Alumni Spotlight: Dr Angela Lim CEO & Co-Founder, Clearhead

Angela Lim arrived in New Zealand from Malaysia at the age of 14, enrolling at Howick College as a Year 10 student in 2004. That journey - from immigrant student to pioneering health tech entrepreneur and doctor - speaks to a remarkable drive that has defined everything she has pursued since.

After graduating from Howick College, Angela completed a Bachelor of Science at the University of Auckland, followed by a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, becoming the first doctor in her extended family. Her time at medical school was marked by an active engagement in research, including a sabbatical at the Harvard University School of Public Health. She went on to work as a Paediatric Doctor at Counties Manukau Health and Starship Hospital, where her firsthand experience of health inequity began to shape a bigger vision.

Driven by a passion for tackling inequality at scale, Angela stepped away from clinical practice to pursue innovative solutions in health — founding Clearhead in September 2018. New Zealand's first AI-driven diagnostic and triage platform for mental health and wellbeing, Clearhead represents a bold reimagining of how people access mental health support, combining Angela's clinical expertise with a deep commitment to accessible, technology-enabled care.

Beyond Clearhead, Angela is a tireless contributor to the broader health, community and governance landscape. She has served on a wide range of boards and advisory groups, including the Ministry of Youth Development Partnership Fund, the National Child Health Information Platform Programme, the Clinical Governance Board for Northland District Health Board, the Ethnic Peoples Advisory Panel for Auckland Council, the YWCA Board, the Moko Foundation, and the Middlemore Foundation, among others. She is also a Member of the Auckland Regional Skills Leadership Group at MBIE and a Fellow of the Edmund Hillary Fellowship.

Her leadership has earned wide recognition — she was named in the University of Auckland's 40 Under 40 Entrepreneurs and was a Finalist in the 2017 Young New Zealander of the Year Award. As a Guest Lecturer at the University of Otago, she continues to inspire the next generation of health professionals with the same conviction that brought her this far.