Physician Builder Spotlight: Uli K. Chettipally

We’re shining light on MD-entrepreneurs! Each week, we feature an entrepreneurial doctor who’s building a cool product, company, or working on a big idea that you definitely want to know about. This week, meet Dr. Uli K. Chettipally, Founder of Sirica Therapeutics, a start-up that is developing a novel device system for autism, using robotics, virtual reality, and video gaming. You can connect further with Uli on LinkedIn.

1. Uli, what inspired you to become a physician entrepreneur? I’ve always been driven by curiosity and a desire to solve problems. As a physician, I saw firsthand the limitations of traditional healthcare systems — how slow they can be to solve problems and how patients sometimes have to suffer. In clinical practice, you can solve problems one at a time. Whereas through entrepreneurship you can solve a problem for millions of people. Becoming a physician entrepreneur was a natural step: It allowed me to combine my clinical insight and research experience with technology and business.

2. Tell us what your company does and what problem you're trying to solve. I founded Sirica Therapeutics, where we are developing technology-enabled therapies for individuals with autism and other developmental differences. Our platform integrates robotics, virtual reality, video gaming, and AI into ‘Cognitive Sensorimotor Therapy’ — a deeply immersive, task-oriented therapeutic experience. The problem we are addressing is two-fold: the lack of effective, personalized therapies and the shortage of trained therapists in this domain. By creating a scalable, enjoyable system, we aim to make effective therapy more accessible and impactful for millions of people.

3. What's your advice to anyone who's thinking about a nontraditional career in medicine? First, embrace your curiosity. If something bothers you or sparks your imagination, that’s usually where the opportunity lies. Second, don’t let your MD identity limit you — you are more than just a clinician; you are also a problem solver, innovator, and a leader. And third, understand that entrepreneurship is a team sport. Build a network, surround yourself with people who complement your skills, and don’t be afraid to learn from others what you don’t know.

4. How can a physician overcome their biggest fear to start a company/organization? Fear is natural. I’ve felt it many times. The best way to overcome it is by starting small and slow. 1) Become an advisor or a small investor to a startup. 2) Offer your services as a part-time Chief Medical Officer. 3) Become a co-founder/founder to a startup and form a team. While you are on this journey, find mentors, learn the craft, and talk to potential users. You don’t need to quit your day job immediately. Make sure you can support your financial health, physical health, mental health and social health while you are on this journey.

5. What's the #1 lesson you've learned since building your company that wasn't obvious to you before? Relationships matter more than ideas. You may have the best idea in the world, but if you don’t build trust — with your team, investors, patients, and partners — it won’t go anywhere. I learned that success is as much about people as it is about technology or business models.

6. Name the top resources you found most helpful to get going as an entrepreneur. InnovatorMD.com – the physician innovation community I founded, has been an amazing community for me. This is how I learned everything I know about innovation and entrepreneurship. Also:

- Medical associations – Organized medicine groups are great for building credibility and networks. And understanding the pain points that physicians are facing every day.

- Angel Investor groups – Any healthcare-focused early-stage investor group that brings insight into what investors look for.

- Mentors & peers – Conversations with experienced physician entrepreneurs were priceless.

7. How can other physicians support you? I’d love for physicians to engage with us — whether as collaborators, advisors, users of our technology, or investors. Feedback is invaluable, and so is spreading the word to families who may benefit from our therapies. Physicians can reach out to me directly on LinkedIn or through our website here: www.siricatx.com

Bonus! 3 Questions About How Uli Uses AI

Just for Offcall members: We're making available Uli's answers to 3 questions about AI just to Offcall's members:

1) What's an actual prompt you're feeding to GPT that's been helpful to your clinical work?

2) What's the AI tool/use case you can't live without?

3) What are your top AI resources to get going as a physician?

In order to see Uli's answers, sign up for Offcall for free at the link below:

Sign up here