A Versatile Expert Bridging Technology and Vision
Turning Dreams into Direction
Achieving your dreams doesn’t always happen in the way or at the time you’d expect. But with persistence and clarity of purpose, they eventually take shape. This has been the journey of Cupid Chan, a man whose aspirations once pointed toward the entertainment world.
As a university student in Vancouver, Cupid won a local singing competition, which led to a media opportunity from an agent based in Hong Kong. Excited by the possibilities, he considered it seriously. However, after a long four-hour conversation with his parents, who believed his academic background offered a more stable career path, Cupid chose to put that dream on hold.
The Fusion of Passion and Profession
Cupid began his professional life as a software engineer in the Washington DC area. With a desire to stay ahead, he pursued a Master’s degree at Johns Hopkins University. But his passion for performance and storytelling never faded. Eventually, he discovered he could blend his technological expertise with his flair for communication. This gave rise to a new identity: a “Technology Entertainer.”
This self-defined role allowed him to build systems that not only served technical audiences but also engaged a broader public. “Whether I’m giving a keynote, teaching as a Senior Fellow at the University of Maryland or Johns Hopkins, or leading my startup, this principle guides everything I do,” Cupid explains.
Climbing the Ladder from Engineering to Leadership
Over time, Cupid took on several roles in different organizations and consulted for Fortune 500 companies. His expertise in data and analytics led him to a leadership position in Big Data at CSC, a company that has since gone through several mergers. Later, he transitioned into a Chief Technology Officer role before co-founding his latest venture, Pistevo Decision, with a mission to use innovative technology to transform healthcare.
Solving Real-World Problems Through Personal Experience
Cupid met Dr. Ferdinand Hui at an AI conference. Cupid spoke from a technology standpoint while Dr. Hui offered insights from the medical field. Their shared goal of improving patient care led to the idea of building a system centered around the patient experience. They teamed up with Johns Hopkins experts Dr. Harry Quon and Dr. Phil Phan, and Cupid brought in his longtime collaborator Calvin Chiew to help bring their vision to life through Pistevo.
A personal health scare brought the vision into sharper focus. Cupid was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and quickly became frustrated by the repetitive paperwork he had to complete at multiple medical facilities. He wondered why patients couldn’t manage and share their own data with doctors when needed. This experience inspired the core idea behind their platform: a system that lets patients securely control and share their health data.
Creating Secure Systems for Data Sharing
Although data sharing sounds simple, it often raises serious concerns about privacy. As Cupid says, “Data is the new oil,” full of untapped potential. Large companies often profit from it without giving anything back to the individuals who generate it. Meanwhile, sharing data without safeguards can compromise privacy.
Cupid’s role as Chair of the BI and AI Committee at the Linux Foundation’s LF AI & Data helped him explore advanced solutions. One promising approach was Federated Learning. This method keeps data decentralized and trains machine learning models at the source, preserving privacy and control.
“Traditional AI gathers data into one central location, which can lead to breaches. With Federated Learning, the model goes to where the data is stored. Only the improved model is returned,” he explains. This technique lets data contributors retain control and potentially monetize their information.
Inspired by this, Cupid coined the term Federated Healthcare and registered the domain FederatedHealthcare.com. The goal is to create a marketplace where patients can choose how to share their data. Those who value privacy can use secure methods, while researchers and data consumers can still access high-quality data to train models or conduct studies. This approach empowers patients without compromising the value or privacy of their data.
Collaborative Innovation for Better Outcomes
Cupid believes real innovation happens when professionals from different backgrounds work together. People outside a domain can ask fresh questions that spark creative solutions. “Simple questions often lead to foundational insights. These small discoveries build toward meaningful innovation,” he says.
Keeping Pace with Change
Technology changes rapidly, and adaptability is crucial. Cupid recalls learning the waterfall model in college, which has since been replaced by Agile in most workplaces. Today’s users expect quick results, and even waiting a few seconds can lead to frustration.
To meet these expectations, he believes in delivering value quickly, collecting feedback, and making continuous improvements. He encourages businesses to involve their clients actively in the process. When clients contribute, they become part of the product’s journey and feel more connected to its success.
Learning from Leadership Mistakes
Cupid admits that his early days in management were filled with misconceptions. He initially believed that being a manager meant handing off work and stepping back. However, he soon learned that leadership requires active involvement and genuine dedication.
As an entrepreneur, Cupid realized that he couldn’t be involved in every technical detail. The challenge was maintaining product quality and vision while scaling the business. His solution was to establish reliable processes, such as Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD), and maintain regular check-ins to align the team with the larger vision.
“You can’t cut corners when building these foundational systems. If you skip it now, you’ll pay for it later,” he warns.
Understanding the AI Buzz
Cupid shares that while tools like ChatGPT and Google are powerful, they still require human oversight. AI provides information, but the user must determine its relevance and accuracy.
Some worry that AI will eliminate jobs, but Cupid believes new technology creates more opportunities in the long run. “We heard similar concerns during the industrial revolution, yet the job market expanded. The key is to adapt and evolve,” he explains.
For him, the real question is not whether you’re ready for AI, but how you will prepare to remain relevant in an ever-changing landscape.
Focused Goals for the Future
Cupid and his team are currently building out the Carealth platform. They understand that healthcare is vast and complex, so their approach is to start small and scale gradually. Their initial focus is on medical imaging.
This decision became clear after Cupid’s mother suffered a stroke during the pandemic. With travel restrictions in place, he couldn’t be there in person. Even though his father had access to the MRI images, sharing them with doctors abroad was a challenge. This situation underscored the need for a more patient-centric data sharing solution. Medical imaging became the first use case for Carealth, which launched in early 2023.
The team also received an NIH SBIR grant to integrate Social Determinants of Health (SDH) into their platform, particularly for cancer patients. They completed Phase I development in 2022 and are preparing for Phase II. Studies show that addressing SDH can lower readmission rates and reduce healthcare costs, making it an essential area for future expansion.
Advice for Future Entrepreneurs
Cupid offers a valuable lesson for aspiring founders. He says the difference between dreamers and doers lies in action. Through the NIH I-Corps program, he learned the importance of speaking with users, gathering feedback, and iterating constantly.
“Don’t wait for perfection. Test your idea, listen carefully, and keep refining,” he advises.
His formula is simple:
“Great Idea – Action = Failure; Listen humbly + Improve continuously = Success eventually.”
Trust as the Foundation
The word “Pistevo” means “to believe” in Greek. For Cupid, trust is more important than any technology. It’s not just about building a great product; it’s about building confidence with users, partners, and stakeholders.
He believes transparency is essential. Conflicts often arise from misunderstandings, which can usually be resolved through open, honest communication. Trust, once broken, is hard to rebuild, so protecting it must be a constant priority.
Cupid Chan’s story shows what is possible when passion, perseverance, and purpose come together. From aspiring entertainer to tech innovator, he continues to lead with heart and vision, proving that dreams really can become reality.