Striding Towards Success: The Inspiring Journey of Dr. Zac Cartun and Gregory Gerla with Stride Soles at INSEAD

In January 2024, Dr. Zac Cartun, MD, MBA’23D, found himself amidst a flurry of international business activities in Boston, just a month after graduating from INSEAD. He credited INSEAD for his newfound success, a sentiment echoed during our interview with him. 

Zac's journey began in medical school, where he volunteered to implement a telehealth solution during the COVID-19 pandemic, realising the potential for convenience to both improve patient experience as well as healthcare outcomes. Motivated to make a broader impact, he pursued a one-year MBA at INSEAD in 2023, supported by the Andrew Hordern MBA'91 scholarship. 

Shortly after starting his MBA, Zac connected with Gregory Gerla, an exchange student from Northwestern University, similarly interested in health-tech start-ups. Greg, an Ironman athlete and former product manager, was frustrated with the cumbersome process of obtaining orthotic insoles to treat his flat feet. Together, they conceived Stride Soles, a telehealth app connecting patients to podiatrists for custom orthotic insoles. They proposed the idea in the 46th INSEAD Venture Competition (IVC)—it didn’t get selected for the semi-finals. Despite this initial setback, they persisted. 

Zac, with his medical expertise, focused on developing clinical workflows and questionnaires, while Greg, leveraging his athletic background and product management experience, spearheaded market research and networking efforts. They refined their idea, securing support from classmates who assisted with financial modelling and pitching to investors. Their dedication paid off when Stride Soles won the 47th IVC, marking a significant milestone. 

Today, Stride Soles offers a seamless solution for obtaining custom orthotic insoles remotely, with fifteen physical therapy clinics already on board and nearing their 1,000th customer. 

The IVC serves as the flagship entrepreneurship experience for all current degree programme participants, managed by The Rudolf and Valeria Maag INSEAD Centre for Entrepreneurship. This biannual event represents a pivotal step in the development of INSEAD's entrepreneurial students' ventures, enabling them to pitch their start-up idea to a panel of judges and vie for prizes exceeding €65,000. Participants benefit from extensive coaching and feedback from seasoned entrepreneurs and investors, gaining invaluable knowledge and experience on how to launch a start-up. Since 2000, the INSEAD Centre for Entrepreneurship has hosted 47 editions of the IVC, engaging over 4,300 participants and awarding over €1.1M of funding. The competition underscores the true entrepreneurial spirit of INSEAD's students and alumni. 

Zac's journey exemplifies the transformative power of an INSEAD education, inspiring fellow entrepreneurs to embrace risk and pursue innovation! 

To hear more about Zac and Greg’s innovative venture, watch the video below: