Jackson Wagner stepped down from his position as a product lead at Scale AI in July 2022. Since then, he has launched Corridor, a new startup that provides AI-powered health benefits brokerage services specifically for small businesses. Traditional health insurance brokerages often avoid working with small businesses because they generate lower commissions, even though managing their accounts requires the same amount of time and effort as larger accounts. Corridor aims to address this gap by using AI to handle routine administrative tasks such as verifying whether a doctor is in a customer’s insurance network, scheduling medical appointments, and updating health insurance information for healthcare providers. This allows small businesses to work with human advisors while AI manages the background work. Nikhil Aggarwal, Corridor’s CEO, described the company as “every single employee and management’s concierge for all things healthcare.” Corridor recently raised $25 million in its seed funding round, led by Bain Capital Ventures. The idea for the company came after Wagner had a running accident that led to chronic pain and complicated care coordination. These experiences inspired him to leave Scale AI and pursue a master’s degree in computer science and electrical engineering at UC Berkeley. After completing his studies, Wagner joined Build Robotics in 2023. He later partnered with Eric Qian, a former colleague from Scale AI, to co-found Capernaum AI, a startup focused on developing AI tools for musculoskeletal care and chronic pain management. However, when they approached Cold Start — a venture capital firm — for funding, Nikhil Aggarwal and Jason Dong, partners at Cold Start, saw broader potential in the healthcare access space. The four co-founded Corridor together. Wagner believes that since health insurance plans are the main way most Americans access healthcare, improving how people get these plans can lead to better health outcomes. Other companies operating in the health benefits brokerage space include Ignition Benefits and Nava Benefits. Corridor’s seed round also included investments from BoxGroup and executives from well-known tech companies like OpenAI, Scale AI, and Ramp. The startup is preparing for a key period in the fourth quarter of the year, as 80% of small businesses select their health insurance plans during this time. Aggarwal emphasized that Corridor’s vision is to become the most trusted healthcare institution in America, with a strong focus on keeping promises to both businesses and their employees. Wagner’s journey from Scale AI to Corridor reflects a growing trend of tech professionals applying their skills to solve complex problems in healthcare. By combining AI with human expertise, Corridor aims to make health benefits more accessible and manageable for small businesses, which often lack the resources to navigate the complicated healthcare system. The company is positioned to play a significant role in shaping how small businesses access and manage health insurance in the coming years.