Our story
At Kardi Ai, we are pioneers in the digital transformation of healthcare. We have created a tool that, with the help of artificial intelligence, makes long-term ECG monitoring a simple, affordable process that can be seamlessly integrated into everyday life.
We believe in the future of health care supported by technology, not only for effective treatment, but also for preventive care. Our goal is to save lives though low-cost, mass screening for cardiovascular disease by utilising artificial intelligence. At a time when people are looking for more ways to be actively involved in their health care, our solution allows them to play a leading role in their health story and take care of their heart anytime, anywhere.
How did it begin?
It all started as a casual discussion over a glass of wine, when neighbors Stephen Burke, a native of Vermont, USA, settled in the Czech Republic, and cardiologist Tomáš Skála discussed the difficulty, effort and financial burden of monitoring the condition of people suffering from heart problems.
From this personal need to solve the complexity of monitoring heart diseases and the inflexibility of the current system, the idea arose to create a medical device that fits in the palm of your hand, is comfortable to wear and continously evaluates ECG records using artificial intelligence.
A device that enables long-term ECG monitoring from the comfort of your home will shorten the path to an early diagnosis and save time for doctors.
Our team
We are a team of professionals with diverse skills. Our strength lies in the combination of technical know-how, medical expertise and passion for innovation.
Co-founder and CEO Stephen Burke, a seasoned US-born entrepreneur, brings years of experience in technology and startup building to Kardi Ai. Living and working in culturally different countries, such as India and France, Stephen has gained a global perspective, insight and an innovative approach to problem solving.
Doc. MD Tomáš Skála, Ph.D., FESC, co-founder of the company, is a renowned cardiac electrophysiologist with a strong background in medical research. Tomáš graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the Palacký University in Olomouc and remained loyal to his alma mater. He heads the department of cardiac electrophysiology at the university hospital, where he deals with the catheterization treatment of complex heart rhythm disorders, the use of imaging methods in cardiology and electrophysiology, and the development of new ECG monitoring options. At Kardi AI, he heads the department of medical and research.
Pavel Digaňa, the company’s co-founder and technical director, is an experienced IT manager, architect and software developer. He brings a robust technical skill set and deep understanding of software development processes and building development teams from the ground up. He gained extensive experience in previous companies such as Greyson, NEWPS.CZ and Twisto. Pavel is responsible for leading the development, setting up the development processes and the architecture of the entire Kardi Ai solution.
David Skála, co-founder of the company, acts as product director. Thanks to previous experience as an analyst at ČSOB and Wall Street Systems, and extensive experience from various positions at the consulting company Accenture, David brings comprehensive knowledge in the area of product development and business strategy. At Kardi Ai, he is in charge of product management.
Vlastimil Hrabal works at Kardi Ai in the position of operations director. Vlastimil held key positions in organizations such as ING životno pojišťovna and DIRECT pojišťovna, and from the position of sales and operations director, he significantly participated in the development of Home Credit companies in India and the Philippines. Thanks to his extensive experience in managing operational excellence and setting up processes in Kardi Ai, everything runs like clockwork.
Expert advisors
Ing. Dana Bérová
Dana Bérová is a successful entrepreneur, development manager, investor and mentor. Her previous work as Minister of Informatics testifies to her determination to shape the technological environment. Dana has extensive experience in the media, especially in the investment sphere. Together we share a passion for artificial intelligence and the world of startups.
Prof. MUDr. Miloš Táborský, CSc., FESC, FACC, MBA
Prof. MD Miloš Táborský, CSc., FESC, FACC, MBA is one of the Czech leaders in the treatment of heart rhythm disorders. He is the head of the cardiology clinic of the Olomouc University Hospital. He gathered professional experience during foreign internships in Western Europe and overseas, and he successfully introduces modern European trends in the treatment of diseases of the heart and circulatory system also in the Czech environment.
Medical board
Our website section is currently under construction. Stay tuned for updates!
Prof. MUDr. Tomáš Skála, Ph.D., FESC
Doc. MD Tomáš Skála, Ph.D., FESC, co-founder of the company, is a renowned cardiac electrophysiologist with a strong background in medical research. Tomáš graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the Palacký University in Olomouc and remained loyal to his alma mater. He heads the department of cardiac electrophysiology at the university hospital, where he deals with the catheterization treatment of complex heart rhythm disorders, the use of imaging methods in cardiology and electrophysiology, and the development of new ECG monitoring options. At KARDI AI, he heads the department of development and health issues.
Prof. MUDr. Daniel Šaňák, Ph.D., FESO
Prof. MD Daniel Šaňák, Ph.D., FESO works at the Neurological Clinic of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Warsaw and at the Olomouc University Hospital. Since 2011, he has been the chief physician of the FNOL Complex Cerebrovascular Center. He completed several internships abroad and participated in the creation of national recommendations and recommended clinical procedures for the treatment and prevention of cerebrovascular accidents. His professional interest is the issue of cerebrovascular diseases, i.e. brain diseases related to cerebrovascular disorders, their diagnosis, therapy and prevention. He also deals with the relationship between strokes and heart diseases and new methods of treating ischemic strokes.
Prof. Heikki Huikuri
Heikki Veli Huikuri (born June 26, 1952, in Haukipudas) is a prominent Finnish cardiologist. He earned his Licentiate of Medicine in 1977 and Doctor of Medicine in 1983 from the University of Oulu. Huikuri has held various positions at Oulu University Hospital, including assistant physician, specialist physician, and later chief physician. He became a professor of cardiology at the University of Oulu in 1998 and served as a visiting professor in Florida from 1998 to 1999. Huikuri’s research focuses on cardiac arrest risks and ECG abnormalities. His team identified idiopathic myocardial fibrosis, a disease group causing sudden death in young people.
He received the Heart Research Foundation’s Grand Prize in 2005 and the Matti Äyräpää Prize in 2015. In 2013, he was elected to the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters.
Assoc. Prof. MUDr. Jiří Plášek, Ph.D.
Jiří Plášek is a highly regarded cardiologist specializing in electrophysiology. He completed his Ph.D. in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at Palacký University in Olomouc in 2011.
Plášek has extensive experience in the field, serving as a clinical cardiologist, electrophysiologist, and clinical researcher. Since 2007, he has been a consultant for electrophysiology and cardiac pacing at University Hospital Ostrava’s Department of Cardiology. He has also been working at BENEDOR s.r.o. as a heart rhythm specialist since 2011.
In 2017, Plášek joined the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine in Prague as an electrophysiologist. He has been a lecturer at the University of Ostrava since 2008, and since January 2023, he has headed the Center for Research in Internal and Cardiovascular Medicine there.
