Obento Health (YC-S23) - CRM Co-Pilot for Medtech Sales

From user flow diagrams to functional AI prototypes with real-time voice integration, we provided the full-stack design execution needed to test hypotheses and navigate a critical startup pivot.

Embedded in the Problem Space: Co-Creating a Health Tech Solution from First Principles

CLIENT

Obento Health

TIMELINE

1 Years

ROLES

Founding Designer

Website

get obento

SERVICE PROVIDED

Tools

The Client & The Vision

Obento Health (YC S23) was founded by Naxin Wang (ex-Google/Verily) and Rodrigo Gutierrez (ex -EA Sports & founding engineer of Strava).

Their hypothesis was to build an AI-powered CRM copilot for medical sales reps, aiming to automate follow-ups, data entry, and relationship management in the healthcare and sync with your existing CRM example Hubspot.

The Core Challenge

Obento had a brilliant team and a strong hypothesis but needed to build a tangible product to validate it—fast.

From Zero to One: They needed a founding design partner to translate their complex vision into a working MVP (iOS app) immediately.
Moving Beyond Agency Work: They had a negative experience with a designer from Awesomic who treated them as a client, not a partner. They needed someone to “get in the bed with the team.”
Ultimate Validation: The core challenge was not design aesthetics, but answering one question: How fast we can validated PMF (Product Market Fit)?

Strategic Approach & Solution

Hasan's approach was deeply technical, empathetic, and focused solely on validation.

Rapid Prototyping & MVP Development: Dogpatch Design Agency began by co-creating detailed user flow diagrams in Whimsical with Naxin to map the complete product experience. The agency then designed and helped ship the iOS application v1.0 in under a month, providing the founders with a tangible product to test with two design partners.
Advanced, Functional Prototyping: To accurately simulate the AI agent experience, Dogpatch Design Agency went far beyond static Figma designs. Using Loveable, the team created high-fidelity prototypes integrated with real APIs (OpenAI GPT, Eleven Labs for voice, and Supabase for data). This resulted in a dynamic prototype where users could interact with the AI, receive voice responses, and be guided through booking a call—delivering near-real feedback on feasibility and user experience.
Full-Stack Collaboration & Testing: Dogpatch Design Agency worked closely with CTO Rod, participating in detailed “bug bash” sessions in Figma—identifying not only UI issues but also functional and logical gaps. The agency also designed the web application and led the marketing website execution (design, development, and deployment on Kinsta).
Support Beyond Design: Beyond product design, Dogpatch Design Agency developed the brand identity, created launch graphics for LinkedIn and Bookface, and produced a compelling promotional video using animated Figma prototypes captured via Screen Studio and refined in Adobe After Effects, including editing, sound composition, and animation. The launch video gained significant traction within the YC community.

Outcome & Lesson

Despite a stellar team, a solid initial product, and validated user interest, Obento Health struggled to find product-market fit.

The Hard Truth: They discovered that while the product solved a problem, the target market was not willing to pay a price that made the business sustainable. The unit economics didn’t work.
The Pivot: Faced with this market reality, the company made the wise decision to pause and pivot. They absorbed the lessons and are now exploring a new direction in “Direct Primary Care.”

Key Takeaway