Investors laud emerging founder’s expertise as CarePilot logs $2.5M for AI healthtech tool

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.”

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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.