"When we look at investment, it is first and foremost a money decision. But we also look to make the world a better place"
A panel of physicians and VCs gathered during The Future Health Matrix in Tel Aviv held by the Israel Medical Association (IMA) to discuss investment opportunities in the future of medicine
“As a physician, I will always look at what will bring value to the patient later on, but investors are looking for ROI. Our fund is trying to find the balance between the two,” explained Dr. Irit Yaniv, Founding Partner and CEO of Almeda Ventures. “You can’t just think about ROI, you have to think about both sides. If you want just ROI then consider real estate or gaming.”
Yaniv was joined on stage in a panel at The Future Health Matrix in Tel Aviv held by Israel Medical Association (IMA), by Alon Tal, Vice President of Investor Relations at OurCrowd; Dr. Yael Gruenbaum-Cohen, Venture Partner at aMoon Fund; and Dov Moran, Managing Partner at Grove Ventures. Together they were greeted by Leah Wapner, CEO at Israel Medical Association (IMA) who chaired the panel titled “How Do Investors View the Future of Medicine?”
“When we look at investment, it is first and foremost a money decision,” admitted Tal. “But we also look to make the world a better place. In the realm of health care, it is easy to do so.”
Dr. Gruenbaum-Cohen revealed how aMoon studies the global trends to best identify the future of medicine and where the VC should invest in next. “You don't need to invent science, it is already happening in our institutions. We follow these trends and say which ones will have an impact on medicine and our lives.”
“We are looking for the stuff that is unique and different and out of the box,” added Moran. “I hate trends - \[Grove Ventures\] are counter the trends.”
The four VCs took to the stage during The Future Health Matrix conference hosted by IMA in Tel Aviv. For three days, VCs and physicians gathered from around the world to discuss healthtech, innovation, and the shifting landscape of power structures in healthcare.
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When asked how investment opportunities changed amidst the tech crisis currently felt across all sectors, Tal remained optimistic. “Innovation does not stop during a downturn. The markets affect valuations but it doesn’t affect the technologists - innovation is ongoing. In general, we are seeing valuations come down and less capital going into companies. It is the be time to invest, to get the best bang for your buck.”
“We saw companies that got unrealistic valuations and $300 million in funding without a POC,” said Dr. Gruenbaum-Cohen. “It was almost a Madoff joke on Biotech. As an experienced investor, you can feel confident that everyone is back on the ground.” When asked about Israel’s place in the medical space, she said: “Israel is the Startup Nation - at every hospital and institute there are amazing ideas. But we need to see how they can succeed.”
“The money is waiting for good entrepreneurs,” added Moran. "The difference now is there is less noise. It is a space now for good entrepreneurs and good investors.”
