MorelandConnect: Innovating health tech and beyond
This article originally appeared on GreaterCle.com as part of the Greater Cleveland Partnership’s recap of their annual Best of Tech Awards celebration.
MorelandConnect is reshaping the health tech landscape—and they’re doing it from Cleveland. Founded by two native Clevelanders, John Lurtz and Jeff Kavlick, their vision wasn’t just about software—it was about creating a life, and a legacy of innovation.
"We all have roots here," reflects Paul Franke, Chief Revenue Officer. Cleveland wasn’t just a convenient home base; it was a place where the company could grow.
Those roots have firmly anchored the company in a city that boasts a vibrant healthcare ecosystem, from the Cleveland Clinic to University Hospitals to MetroHealth and beyond.
MorelandConnect isn’t your average software development company. While they serve industries from financial services to manufacturing, health tech is their most fertile ground for growth. Over the past three years, the health tech sector has gone from being about 25% of their business to nearly 50%.
"There’s a lot in healthcare in the Cleveland area," Franke explains. "We love the intersection of technology and healthcare. When you’re building solutions that improve the standard of care for patients, it’s not just business—it’s personal."
Innovation is central to MorelandConnect’s vision; their work has already begun addressing some of healthcare's toughest challenges. One standout project is their collaboration with RiskLD, for a system designed to enhance perinatal outcomes. Their groundbreaking work earned them the inaugural Health Tech of the Year award at the GCP Best of Tech awards, accepted on behalf of MorelandConnect by riskLD founder R.K. Khosla (pictured at top).
"We didn’t want to get up there and talk about ourselves," Franke says. “It’s about more than just us—it’s about the solutions we create with our partners.”
To scale their innovation, riskLD brought on Dr. Steve Porter—a Harvard-trained physician with a dual MD/MBA and an OB residency at University Hospitals—to serve as CEO. Under his leadership, riskLD is enabling new safety standards in labor and delivery care.
Now, with the integration of Generative AI, riskLD and Moreland are taking its capabilities even further, empowering clinical teams with real-time insights to make quicker, better-informed decisions. “This isn’t just software—it’s a lifesaving system,” says Franke. “And riskLD is scaling rapidly across states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Missouri, and garnering nationwide attention.”
Beyond maternal health, MorelandConnect has its sights set on leveraging technology for broader healthcare improvements, such as chronic disease management and operational efficiency for providers.
What sets MorelandConnect apart isn’t just its projects—it’s how they approach them. Unlike many software companies that outsource work to offshore teams, Moreland Connect keeps everything in-house.
"Our developers are shoulder-to-shoulder in the same room," Franke explains. "That becomes a force multiplier. When someone needs additional expertise, they can just turn to the person next to them. You get the collective knowledge of all 18 developers working together."
Initially, the Moreland team was worried about the implications of AI.
"About 18 months ago, we asked ourselves, ‘Are we going to have a business? Can we still employ all these developers?’" Franke recalls. "The best use case for generative AI is writing code faster."
Instead of resisting change, MorelandConnect embraced it. They integrated generative AI into their workflow, enabling their developers to deliver more features within the same budget.
"For clients, this means they can get 100 features instead of 50 for the same cost," Franke says. "It accelerates the software development process and creates more opportunities for us."
This shift has also opened new doors. For example, MorelandConnect is working on an AI-driven property inspection tool for insurance carriers. The tool uses computer vision to assess damage and even prompts inspectors to take better pictures when needed.
The Cleveland company has ambitious plans for the future. With a goal to double their business within three years, they’re investing in marketing, partnerships and talent acquisition.
In the past 40 days, MorelandConnect has secured seven new clients. And they’re actively hiring, with a strong pipeline of talent from Case Western Reserve University.
"The students coming out of Case are incredibly talented,” Franke says.
Beyond talent and innovation, Franke believes Cleveland offers a unique business culture.
"There’s something about the way people interact here," he says. "It’s competitive, but it’s also kinder and gentler than what you might find on the coasts."
As they look ahead, MorelandConnect remains committed to bridging the gap between technology and business. From AI-driven maternal health solutions to cutting-edge property inspection tools, their mission is clear: solving problems that improve lives.
“At the end of the day, it’s about making a difference,” Franke concludes. “When our work touches lives, that’s when we know we’re doing something special.”
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This is the first of a series spotlighting the 2024 GCP Best of Tech honorees. Visit greatercle.com for updates.