Even in turbulent times, early-stage investing has held up in one particular area: Healthcare. In fact: Biotech, pharmaceutical, and digital therapeutic startups are receiving more capital now than before the pandemic, in 2018 - 2019.

In this week’s episode of The Data Minute, join Peter Walker (Head of Insights at Carta) as he sits down with Marissa Bertorelli (Principal, Polaris Partners) for an illuminating conversation around trends they're seeing in early-stage healthcare investing.

In a wide-ranging discussion, they discuss how the pandemic changed investing in the sector, the transformative potential of AI in healthcare, the hurdles of early-stage healthtech startups, whether founders are wasting their time pitching "generalist funds," and much more.

Subscribe to Carta’s weekly Data Minute newsletter: https://carta.com/subscribe/data-newsletter-sign-up/

Explore interactive startup and VC data, with Carta’s Data Desk: https://carta.com/data-desk/

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:29 Marissa’s background and Polaris Partners
03:16 The pandemic’s impact on healthtech
06:12 Early 2024 trends
07:23 AI and the hurdles of early-stage healthtech companies 
11:16 Investor specialization
12:57 Do healthtech founders waste time pitching generalist funds?
14:57 Is a cofounder needed?
18:10 Exit strategies and vision
21:32 Differences in the early-stage healthtech and SaSS founder experience
24:26 The Angel Investor community
25:40 Academia and entrepreneurship
29:00 Can you found a healthtech company without being a scientist?
32:42 Robots in healthtech?
33:51 Final thoughts

This presentation contains general information only and eShares, Inc. dba Carta, Inc. (“Carta”) is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services, and is for informational purposes only.  This presentation is not a substitute for such professional advice or services nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business or interests. © 2024 eShares, Inc., dba Carta, Inc. All rights reserved.