When we first met Gbenga Adeyemi in the early part of 2023, he was focused on eliminating stress around parking at the airport with his valet startup Varkn. He’s now back in the founder seat with his next startup…and this time he’s focused on eliminating stress for uninsured and underinsured Americans with Bergance.
Bergance is an app-based startup rooted in Atlanta. The app connects underinsured users with doctors in the area that are providing affordable care, either virtually or in an office. The goal is to help connect people with affordable, accessable, and quality healthcare while helping doctor’s serve more people in need. In fact, companies that are laying off employees can offer Bergance as an alternative health care solution in the case that they are unable to afford COBRA.
As Adeyemi pivots into the HealthTech space, we asked him a few questions about his entrepreneurial journey, his startup goals, and what about the space makes it ripe for innovation.
Below is Hypepotamus’ Q&A with Adeyemi:
QUESTION: What startup founder lessons did you learn from building Varkn that is helping you in your next company?
From my experience with Varkn, I learned the importance of not spending too much time perfecting your MVP. It’s crucial to build something functional and iterate from there. Additionally, word-of-mouth is invaluable for a startup in acquiring its initial users or customers.
QUESTION: Why did you know it was the right time to launch Bergance?
After spending considerable time trying to launch Varkn, I encountered significant challenges in obtaining permits from various airports. The airport industry is tough for startups without the right connections, which led me to pivot. My passion for entrepreneurship drove me to explore new avenues. Late last year, I noticed a growing issue with uninsured individuals struggling to access healthcare. I also discovered that nearly 30 million people in the USA are uninsured, with Georgia being one of the top three states affected. Having worked as an independent contractor without insurance, I personally understood the discouragement of visiting a hospital due to uncertain costs. This insight inspired me to create a platform focused on providing better healthcare solutions for the uninsured. This realization led to the birth of Bergance, aiming to serve contractors, gig workers, self-employed individuals, startup founders, the unemployed, and the uninsured community.
QUESTION: What does the name Bergance mean?
Bergance itself does not mean anything specifically and it is a coined term derived from “AMBULANCE” and “EMERGENCY.” The “B” comes from “AMBULANCE,” “ERG” from “EMERGENCY,” and “ANCE” from “AMBULANCE.”
QUESTION: What benefits do you see for doctors who join the platform?
Doctors on our platform benefit by connecting with more patients without needing to invest in their own marketing. Bergance enhances their practice by increasing patient volume and providing additional income opportunities.
QUESTION: What type of doctors/providers have signed up so far?
So far, we’ve onboarded primary care providers in Georgia and Delaware, as well as wound care specialists in Delaware. We have also secured a mental health doctor in Georgia.
QUESTION: What are the big needs of your company right now?
Currently, our primary needs include onboarding more providers for primary care, mental health, and wound care services especially in Georgia. We are actively seeking partnerships with organizations that hire contractors. By using Bergance as an alternative for better care, these organizations can demonstrate to their contractors that they care about their well-being, even though the organization doesn’t need to pay anything. The benefit is that contractors from partner organizations will receive certain discounts when using the app.
Moreover, independently, gig workers, contractors, self-employed individuals, startup founders, the unemployed, and generally uninsured people can sign up to join the platform. They can get the necessary care they need without worrying about insurance and without breaking the bank. Additionally, we aim to spread the word to insured individuals that are unable to get timely appointments with their primary doctors. Bergance can connect them with a provider and we can offer them a summary of their care in a PDF format for their primary physician.