Participating in the CITRIS Smart Health Masterclass and Intensive at the University of California from September 15–19, 2025, was a formative experience for me as the founder of Cultural Care. In an intensive program with leading experts from research, clinical practice, and the start-up ecosystem, I was not only able to learn about current trends and technologies in the field of artificial intelligence and smart health, but also gain important insights for the further development of my own business model.
I found the sessions on the application of AI in healthcare—for example, in the areas of chronic disease management, telehealth, and robotics—particularly valuable. These insights highlighted how data-driven systems are already improving care and making processes more efficient today.
For Cultural Care, this confirms that our approach of making cultural sensitivity in care facilities measurable for the first time and deriving optimization measures from this will be met with great interest not only in Germany but also internationally.
In addition, I was able to obtain valuable feedback in the workshops on pitching, value proposition, and venture funding on how to position our solution even more clearly and convince investors and strategic partners. Discussions with US start-ups and venture capital representatives showed me that the aspect of combining increased efficiency with social impact is particularly valued in Silicon Valley.
Networking with international founders and experts was also a major benefit: initial contacts were made with institutions and potential cooperation partners who are interested in issues of culturally sensitive care and intercultural nursing.
Overall, the trip has strengthened my conviction that Cultural Care, with its AI-supported solution, offers a relevant response to the challenges of an increasingly diverse society. I am taking concrete approaches for further product development, internationalization, and the strategic orientation of my start-up back with me, and I see participation as an important milestone on our path to making care more humane, culturally sensitive, and sustainable.
About Bianca Yang
The idea for Cultural Care came to University of Bonn alumna Bianca Yang because of her own family environment: her mother's difficulties in feeling at home in Germany as a Korean guest worker sparked Bianca Yang's desire for a culture of empathy. In order to realize her start-up idea in the future, she is receiving support from funding programs at the University of Bonn and the Transfer Center enaCom, which made her stay at the University of California possible. The CITRIS Smart Health Masterclass and Intensive she attended is a program aimed at informing healthcare executives about strategies and applications of digital health and AI.
