Products

Clasp
Clasp
Physician Finance & Tax
Clasp connects healthcare students and professionals with employers offering direct student loan repayment benefits, enhancing talent acquisition and retention in critical healthcare fields by linking employment to student loan repayment.

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About Clasp

Clasp is a venture-backed, mission-driven company operating as a healthcare workforce infrastructure provider, primarily focused on addressing critical talent shortages and high clinician turnover rates within the U.S. healthcare system. The company’s core offering is a “Loan-Linked Hiring” model, inspired by the military’s ROTC program, which connects healthcare employers with clinical students before graduation. Through this model, employers commit to repaying student loans over time in exchange for a specified period of employment tenure, thereby fostering lasting bonds between employers and employees.

For physicians and healthcare organizations, Clasp provides a strategic solution to enhance recruitment, stabilize teams, and significantly improve long-term clinician retention. By shifting away from transactional sign-on bonuses to retention-based financial incentives, Clasp aims to help healthcare systems reduce substantial costs associated with high turnover and reliance on temporary contract labor. The platform facilitates the administration of loan repayment programs, integrates with various student loan providers, and supports a diverse range of healthcare professions, including nurses, radiologic technologists, respiratory therapists, and physical, occupational, and speech therapists. Clasp reports that its model achieves retention rates 2.5 times higher than traditional hiring methods, with over $130 million in employer commitments towards student loan support.

While Clasp’s primary external offering is centered on its fintech-driven loan repayment and retention platform, the company also leverages technology internally. For instance, in its product development, Clasp explores and applies emerging AI workflows to accelerate research, ideation, and design production, aiming for smarter, faster, and more scalable processes. This internal application of AI supports the continuous enhancement of its platform, which is designed to build a more predictable and sustainable talent pipeline for the healthcare industry.

Focus Areas

Healthcare workforce retention student loan repayment talent pipeline development clinician recruitment employee retention education-to-career pathways HR technology fintech in healthcare

Business Intelligence

Key InvestorsCrosslink Capital, Digitalis Ventures, Juvo, Strada Education, Firework Ventures, GSV Ventures, New U Venture Partners, SHRM, Marc Weill
PartnershipsNorthwestern Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Boston Children's, Novant Health, Warby Parker, BAYADA, Bergen New Bridge, Confluent Health, Therapy Partners Group, UMass Memorial Health, UNC Health Appalachian, MyEyeDr., OhioHealth, VCA Animal Hospitals, EssilorLuxottica, New England College of Optometry, Rochester Regional Health
AcquisitionsWas Stride Funding, rebranded to Clasp
TechnologyCloud-native platform leveraging AI for matchmaking, administration, and workflow optimization in recruitment and loan repayment processes; includes fintech and repayment functions.

What Physicians Need to Know

Healthcare Workforce Retention
Clasp specializes in a 'Loan-Linked Hiring' or 'ROTC model' that ties student loan repayment directly to employee tenure, significantly reducing clinician turnover and addressing the high costs associated with rehiring.
Student Loan Repayment
The company offers direct employer-sponsored student loan repayment programs, integrating with a vast majority (98%) of federal and private loan providers to offer substantial financial relief to clinicians.
Talent Pipeline Development
Clasp builds long-term talent pipelines by connecting healthcare employers with clinical students before graduation, ensuring a steady supply of committed professionals.
Clinician Recruitment
They help healthcare organizations attract hard-to-hire talent by replacing traditional, transactional sign-on bonuses with retention-based incentives, making employers more competitive.
Employee Retention
Clasp's model delivers retention rates that are 2.5 times higher than traditional hiring models, fostering loyalty and long-term commitment by aligning financial support with tenure.
Education-to-Career Pathways
The platform bridges the gap between education and employment, providing students with a clear career path and a plan for debt repayment upon graduation.
HR Technology
Clasp provides a platform that facilitates the administration of loan repayment, integrates with HRIS systems, and can gamify the repayment experience for employees.
Fintech in Healthcare
As a venture-backed, mission-driven fintech company, Clasp is transforming education financing in healthcare and has been recognized by Forbes Fintech 50.
Physician Tip

For physicians, Clasp offers a compelling solution to significant career challenges:nn* **Alleviates Substantial Student Debt**: Physicians often carry immense student loan debt. Clasp provides a direct pathway for employers to contribute significantly to loan repayment, potentially up to $180,000, easing a major financial burden.n* **Secures Early Career Stability**: The model allows for job commitments and debt repayment plans even before graduation, providing peace of mind and a clear career trajectory in a competitive landscape.n* **Fosters Long-Term Employer Investment**: By tying loan repayment to tenure, employers are incentivized to invest in a physician's long-term success and retention, moving beyond short-term bonuses.n* **Potential Tax Advantages and Credit Building**: Employer-sponsored loan repayments can offer tax advantages and help build a physician's credit score.n* **Broad Applicability**: The programs are available for various clinical roles, including CRNAs, physical therapists, and other advanced practice providers, indicating potential for physicians across different specialties.

Clasp's platform is designed for extensive integration, notably with 98% of federal and private student loan providers to directly facilitate loan repayments. Additionally, it supports integrations with HRIS (Human Resources Information Systems) for employers, enabling streamlined administration of repayment benefits, compliant fund flow, and efficient invoice and credit management.

Products by Clasp

1 product in the directory

Clasp
Clasp
Physician Finance & Tax
Clasp connects healthcare students and professionals with employers offering direct student loan repayment benefits, enhancing talent acquisition and retention in critical healthcare fields by linking employment to student loan repayment.

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Press & Coverage

Business Wire / Clasp.com
Clasp Raises $20M Series B to Scale ROTC Model for Clinician Retention in Healthcare
Clasp announced a $20 million Series B funding round to expand its 'Retention Over Turnover Costs' (ROTC) model, which connects healthcare employers with clinicians before graduation and ties student loan repayment to tenure. This model aims to reduce high clinician turnover rates by replacing sign-on bonuses with retention-based incentives.
2026-03
Crosslink Capital
Clasp, loan-linked hiring tool for employers, clinches $20M to expand amid federal loan caps
Clasp secured $20 million in Series B funding, bringing its total raised to $50 million, to expand its loan-linked hiring platform for healthcare employers. The company's model helps organizations reduce turnover by offering student loan repayment in exchange for tenure, a strategy becoming more critical with new federal loan caps taking effect in July 2026.
2026-03
Staffing Industry Analysts
Healthcare recruitment startup Clasp secures $20 million in series B funding
Boston-based Clasp raised $20 million in Series B funding, led by Crosslink Capital and Digitalis Ventures, to accelerate its expansion across health systems and deepen university partnerships. The company's Loan-Linked Hiring model, inspired by the military's ROTC program, aims to create more stable healthcare teams and higher retention rates.
2026-03
Forbes
Clasp Raised $20 Million To Tackle Healthcare Burnout Through Student Loans
Clasp, founded by Tess Michaels, secured $20 million in Series B funding to expand its platform that links student loan repayment to healthcare jobs, akin to an ROTC model for clinicians. This financial model aims to combat the significant healthcare worker shortage and high turnover rates by incentivizing long-term employment.
2026-04
Clasp.com
Clasp Represents Healthcare Employers in Federal Committee Tasked with Connecting Higher Education to Workforce Outcomes
Clasp's COO, David Kafafian, served as a negotiator on the U.S. Department of Education's AHEAD Committee, advocating for policies that strengthen the connection between higher education and workforce outcomes in healthcare. This involvement highlights Clasp's role in shaping regulations that support talent pipelines amidst looming shortages and changes to federal loan caps.
2026-01
PR Newswire
Top U.S. Health Systems Commit More Than $100M to Tackle Healthcare Staffing and Student Debt Crises
Clasp announced that leading U.S. health systems have committed over $100 million in student loan repayment through its platform to address healthcare staffing shortages and student debt. This initiative, which includes partnerships with major hospitals, aims to build loyal, long-term workforces and offers a significant return on investment by reducing turnover.
2025-07
Clasp.com
Clasp and Confluent Health Launch First-of-its-Kind Student Loan Repayment Program to Attract Next Generation of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy Professionals
Clasp partnered with Confluent Health to launch the Loan Incentive for Therapists (LIFT) Program, a student loan repayment initiative designed to attract and retain physical, occupational, and speech therapy professionals. This program aims to address talent shortages in these critical healthcare fields by investing in student loan debt.
2025-09
Clasp.com
2026 Is the Year of the Talent Pipeline: The 3 Workforce Shifts Health Systems Must Make Now
This article from Clasp discusses the unprecedented workforce pressure facing healthcare systems in 2026, driven by high turnover and shrinking recruitment pipelines. It highlights the need for modern clinical pipeline strategies that move beyond reactive hiring to stabilize staffing.
2026-01

Frequently Asked Questions

Clasp offers a 'Loan-Linked Hiring' model, inspired by the ROTC program, where healthcare employers commit to clinicians before graduation and repay their student loans over time in exchange for tenure. This approach aims to replace traditional sign-on bonuses with retention-based incentives, significantly improving employee retention rates.
Clasp shifts the focus from transactional sign-on bonuses, which often reward joining but not staying, to long-term retention by tying student loan repayment directly to employment tenure. This incentivizes clinicians to remain with the organization for an extended period, reducing costly turnover and rehiring cycles.
Clasp's platform supports repayment for both federal and private student loans, simplifying the process for clinicians. Employers can commit significant student loan repayment, in some cases exceeding $180,000, aligning financial support with long-term employment commitments.
Clasp connects employers with students before graduation, allowing organizations to secure talent earlier and build a predictable, sustainable pipeline. They partner with universities and utilize various channels, including clinician influencers and campus ambassadors, to widen the candidate pool and provide structured career pathways.
Clasp offers an end-to-end platform for student talent acquisition and retention, facilitating the administration of loan repayment. While specific integration details require direct inquiry, the company is described as a healthcare HR technology player that can integrate with most student loan providers and aims for seamless HRIS integrations.
Clasp reports that its approach delivers retention rates approximately 2.5 times higher than traditional hiring models, with some programs boosting early talent retention by 94%. Employers can expect to save millions by reducing turnover costs, replacing sign-on bonuses, and lessening reliance on contract labor, with Clasp offering custom ROI analyses.
Clasp facilitates the administration of loan repayment, integrating with numerous student loan providers, and offers continuous support to both students and sponsoring employers. While direct compliance mechanisms are not fully detailed, their benefits administration platform mentions 24/7 compliance monitoring, and they work with financial institutions and universities to ensure proper program execution.

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