THATCHER — An AI platform to help clinicians craft a personalized care program captured the imagination of the judges at this year’s Graham-Greenlee Moonshot pitch competition.
Nexus Health AI LLC was named the winner of this year’s local Moonshot qualifier, earning the company $2,000 and a chance at another $10,000 if they win the statewide Moonshot finals in Prescott in October.
Nexus Health AI is the brainchild of John Whitman, the company’s chief innovation officer, and it has already helped CEO Steven Taylor, who suffers from chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, out of a wheelchair and walking with use of a cane.
“What we do is look at the biomarkers of individuals from their blood and from their DNA, and from a little bit of their medical history, and pull together a wellness program that is built around natural capabilities of what we can get today,” Taylor said. “It pulls all that into a standardized report, that gives them all their biomarkers and repair plan on how they can live their best life.”
– David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central
Individuals can also use the program to track their health through an app.
“The goal is of Nexus is not to replace clinicians; it’s to augment their staff,” Whitman said. “It’s to be a clinician’s assistant, to give them the extra insight into individual health and individual perception.”
While Whitman incorporated Nexus Health AI in May 2025 in California, and the company has a California address, Taylor being a resident of Graham County allowed for the company to participate in Moonshot. That’s according to Joel Robinson, executive director of the Small Business Development Center at Eastern Arizona College, which conducted the local Moonshot competition.
“The only restriction is to the residents of Graham or Greenlee counties,” Robinson said. “Actually, in the grant it’s even a little bit more open — entrepreneurs of Graham and Greenlee counties. That’s how the prize is written.”
– David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central
Second place and $1,500 went to ReVive Innovations of Safford, who was seeking funding to help market their pain-free laser hair reduction service. Third place and $750 went to Oli Cakes of Safford, who was seeking funding to help with menu expansion and the purchase of a food truck.
Nexus Health AI’s win is the second time someone from out of the area won a local business pitch competition. In 2024, Nogales High School senior Rebecca Medina took home $1,000 for her winning business pitch at the SBDC at EAC’s inaugural Young Entrepreneur Excellence Training event (now known as the Young Entrepreneur Seminar).
Following Medina’s win, the rules were changed to limit participation in YES to high school students in Graham and Greenlee counties only.
– David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central
