Yuzi Care Wins Enterprise & Future of Work Category at 2026 SXSW Pitch Competition

Yuzi Care, an AI-powered postpartum care platform that matches families with trusted doulas, newborn care specialists, and maternal health providers, today announced its win in the Enterprise and Future of Work category at the 18th annual SXSW Pitch competition. Yuzi Care was selected as a finalist from more than 600 applications and pitched live at the JW Marriott in Austin alongside 44 other startups across nine categories.

Competing Against the Best in Enterprise Innovation
The Enterprise and Future of Work category featured an exceptional group of finalists tackling complex challenges across industries. Yuzi Care competed against Buildcheck, an AI-driven platform transforming building and construction compliance; GovWell, building the operating system for modern government services; Hirundo, a London-based strategic foresight engine for enterprise decision-making; and Principle, an AI simulations company. The breadth of innovation in this category alone, spanning construction technology, government infrastructure, AI-powered analytics, and workforce transformation, speaks to the caliber of companies SXSW Pitch attracts and makes this recognition deeply meaningful for the Yuzi Care team.

A Milestone Night for Maternal Health

The SXSW Pitch Award Ceremony was co-emceed by Garry Tan, President and CEO of Y Combinator, and Josephine Chen, Partner at Sequoia Capital. To have two of the most influential voices in startup investing preside over the ceremony underscored the gravity of the evening and the quality of innovation on display.
"Standing on that stage and hearing our name called was incredible, but what made it truly special was the message it sends," said Steph Foley, Founder and CEO of Yuzi Care. "Maternal health won an enterprise technology category. That tells you the world is changing. The way we care for mothers and babies after birth is finally being recognized as a systemic challenge that deserves serious innovation, serious infrastructure, and serious investment."

The Team Behind the Mission
Yuzi Care was co-founded by Foley, a West Point graduate, military veteran, Dartmouth MBA, and DONA-trained doula, alongside CTO Tina Zhu, a senior AI/ML engineer. The team continues to be energized by the problem they are solving: connecting families to credentialed postpartum care providers while making Medicaid doula benefits findable, bookable, and measurable for hospital systems and state programs nationwide.

"We are so proud of every company that pitched at SXSW this year," Foley added. "The innovation happening across healthcare, robotics, sustainability, construction, and AI is extraordinary. Being in a room with these founders reminds you that the people building the future are showing up with heart, grit, and purpose."

About SXSW Pitch

SXSW Pitch is one of the largest and most prestigious startup competitions in the world. Now in its 18th year, the competition has launched more than 730 companies, with alumni collectively raising over $22 billion in venture capital and exits. Past SXSW Pitch alumni include Siri, Klout, Hipmunk, and ICON.

About Yuzi Care

Yuzi Care is an AI-powered postpartum care coordination platform that serves as a managed access layer for hospital systems and state Medicaid programs. By matching families with trusted doulas, newborn care specialists, and maternal health providers, Yuzi Care transforms a fragmented postpartum care landscape into a guided, bookable, and measurable experience. Yuzi Care is currently in active pilot discussions with hospital systems and state Medicaid programs.

Learn more at www.yuzicare.com.

Media Contact Yuzi Care

press@yuzicare.com