3× Seed and 550% Growth for a Healthcare SaaS Startup
…
550%
Web traffic growth
690%
US user growth
150+
MQLs generated
3×
Seed target closed
The situation
What was broken before I came in.
A European healthtech startup had built a genuinely differentiated product — a digital diary platform for ICU patients and their families — and had early traction in the Netherlands. But they needed two things simultaneously: US market penetration and investor confidence through commercial proof.
When I came in, they had no US-facing website, no SEO strategy for the US market, no structured lead generation process, and no presence at industry events. The founding team was technical and deeply mission-driven — but had no marketing infrastructure at all.
The timeline: 8 months to show meaningful US traction, generate qualified leads, and build the commercial narrative that would support a seed raise.
The approach
What I actually did.
The approach was to establish SEO and paid foundations across all markets simultaneously, then prioritise the US and UK for brand positioning and lead generation.
- New US-focused website and UX
Developed and launched a fully rebuilt website tailored for the US market — cleaner positioning, ICU-specific value propositions, and clear patient/family vs clinical staff segmentation. - SEO strategy targeting ICU-related keywords
Implemented comprehensive on-page and technical SEO focused on ICU-specific search terms. Resulted in first-page rankings for core keywords within 4 months. - Paid campaigns on Google and LinkedIn
Deployed targeted paid campaigns on Google (search + display) and LinkedIn (targeting hospital administrators, ICU department heads). Paid drove 50% of overall traffic growth. - 3 major industry events secured
Secured presence at three key healthcare events — combining booth presence, speaking opportunities, and structured lead capture. Events generated some of the highest-quality SQLs. - Mobile optimisation overhaul
Rebuilt mobile performance from near-broken to best-in-class — resulting in a 500% increase in mobile sessions and significantly lower bounce rates. - Lead nurture programme: MQL → SQL conversion
Built a HubSpot-based lead nurture programme with content tracks for different buyer personas. Stabilised monthly lead gen at 4–5 MQLs with consistent SQL conversion.
The results
Eight months from the project start, the company had measurable US presence, a functioning lead generation machine, and commercial data that directly supported their investor conversations.
- 550% web traffic vs prior year
- 7,900+ new users (+174% YoY)
- 690% growth in US-based users
- 355% growth in NL-based users
- 150+ MQLs generated
- 27 SQLs from website + events
- 3× original seed target closed
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