How Wisconsin Helped Doogooda Turn Decision Science into Better Healthcare

Column by Lina Song, Founder, CEO, Doogooda

My career has always centered on decision science and healthcare. After earning my Ph.D. in Health Policy and Decision Science at Harvard, I went on to teach healthcare data analytics and decision science at University College London. While I loved the academic work, I increasingly wanted to see these methods applied beyond the classroom to solve real-world challenges.

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That ambition led me to found Doogooda, a company focused on helping healthcare providers make better, data-driven decisions. Hospitals already have access to enormous amounts of data through electronic health records, dashboards, and analytics platforms. The challenge isn’t collecting more information, it’s determining the best course of action when faced with difficult, high-stakes decisions.

Whether it’s deciding how to allocate specialists, expand services, improve quality, or respond to financial pressures, healthcare leaders need tools that help them make decisions that are not only data-driven, but also transparent and defensible. Traditionally, that type of strategic decision-making has required expensive consulting engagements. Our goal is to make those capabilities more accessible through technology.

We first launched Doogooda in South Korea, where we began working with healthcare organizations and government partners. Our methodology has also been implemented at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London through a UK government-funded collaboration with University College London. As we looked to expand into the United States, Wisconsin quickly stood out as the right place to grow.

Initially, we were drawn to Wisconsin because of its strong healthcare ecosystem and its proximity to many of the rural hospitals we hope to serve. Across the Midwest, many healthcare providers are navigating financial pressures, workforce challenges, and changing patient needs. We believed this was where our technology could make the greatest difference.

While Wisconsin’s healthcare ecosystem initially attracted us, it was the startup community that truly exceeded my expectations. Having lived and studied on both the East and West Coasts, I’ve experienced startup ecosystems in places like Boston and California. But Wisconsin has been a refreshing change. The community is deeply connected, and it’s much easier to build genuine relationships with founders, investors, mentors, and decision-makers who are invested in helping one another succeed.

Programs like gener8tor introduced us to an incredible network of mentors, investors, entrepreneurs, and organizations like WEDC. What impressed me most wasn’t simply the accelerator experience itself, but the continued support long after the program ended. The people we met have continued making introductions, offering advice, and helping us navigate new opportunities as we’ve grown.

That kind of long-term commitment is difficult to find and has been invaluable as we’ve established our U.S. headquarters in Madison.

Looking ahead, our focus is on expanding across the U.S. healthcare market while continuing to deepen our roots in Wisconsin. We hope to grow our team here, strengthen partnerships with Wisconsin healthcare systems, and continue building technology that helps healthcare organizations make smarter decisions.

For founders considering where to build their company, Wisconsin deserves a closer look. Beyond the strong industries and talented workforce, what stands out most is the people. I’ve found a community that is collaborative, supportive, and genuinely invested in helping entrepreneurs build something meaningful.