Othman Ouenes

MISSION-DRIVEN GOALS. Othman Ouenes has always been mission-driven, whether through human rights activism, campaigning for better healthcare policies, or mentoring disadvantaged youth. His career journey and personal experiences led him to found Fidari, a company revolutionizing cancer care by placing patients at the center. Fidari combines compassionate human interaction with advanced AI to offer personalized, remote solutions that empower patients to take an active role in their care, leading to better outcomes and a more positive experience.

Born in France to a Moroccan mother and a French-Algerian father, Othman emigrated to America at a young age. His parents worked tirelessly to provide for their family, instilling in Othman a strong work ethic and resilience. “I had this hybrid identity, which I think has actually helped me with many other things, in terms of my sexual identity and being a bridge between different cultures and different types of people,” he reflects.

Despite facing challenges as an immigrant, Othman excelled academically, eventually attending Stanford University. It was there he began to explore his identity more deeply. “When I got into Stanford and left home, which was very conservative with a lot of immigrant families, I realized there was a lot of guilt and shame around not fitting in,” he says. At Stanford, Othman studied Human Biology and engaged in public policy, activism, and human rights, laying the groundwork for his future endeavors.

Prior to founding Fidari, Othman spent 12 years building QURE Healthcare, a company he co-founded in 2012 that developed software solutions to improve physician engagement and conduct virtual clinical utility trials. “I was alone in San Francisco, and there were times when I didn’t know if I could pay rent for the next month,” Othman recalls. Despite these challenges, he gained valuable experience in business development, sales, and managing a startup, ultimately leading to QURE’s success and acquisition.

During this time, Othman also discovered more about himself, entering his first long-term relationship with a man. However, the pressures of building QURE led to unhealthy and occasionally destructive behavior. After his first relationship ended, Othman met and fell in love with a woman. Through therapy, he came to terms with his identity. “I now identify as pansexual. I’ve found that I’m attracted to everyone, and actually, I now see that as a strength,” he says.

Othman credits several mentors with helping him both personally and professionally. “My biggest inspiration was my mentor Eduardo Glandt. He was the first gay dean of Engineering at Penn and opened up the world to me,” he shares. Other influential mentors include his current partner Brock Yurich, who has shown him the importance of always fighting for your dreams, and Molly O’Neill, an advisor to Fidari. “Molly has shown me the importance of building relationships and showing up authentically as a queer person in both my personal and professional life,” Othman says.

A LEGACY OF COMPASSIONATE CARE. Othman’s biggest goal with Fidari is to positively impact as many cancer patients’ lives as possible. “I have a strong vision to leave a legacy where at least 1,000 patients or more can lead a longer and better life because of our technology,” he says.

Alongside Fidari, Othman also helped launch and run a small foundation with another mentor and friends Dr. John Peabody and Camellia Peabody that funds projects in low- and middle-income countries using technology to improve healthcare quality.

Also driving Othman to continue in his mission with Fidari is his love of the arts, his garden, and a genuine desire to tackle the challenges of building a business. His dedication to personal growth, his team, and his mission drives him daily, embodying his commitment to making a lasting impact on the world.