Oct 9, 2024

From Fighting in The Skies to Breaking Barriers With Innovative Maternity Care Sep 06, 2024 Ann Holder, the CEO of Marani Health, has a story that defies expectations and challenges norms. Growing up in Utah during the 1980s, Ann was often told that her dreams were too big or not appropriate for a woman. BORN BREAKING BARRIERS “As I was growing up and being a woman in Utah and wanting to do what I did, particularly in the 80s, people looked at me all the time and basically just said, you know you can’t do that. You’re a woman. And it just drove me to want to do it even more.” Her determination and bravery were evident early on. Ann vividly remembers a moment with her high school counselor when she expressed her desire to attend a military academy. “I said I wanted to go to the Air Force Academy, Annapolis or West Point. And she looked at me and she said, ‘that’s really not a place where you would like to go.’ And she started pulling pamphlets off the shelf of local, schools that she thought that would be more appropriate for me. I just got angry.” This anger became a driving force in her life, propelling her through challenging experiences at West Point and beyond. Her decision to serve in the Army was not just about breaking barriers but also about her selflessness and commitment to serve her country, a testament to her strong character. FUELING HER DETERMINATION “Every time that someone tells me no, it’s that catalyst that drives me to want to overachieve.” Ann’s journey led her from a military career to the healthcare sector, driven by a desire to help others, a value instilled in her by her parents. “I grew up with two parents that were, very involved in service and giving back to the community. My father had been in the military. My mother was a nurse. And through my father, I became enamored with the military, with him working at Hill Air Force Base. I was around F-16s. There was nothing more exciting than that. I ended up going to West Point. I had an amazing time there. Not easy, but just a great place to learn and grow and hone leadership skills. When I did get out of the military, for me, it was finding a fit where I could give back.” INNOVATING HEALTHCARE Skills that helped Ann find a path that combined service and innovation. She saw a critical need in maternity care. A report from the Maternal Mortality Review revealed that four in 5 pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are preventable. Marani states, “the US is one of most dangerous industrialized countries to have a baby. This crisis is decades in the making. Hospital OB service lines are closing across the country & lack of investment in innovation & technology are all creating racial & geographic disparities in quality of care & outcomes.” Joining forces with the Mayo Clinic, Marani, a prenatal and postpartum care digital health company was formed. They are also investing in new and innovative devices for fetal and maternal monitoring. “There is a huge need for our technology and our platform, specifically in Georgia. Georgia has some of the worst outcomes in the country. We’re working on this very novel device that can be used in the home for moms, that don’t have access to care or are really high risk. And it morphed into this full blown platform form for remote monitoring and remote care where we can actually use machine learning to assess if the mother needs help or if the fetus needs help. So that’s really unique.” Under her leadership, Marani Health has developed a groundbreaking remote monitoring platform for maternal care, utilizing machine learning to assess the needs of mothers and fetuses. OVERCOMING OBSTACLES Despite its potential, funding the company has been a significant challenge, especially as a woman in a male-dominated field. “Less than 2% of VC funding goes to women entrepreneurs in healthcare. The pandemic only made the fundraising landscape more difficult. So Catalyst has been incredibly helpful in bringing this opportunity to fruition for me from an investment, but then also with a very significant pilot that we are getting ready to kick off in a very large maternity desert in East Georgia” Despite the bumps in the road, her resilience shines through. “You know, I’m of the mindset that if you don’t take a risk, you’ll always wonder, well, what if I had done that and life is too short? It’s just about embracing the risk and having the confidence because even if you fail, the fact that you tried, you’re a strong person and you can get through it,” she asserts. Ann Holder’s story of persistence and bravery exemplifies the kind of passionate and driven leader Catalyst seeks to invest in. From breaking barriers in the military to addressing gaps in maternity care through Marani Health, she is shaping the future of healthcare and inspiring the next generation of womsen entrepreneurs.