Dr. JT Kostman
Psychologist | AI Scientist
Entrepreneur | Investor | Mentor
Life Rarely Goes According to Plan.At least mine hasn't. And looking back, I'm glad it worked out that way.I've enjoyed what some might consider an unusual life. At twelve, I was a homeless kid living alone on the streets of New York, sleeping in alleys and on subway trains. In the years that followed, I worked as a Paramedic and Police Officer, served as a Special Forces Soldier, explored the depths of the ocean as a Deep-Sea Rescue Diver, and eventually found my way to the intersection of psychology and technology, where I've spent much of my career at the frontier of Artificial Intelligence. Somewhere along the way, I went from GED to PhD, built companies, worked with some extraordinary people, and had the good fortune to experience things that the twelve-year-old boy I once was could scarcely have imagined.If there's a common thread running through all of it, I suppose it's curiosity. I've always been fascinated by people, technology, and the possibilities that emerge when someone asks whether there's a better way of doing things. That curiosity eventually led me into psychology, mathematics, and artificial intelligence, long before AI became part of everyday conversation.Over the years, I've had the privilege of leading scientific and technology initiatives at Samsung and Time Inc., working with U.S. intelligence agencies, and contributing to projects that took me into some rather unexpected places.My interests eventually expanded from developing technologies to building businesses around them. I've founded companies, developed patented innovations, served on boards and investment committees, advised institutional investors, and participated in major acquisitions. I've enjoyed being on both sides of the investment table, and the experience has taught me a great deal about what it takes to turn an ambitious idea into a successful enterprise.Today, I'm putting much of what I've learned to work building MyMedical.ID, a company focused on making critical medical information accessible when people need it most.Our initial offering, Medical Passport, is designed to give emergency responders access to essential health information when patients may be unable to speak for themselves.We're also developing Prism, an AI-powered medical intelligence platform designed to help people and their physicians make sense of complex medical histories, recognize important changes, and make more informed healthcare decisions.Having spent part of my early career as a paramedic, I've seen firsthand how much timely information can matter in an emergency. And after decades working in artificial intelligence, data science, and entrepreneurship, I believe we have an opportunity to address that problem in ways that weren't previously possible.With MyMedical.ID, we are going to be saving lives, reducing unnecessary suffering, and building an extraordinarily successful company in the process.Beyond building my own businesses, I'm fortunate to serve as an Entrepreneur in Residence at CUNY and to mentor aspiring founders through SCORE and Alchemist Accelerator. Helping someone develop an idea, navigate an unexpected obstacle, or recognize an opportunity to improve people's lives is among the most rewarding things I do.I still find myself drawn to difficult problems, interesting people, and ideas that challenge conventional wisdom. There's always something new to learn, another opportunity worth exploring, or a promising entrepreneur who could use a little encouragement.And after all these years, I haven't lost the pleasure of seeing what happens when a good idea meets people willing to do the work of making it real.