It’s rare for a regional venture capital firm like KCRise Fund to invest in an entrepreneur just out of college, the Midwest-focused firm told Startland News, detailing the remarkable talent that led it to join an early round for Joseph Tutera’s digital health startup.
Overland Park-based CarePilot recently announced a $2.5 million seed round led by coastal investor Mucker Capital. The round also notably included investment from KCRise Fund, which touted founder Tutera’s impressive understanding of how to build a tech enterprise.
His company uses smart healthcare tech — an AI coding assistant that listens and charts details during a provider’s patient visits — to keep the focus on care, not notetaking. It’s an innovation well-timed to market conditions, said Ed Frindt, managing director for KCRise Fund, noting Tutera’s keen positioning for the company’s products.
Darcy Howe, Ed Frindt, and Liam Reilly, KCRise Fund III
“CarePilot is more than an AI transcription tool — it’s a thoughtfully built solution addressing a genuine pain point, especially in rural and underserved healthcare settings,” he continued. “As the healthcare industry moves toward value-based care, the need for efficient, accurate, and scalable clinical documentation and coding systems has never been more critical.”
Tutera, who began building CarePilot while as a finance student at Texas Christian University and graduated in 2024, said he is excited to partner with investors who share his team’s vision for the future of healthcare.
“CarePilot is building smarter healthcare technology so providers can stop thinking about technology altogether,” he said. “Our first step toward this future is the announcement of our second product: CarePilot ProblemAssist. It’s also our first agentic tool, which helps providers identify appropriate diagnoses and code visits in real time.”
The startup offers the first AI-native clinical interface for Electronic Health Records (EHRs), providing a “touchless” experience that automates more than 90 percent of provider EHR time — streamlining administrative tasks and reducing burnout. CarePilot focuses on enhancing clinical documentation, coding, inbox management, and chart finalization, addressing widespread inefficiencies in today’s healthcare IT systems.
“CarePilot’s integration with multiple EHRs and its automation of administrative tasks positions it well to capitalize on this transition, reducing clinician burnout and improving outcomes,” said Frindt.
KCRise Fund’s involvement in CarePilot’s seed round marks its 10th investment from its Fund III, and aligns with the firm’s region’s experience in the healthcare IT sector, particularly with EHRs, he noted.
“We’re looking forward to supporting the CarePilot team as they continue to build,” Frindt said.
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Help from above: Why protecting satellites from cyber attacks could hold key to adapting to climate change
Humans must responsibly rise to the occasion as Earth’s climate changes, Charles Beames said, detailing the role well-protected satellites and space systems can play in putting life-preserving solutions into orbit. “Space systems are one of the keys to the future, our future, of dealing with the changing climate and our adaptation,” said Beames, aerospace expert and…
In the field: Industry-specific, hands-free voice tech helps ‘hero up’ data collecting workers
After years of research, Bruce Rasa and his team identified a consistent pain point for field workers: capturing data on-the-go and looping it back to their headquarters. They need a co-pilot, he said, noting the role played by KC-based Dexer (formerly AgVoice), agriculture’s first handsfree data capture service to help cross-industry specialists create records —…
New city flag designed for KC’s now (and tomorrow): Here’s where you’ll see it flying first
Kansas City is ushering in an era of growth and development, Jared Horman said, and the unveiling of a new municipal flag is just the way to recognize this new chapter. “The timing feels particularly exciting with the Chiefs headed to the Super Bowl, the opening of the new terminal at the airport and the…
Pushing without force: Founder credits accelerator’s collaborative ‘in the trenches’ guidance for overseas scaling success
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by the NMotion startup accelerator, but was independently produced by Startland News. The powerhouse mix of global and localized support David Biga received from the NMotion Growth Accelerator was well worth the program’s required exchange of equity, the proptech startup founder detailed. Particle Space — one of Startland News’…