Cedar Rapids venture studio Novy starts its first healthcare software company

Cedar Rapids-based healthcare venture studio Novy has begun developing its first portfolio company, a software platform focused on shift scheduling for emergency medicine groups.

The venture team plans to finalize a minimum viable product, gather feedback through a Provider Feedback Network and begin pilot programs with three to five independent emergency medicine groups over the next 90 days, according to the announcement.

The participating practices are expected to represent four to 12 sites and 20 to 100 providers. Each is expected to receive access to the minimum viable product and a three-month free pilot, according to the announcement.

Krista Martin, a Novy partner and CEO of the new portfolio company, said scheduling affects more than staffing coverage.

“A well-designed schedule does more than fill shifts. It supports provider well-being, aligns with departmental goals, and relieves unnecessary administrative burden,” Martin said.

Novy was co-founded by David Tominsky, Martin and Eric Engelmann. The studio launched in Cedar Rapids in late 2023 as Iowa’s first startup venture studio focused on healthcare software companies, according to information about its launch.

The venture studio has not yet publicly identified the new company by a formal brand name. A formal product launch and brand reveal are planned for later in 2025, according to the announcement.

Martin said the project is intended to address broader operational needs for emergency medicine groups.

“We’re not just building another scheduling app, we’re creating a new infrastructure for how emergency medicine groups operate and grow,” Martin said.

For Cedar Rapids, the development marks Novy’s first operational output since its launch and gives the local healthcare software venture studio a product moving toward testing with outside medical practices.