- Company
- TrialNetworks
- Role
- Co-Founder
- Est. Net Worth
- $3 Million (Est.)
- Stage
- Emerging
- Industry
- Healthcare
Vivek Murthy
Co-Founder at TrialNetworks
About
Vivek Murthy served as the 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States, becoming the youngest person to hold the position when first appointed in 2014 at age 37. Before entering government, he co-founded TrialNetworks, a technology company that improved clinical trial efficiency by enabling pharmaceutical companies to share operational data, and co-founded Doctors for America, a grassroots organization of physicians advocating for health reform. As Surgeon General, Murthy focused on the opioid crisis, publishing the first-ever Surgeon General's report on addiction, and later drew attention to the youth mental health crisis and the epidemic of loneliness. His career bridges entrepreneurship, public health, and policy.
Current Company
TrialNetworks — Co-Founder
From Startup Founder to Surgeon General
Before becoming America's top public health official, Vivek Murthy was a physician-entrepreneur who co-founded TrialNetworks, a technology company that helped pharmaceutical companies improve clinical trial efficiency by enabling data sharing across organizations. He also co-founded Doctors for America, a grassroots organization of physicians that mobilized support for healthcare reform during the Affordable Care Act debates, building a network of over 16,000 physician advocates.
Appointed as the 19th Surgeon General in 2014 at age 37, Murthy was the youngest person to hold the position. His first major initiative was a Surgeon General's report on addiction — the first of its kind — which reframed substance abuse as a public health issue rather than a moral failing. The report influenced policy conversations about opioid treatment, harm reduction, and the integration of addiction medicine into mainstream healthcare.
The Loneliness Epidemic and Youth Mental Health
Murthy's most lasting contribution may be his identification of loneliness and social isolation as a public health crisis. His 2023 advisory declared loneliness an epidemic with health consequences comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, drawing on decades of research linking social disconnection to heart disease, dementia, depression, and premature death. The advisory sparked a global conversation about the structural causes of isolation — from remote work to social media to the decline of community institutions.
Reappointed as the 21st Surgeon General in 2021, Murthy also issued advisories on youth mental health and the effects of social media on adolescents, becoming one of the most visible public health leaders in a generation. His career bridges the worlds of tech entrepreneurship, clinical medicine, and government policy — a combination that positions him to understand health challenges from multiple angles and communicate solutions to diverse audiences.