UpTrials

UpTrials develops software for clinical trial operations, combining an AI assistant with a specialized hiring marketplace for the clinical research sector. Its AI Trial Assistant is positioned to simplify study protocols and automate team workflows, and the company presents it as a secure and compliance-oriented alternative to general-purpose open large language models. Its Smart Staffing product algorithmically matches employers with pre-screened clinical research job seekers based on research-specific criteria, and on the candidate side helps clinical research professionals find roles matching their interests and experience.

The company frames its purpose around the growing complexity and administrative burden of clinical trials, arguing that automating workflows and closing staffing gaps lets trial teams spend more time on patient care. Founder and CEO Renuka Agarwal has said UpTrials was created to address the fact that more than half of clinical trial teams are understaffed, with better staffing intended to help more trials run successfully and to improve patient access to care.

Founding story

Renuka Agarwal, co-founder and CEO, says she started UpTrials after experiencing the administrative burden of clinical trials firsthand and to address the fact that over 50% of clinical trial teams are understaffed, on the premise that better staffing enables more trials to run successfully and improves patient access to care.

Business model

UpTrials sells software to organizations that run clinical trials — research sites, CROs and sponsors — through two product lines: an AI assistant for protocol simplification and workflow automation, and an algorithmic staffing platform that matches employers with pre-screened clinical research candidates. Prospective customers are directed to book a demo or contact the company by email, and job seekers sign up to the staffing side.

Not disclosed in available sources beyond a demo-led commercial motion for its AI Trial Assistant and sign-up access to its staffing platform.

Traction

Published testimonials from a head of talent acquisition and a chief operating officer describe time savings in hiring across sites. The company announced partnerships with Innovo Research and ClinEssentials, and its CEO was featured in Interim Visits Magazine. In January 2025 UpTrials was named to the Aurora Tech Award 2025 longlist of 120 female founders to watch, selected from 2,018 applications across 116 countries.

Latest developments

In December 2024 the company published commentary on the hidden costs of delayed hiring in clinical research. In January 2025 founder and CEO Renuka Agarwal was named to the Aurora Tech Award 2025 longlist of 120 female founders to watch, an initiative of inDrive.