Private Capital's Prescription for the Healthcare Labor Crisis

NEW YORK, NY – August 04, 2026 – In a move that signals a strategic shift in how private capital is confronting systemic national challenges, Tortuga Growth Partners (TGP) today announced a significant investment in Advanced eClinical Training (ACT). The deal is more than a simple transaction; it's a high-stakes bet that technology-enabled workforce development can provide a scalable antidote to the U.S. healthcare system’s most critical vulnerability: a severe and deepening labor shortage.

While private equity’s role in healthcare is often scrutinized, this partnership aims to build, not just buy. TGP, a firm specializing in “buy-and-build” strategies, is injecting capital and operational expertise into ACT, a leading online provider of healthcare certifications. The goal is to rapidly scale a proven model for training frontline clinical professionals, directly addressing a workforce gap that the American Hospital Association projects will swell to over 3.2 million workers this year. This investment isn't just about financial returns; it’s about architecting a solution to a crisis that affects every American.

A System Under Unprecedented Strain

The numbers paint a stark picture of a healthcare system at its breaking point. The 3.2 million worker shortage cited by the American Hospital Association isn't a future problem; it's a present-day reality crippling hospitals, clinics, and care facilities. This deficit isn't confined to one role but spans the entire ecosystem, from registered nurses to the allied health professionals who form the backbone of patient care. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects nearly 1.9 million openings in healthcare occupations annually through the next decade, driven by both industry growth and the need to replace a retiring or burnt-out workforce.

This is not a cyclical downturn but a structural crisis. An aging population requires more care, while the very professionals needed to provide it are leaving the field in droves. Recent analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation confirms that workforce shortages are a top concern for state health officials, driving up labor costs and threatening access to care. The shortfall is particularly acute in support roles—the very medical assistants and technicians that ACT specializes in training. One report projects a staggering 4.6 million worker gap in these crucial support positions by the end of this year. Without a radical new approach to recruitment and training, the system's ability to deliver timely, effective care is in jeopardy.

The Digital Answer to a Physical Shortage

This is the chasm that Advanced eClinical Training was built to bridge. Founded in 2020 by Shay Safarzadeh and Shabnam Safarzadeh, ACT has rapidly emerged as a leader in the ed-tech space by focusing on a singular, urgent mission: creating a pipeline of skilled, certified, and job-ready healthcare professionals. In just a few years, the company has trained and placed over 10,000 individuals into frontline roles, leveraging a proprietary technology platform to deliver high-quality, accessible education.

Their model has earned significant accolades, including a #1 ranking from Forbes for its Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) online program, which boasts an impressive 98% pass rate on the national certification exam. This success is rooted in a practical, ecosystem-based approach. ACT has cultivated a network of over 1,000 healthcare partners—from urgent care centers to large health systems—that serve as both clinical training sites and employers. This integration ensures that the training is not just theoretical but directly aligned with the real-world needs of providers.

"We built ACT to help address the growing demand for high-quality clinical workforce training," said Shay Safarzadeh, Co-Founder. "Partnering with TGP gives us the strategic resources and shared conviction needed to accelerate our next phase of growth and continue building the market leader in healthcare workforce development." His co-founder, Shabnam Safarzadeh, added, "TGP shares our vision for building an enduring platform in this category. Their operational and healthcare expertise make them the ideal partner as we continue scaling nationally."

A New Playbook for Private Equity

The investment from Tortuga Growth Partners represents a sophisticated approach to value creation. Rather than pursuing a simple acquisition, TGP is executing its signature “buy-and-build” strategy, partnering with ACT's founders to transform a successful startup into a category-defining national enterprise. This investment extends TGP’s healthcare vertical, demonstrating a clear thesis that scalable, tech-first companies are essential to solving the industry's most entrenched problems.

"Healthcare workforce development sits at the center of one of the industry's most pressing needs, and we believe ACT has built a differentiated platform with outstanding leadership, a clear market position, and significant runway for growth," said Ashray Prasad, Managing Member of TGP. He emphasized that ACT perfectly reflects the firm's investment philosophy: "partnering with exceptional founders solving large, enduring challenges in markets with strong long-term tailwinds."

To catalyze this growth, TGP is bringing more than just capital to the table. The firm has assembled a high-caliber board of seasoned operators to guide ACT’s expansion. This hands-on approach is designed to de-risk the scaling process and provide the company with decades of relevant experience. "We're excited to partner with Shay, Shabnam, and the broader team to accelerate the company's next phase of growth while continuing to build a category-defining business that expands access to a high-quality clinical workforce," added Walt Vester, a Senior Managing Director at the investment firm.

Installing Leadership for a National Scale-Up

Perhaps the most telling component of TGP's strategy is the appointment of Michael O'Neil as Executive Chair of ACT's board. O'Neil is not a financier but a proven healthcare technology entrepreneur, best known as the founder of Get Well, a global leader in patient engagement. His track record in scaling a technology platform across the healthcare ecosystem is precisely the expertise ACT needs for its next chapter. His involvement underscores a commitment to operational excellence and deep industry integration.

"ACT is addressing a critical workforce challenge at a pivotal moment for healthcare providers," O'Neil stated. "I'm excited to partner with the ACT team to scale its platform and expand its impact across the healthcare ecosystem." With O'Neil's guidance, alongside TGP's operating partners and the continued leadership of the Safarzadeh founders, ACT is now positioned not just to grow, but to fundamentally reshape how the nation trains and deploys its clinical workforce. The partnership is a powerful case study in how strategic capital, when paired with entrepreneurial vision and operational expertise, can be marshaled to tackle a problem of national significance.