Kathryn Cross, Founder and CEO of Anja Health, joined Evidence-Based Registry for a conversation about the transformative potential of cord blood banking and stem cell therapy. Kathryn shared the personal story that inspired her work, explained the science behind cord blood banking, and discussed the challenges and opportunities in making these treatments more accessible.

The following is a transcript of our conversation, lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

Evidence-Based Registry (EBR): Kathryn, thank you for joining us. Let’s start with your story. What led you to create Anja Health?

Kathryn Cross: My younger brother, Andrew, had cerebral palsy from a near-drowning accident, which caused severe brain damage. Stem cells from his umbilical cord could have been a promising treatment to improve his motor and social skills through regeneration. Unfortunately, we hadn’t banked his or my stem cells, and finding a donor was incredibly difficult—especially for someone who was mixed-race like him. After Andrew passed away, I wanted to build something that could have helped him. That’s why I founded Anja Health. Our mission is to ensure parents feel informed and confident about their choices when it comes to cord blood banking, and to make stem cell treatments accessible for various diseases.

For readers unfamiliar with stem cells, how would you explain them in simple terms?

We help pregnant parents freeze stem cells from their umbilical cords and placentas for future disease treatment. Think of it like freezing eggs or sperm: we process the stem cells in a lab and cryopreserve them at around -190°C. Stem cells have incredible regenerative properties, offering potential treatment for conditions like cerebral palsy, blood cancers, and more. With over a thousand clinical trials exploring their applications, they’re a powerful tool to have in your family’s medical toolkit.

Building a healthcare company isn’t easy, especially in a tech world dominated by SaaS startups. How did you navigate that?

I was surprised at how investors resonated with the mission. Many even said, “Finally, not another B2B SaaS company!” I think the personal connection to the mission stood out. In many startups, founders aren’t necessarily solving a deeply personal problem, but for me, this work is directly tied to my brother’s story. That authenticity seemed to resonate with people.

Let’s talk about your first customers. How did you convince parents to trust Anja Health with such an important decision?

Social media was key. Before founding Anja, I ran a consultancy helping startups go to market, so I knew how important it was to meet customers where they are. We started posting consistent, low-fidelity content to learn and iterate. It resonated with parents because we were transparent and approachable. Our first customers often had a medical background or personal experience with conditions that could benefit from stem cell treatments.