Forward, the ambitious healthcare startup, is shutting its doors just one year after raising $100 million to launch its innovative CarePods, self-service kiosks intended to redefine patient care. Founded back in 2016 by Adrian Aoun, who previously worked with tech giants like Google and Uber, Forward aimed to shake up primary care through advanced technology and automation.
The company's model was built on subscription services, charging $99 per month, without accepting insurance—a distinctive approach aiming to simplify healthcare access. With its sleek designs, Forward's CarePods were envisioned as autonomous healthcare points, allowing patients to self-administer procedures like blood tests and disease screenings with minimal human interaction. During pitches, Aoun likened these pods to self-driving cars, casting the future of healthcare as one driven by technology and efficiency.
Fast-forwarding to mid-2023, as excitement grew around the expansion of its CarePods across key cities like New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia, Forward raised eyebrows with its ambitious plans to scale to 3,200 CarePods within just one year. Yet, as reports began to surface, it was clear the reality was less grand than hoped. Only five kiosks had been launched by the time of its closure announcement.
Internal insights from former employees reveal significant hurdles. Discussions with eleven anonymous ex-staffers depict a company struggling with product adoption and technical malfunctions—automated blood draws often failed, lab tests had to be rolled back, and reports even indicated patients becoming trapped inside the units. With expectations unfulfilled, Forward had no choice but to streamline its operations, which included laying off several employees earlier this year.
On November 28, 2024, Forward sent out communications announcing the immediate cessation of its operations. It informed patients via email about the abrupt shut-down of all locations, canceled visits, non-functional mobile applications, and the closure of CarePods. The email underscored, “We know this news is abrupt and are committed to helping you navigate your care transition,” offering support until December 13, as patient queries flooded.
Despite the ambitious technological aim, patients simply weren’t flocking to the CarePods as Forward had so strongly hoped. With only two functioning kiosks mentioned shortly before closure and with logistical nightmares holding back expansion, the once promising healthcare startup faced realities of faltering scalability and inefficiencies.
Backtracking to the roots of Forward, its initial concept of high-tech clinics featuring spaces reminiscent of Apple Stores aimed to make healthcare not just accessible but also appealing. Upon entering, patients experienced tech-heavy setups: full-body scanners meant to gather extensive health data under sleek metallic and luminous aesthetics. Yet, this tech, as some former staff noted, produced nothing more than the basic measurements one would get at any traditional medical office.
For example, the body scanners could not provide reliable readings without requiring additional assessments from medical professionals—a flaw casting shadows on the polished tech-driven narrative. “The aesthetics drew people in and kept them there, but the scanners don’t actually do much,” confided one former employee.
Forward’s downfall is emblematic of larger issues plaguing tech-first healthcare ventures. While the startup enjoyed significant investments, with estimates placing its total funding above $650 million and valuation at around $1 billion at its apex, it failed to translate funding and flashy shelters of innovation to practical patient engagement. The inevitable closure of Forward is a stark reminder of the glaring gap between aspiration and implementation within the healthcare industry.
Despite the doom and gloom of Forward’s shutdown, the company’s closure also brings to the forefront the urgency for more grounded, sustainable models within the healthcare sector. The experience provides lessons not just for similarly ambitious startups but for the bigger players as well. The healthcare industry isn’t just about high-tech solutions; it’s also about building genuine relationships between caregivers and patients, ensuring reliability, accessibility, and tackling the fundamental challenges embedded within local health systems.
Forward’s makers left the healthcare space feeling the harsh effects of reality, but the discussions it spurred can help illuminate paths for future companies. Amidst the complex challenges of access and quality, tech solutions must come hand-in-hand with practical, physician-guided care. Although the concept of self-service pods may not have succeeded this time, it hints at the continued evolution and experimentation needed to reshape healthcare for the modern era—instead of abandoning innovation entirely.