HUED

# HUED: Healthcare Equity Through Cultural Competence

High-Level Overview

HUED is a healthcare technology platform addressing disparities in care for Black, Latinx, and Indigenous populations.[1] Founded in 2018 and headquartered in New York, the company operates a two-pronged model: connecting underserved patients with culturally competent healthcare providers while simultaneously educating healthcare professionals on cultural humility, anti-racism, and unconscious bias.[1][3]

The company serves a critical gap in the healthcare ecosystem. Rather than building another generic health app, HUED focuses on systemic change—helping healthcare organizations transition to equity-based care frameworks while offering health literacy resources tailored to communities historically marginalized by the medical system.[1] This positions HUED at the intersection of healthcare innovation and social impact, addressing both immediate patient needs and structural inequities in care delivery.

Origin Story

HUED was founded in 2018 by Kimberly Wilson, a former adjunct professor at Howard University.[1] Wilson's background in academia positioned her to understand both the educational and systemic dimensions of healthcare disparities. The company emerged from a straightforward observation: healthcare providers lacked the cultural competence training necessary to serve diverse populations effectively, while patients from underrepresented communities struggled to find providers who understood their specific health contexts and cultural needs.

The startup gained significant early validation through high-profile backing. In 2021, HUED raised $1.6 million in a seed round led by tennis champion and venture investor Serena Williams, alongside the Female Founders Fund.[1] This funding round signaled both market validation and alignment with Williams' broader investment thesis around supporting underrepresented founders—her portfolio includes over 85 companies, with 79% of founders being underrepresented.[3]

Core Differentiators

• Culturally-tailored approach: Unlike generic health platforms, HUED designs its entire experience around the specific needs, health literacy levels, and cultural contexts of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities.[1]

• Dual-sided marketplace: The platform simultaneously educates healthcare providers (through accredited courses on cultural competence) while connecting patients with vetted, culturally competent practitioners—creating network effects that strengthen both sides.[1][3]

• Institutional focus: Rather than relying solely on direct-to-consumer adoption, HUED helps healthcare organizations and systems transition to equity-based frameworks, positioning it for B2B scalability.[1]

• Credentialed education: As of September 2023, HUED had developed six accredited courses for healthcare professionals, establishing it as an authority in cultural competence training rather than just a matching platform.[1]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

HUED operates within a broader movement toward health equity technology—a sector gaining urgency as healthcare disparities have become increasingly documented and politically salient. The company rides several converging trends:

Venture capital's diversity awakening: HUED's funding from Serena Williams and the Female Founders Fund reflects a growing recognition that venture capital has historically underinvested in both women founders and solutions addressing communities of color. HUED benefits from this reallocation of capital toward founders and problems previously overlooked.

Healthcare's reckoning with equity: Post-2020, healthcare systems faced mounting pressure to address racial disparities in outcomes. HUED's institutional offering—helping organizations build equity-based care frameworks—aligns with this demand from hospital systems, health plans, and employers seeking to improve outcomes and reduce liability.

The underserved market opportunity: Black, Latinx, and Indigenous populations represent a substantial portion of the U.S. population yet remain dramatically underserved by digital health innovation. HUED's focus on this demographic represents both a moral imperative and a significant market opportunity that mainstream health tech has largely ignored.

Quick Take & Future Outlook

HUED has established itself as a credible player in health equity technology, but faces the classic challenge of scaling impact without diluting mission. The company's success will depend on whether it can grow its provider network and institutional partnerships while maintaining the cultural specificity that differentiates it from generic health platforms.

The next phase likely involves deepening institutional relationships with healthcare systems and health plans—moving from a startup offering to an embedded solution within larger care delivery networks. As healthcare organizations face increasing pressure to demonstrate equity outcomes, HUED's accredited training and patient-matching capabilities position it as a natural partner.

The broader question: Can HUED scale to address systemic healthcare disparities, or will it remain a valuable but niche solution? The answer depends on whether healthcare institutions genuinely commit to equity-based care—and whether they're willing to invest in the cultural competence training and infrastructure that real change requires.