Yusuf Sherwani, a trained surgeon, is the CEO of Y Combinator graduate DigiThera, a digital health startup that he cofounded in 2016 with two friends and fellow doctors, Maroof Ahmed and Sarim Siddiqui.

After a family member died from smoking-related issues at a young age, Sherwani, a med school grad, realized that by helping smokers understand the circumstances that trigger their impulse to light up, they could be encouraged to make healthier decisions.

DigiThera’s first product is mobile app Quit Genius, which uses a combination of personalized content and text message-based coaching to support smokers interested in quitting. To date, the app has attracted nearly 1 million users.

Sherwani was named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People of 2019 due to the Quit Genius’s success. Now, he is partnering with the U.K.’s National Health Service and private employers to expand the app’s reach.

Previously, Sherwani founded Unique Melody, a manufacturer of custom in-ear headphones. He also served as a clinical entrepreneur fellow with England’s National Health Service.

Medicine, Anti-Smoking Activists, Health, Healthcare, Business of Healthcare, Mobile Applications, Apps, Technology, Addiction