Ulupreneur Christian Pean, a first-generation American with roots in Mexico and Haiti, grew up in McAllen, Texas, watching his father—an entrepreneurial physician—build a regional medical complex. That example shaped Christian’s conviction that the greatest impact in healthcare comes from serving patients who are too often left behind.
After medical school, Christian pursued orthopedic surgery, completing his residency at NYU Langone and then a fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital before becoming an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery at Duke University. While he thrived as a clinician, he saw so many problems in healthcare and felt the pull to scale his impact beyond the individual patients he saw on a daily basis.
In 2022, he founded RevelAi Health, along with co-founder Hadi Javeed. Their conversational AI platform is purpose-built for orthopedic care teams—streamlining outreach, triage, documentation, and follow-up to improve outcomes. It also helps close care gaps, enhance communication, capture revenue—all while enhancing patients ability to navigate the system.
Earlier this year, RevelAi raised $3.1 million in a round led by Ulu Ventures, and Christian also stepped into an additional role as Executive Director of AI and IT Innovation at Duke Orthopedic Surgery,
We caught up with him a few months after RevelAi’s funding round to talk about his journey, challenges, vision and tips for other founders.
Why did you create Revelai?
Healthcare today is fragmented. Costs keep rising, and outcomes are often poor, especially for patients who’ve been left behind. In musculoskeletal care alone, we’re spending over $400 billion a year, much of it without improving access. I wanted to build a digital health solution that bridges those gaps—helping patients navigate the system, improving outcomes, and lowering costs.
How does AI augment healthcare for patients?
We see AI as a tool to automate processes for patients comfortable with digital care. That frees up clinicians to spend more time with patients who need personal, human connection—those with complex conditions or less caregiver support. The goal isn’t to replace clinicians but to help them focus on what matters most: caring for patients.
You’ve raised $3.1M this year, any other milestones?
Eight healthcare organizations have already signed on, and we’ve facilitated more than 50,000 patient encounters. Surveys show our net promoter score consistently above nine out of ten, which tells us both clinicians and patients see the value. Beyond efficiency, we’re starting to see measurable improvements in patient outcomes and cost containment for healthcare organizations.
What would be your tips for founders fundraising?
Fundraising is about clarity of vision and alignment with investors. It’s like a marriage—you need partners who believe in your mission and impact. You can’t overprepare when it comes to communicating your vision, but remember: no one knows your business better than you. The clearer and more concise you are, the stronger your pitch.”
What have been your biggest challenges?
There are so many problems in healthcare that organizations want us to solve. Staying focused on musculoskeletal care—moving the needle in an incremental way now to create exponential impact later—is key. Another challenge is helping organizations adopt AI tools. Many are shifting from pen-and-paper or landlines to digital dashboards, and that requires upskilling. It’s a challenge, but also a huge opportunity to accelerate change.
How has it been working with Ulu?
I’m proud to be an Ulupreneur. Their guidance has been invaluable, especially on governance. When we were fundraising, Clint Korver told us Ulu seeks to back companies that want to make a dent in the world. That resonates with me as both a physician and founder—and with our entire team.
What are your dreams for Revelai?
I want RevelAi to become a category-defining company—a standard AI operating system for healthcare. Our goal is to reach millions of patients and hundreds of thousands of clinicians, driving the shift to value-based care. Ultimately, it’s about high-quality care delivered for value, not volume.
