Capyra: Breaking Down Language Barriers in Healthcare
Bailey Thomas
Healthcare should be accessible to everyone, regardless of the language they speak. Yet, for many refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers, language and cultural barriers can make accessing timely, appropriate care a challenge. Capyra (formally AI Mily Heath) is here to change that, breaking down language barriers in healthcare with its SaaS solution for healthcare providers. The platform delivers real-time, medically attuned speech-to-speech AI translation to complement traditional interpreter services, giving non-English-speaking patients their voice back. By integrating seamlessly into existing workflows, Capyra empowers healthcare organisations to deliver safer, faster, and more compassionate care, reducing costs and improving efficiency. Founded by Mily Lee, Manuel Becerra, and Song Wu, their shared mission is to enable patients to communicate with dignity and confidence while helping clinicians focus on compassionate care.
Capyra joined the MedTech Actuator Accelerator Australia Cohort 10, bringing together clinical and operational expertise, and advanced AI engineering to tackle one of healthcare’s persistent challenges. Co-founder and CEO Mily Lee is a registered nurse with experience across multiple clinical specialties, including firsthand experience acting as an ad-hoc interpreter for patients with limited English proficiency. Co-founder and COO Manuel Becerra brings a background in sustainability and mechanical engineering, alongside a personal understanding of how language and cultural barriers can limit access to essential services. Co-founder and AI Lead Song Wu is an AI engineer specialising in speech synthesis and natural-language processing. Together, the founding team combines clinical and personal insight, technical innovation, and strategic execution to make healthcare communication more equitable and accessible.
The Accelerator Experience and Beyond
Capyra successfully developed its MVP, taking an important step towards bringing its technology to healthcare providers. The team also held discussions with several major hospitals about potential pilot studies and research partnerships, laying the groundwork for future clinical validation and collaboration. Beyond product development, CEO Mily Lee was named a finalist at The Startup Network’s Female Founder Pitch Night, before Capyra took home first place at Wyndham City Council’s WYN Innovation Pitch Competition.
Following the Accelerator, Capyra is focused on preparing its MVP for market launch and ensuring its platform aligns with the Australian Privacy Principles. These steps will help establish the foundations for responsible implementation within healthcare environments, where privacy, trust, and patient safety are essential. After launching the MVP, the team aims to initiate a pilot program with a major Australian hospital, creating an opportunity to assess the platform’s accuracy, integration into clinical workflows, and potential health-economic benefits.
The team is also pursuing non-dilutive grant funding to support a two-to-three-year clinical research collaboration with a leading hospital and Victoria University, as well as securing its first paid contract with a healthcare provider.
Capyra progress throughout the program marks an important step in their health innovation journey, as they continue to refine their technology and prepare for future pilot studies. With a clear focus on real-world validation and clinical impact, Capyra is working towards a future where language is no longer a barrier to accessible, equitable healthcare.
“Being part of the MedTech Actuator has been an incredible experience for us as an early-stage startup. The program helped us understand what it truly takes to build a health-tech company… The team provided valuable guidance and connections along the way, while encouraging us to take ownership and lead our own path.” - Mily Lee, Co-founder and CEO, Capyra
Driving the future of Australia’s healthcare innovation
Together, these ventures represent the future of MedTech innovation, where science, compassion, and collaboration intersect to create meaningful change. By nurturing visionary founders and empowering bold ideas, the MedTech Accelerator continues to drive Australia’s position as a global leader in human-centered healthcare technology.
Are you driving an early-stage MedTech, BioTech, or HealthTech venture and aiming to successfully bring your innovation to market? Read more about the MedTech Actuator Accelerator program and how we can help founders like you navigate the complexities of healthcare commercialisation here.
The MedTech Actuator Accelerator Australia is supported by Innovation Victoria.