569 - Inside HealthTech Funding: What Investors Look for in Australian HealthTech Startups

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Josh Ayscough, Utiliti Group Partner, about investment in healthtech, navigating innovation in healthcare, and the different approaches to scaling health technology businesses in Australia and globally.

They explore Josh Ayscough's background, the investment focus at Utiliti Group, and how founders can effectively pitch their healthtech solutions to investors and customers.

The conversation also delves into the shift towards consumer-centric healthcare, the practical applications of AI, and the importance of building interdisciplinary teams.

Listeners will gain insight into the challenges of funding, regulation, and scaling in the Australian health tech ecosystem, as well as strategies for forming partnerships and driving meaningful impact.

This episode offers a comprehensive look at what it takes to innovate and succeed in a complex, evolving industry.

Key Takeaways

🧑‍💼 Founder-market fit is critical: Investors look for founders who deeply understand the problem they’re solving, ideally with sector experience or a strong advisory board.

💸 Demonstrating clear patient or sector benefit is a priority for healthtech investors, not just the commercial proposition.

🌏 Australia’s healthtech ecosystem is strong but highly regulated, compared to the “guardrails-off” landscape in markets like the US.

🤖 AI isn’t mandatory for healthtech success, but founders need to articulate their position on AI and its relevance for their solution.

🔗 Early-stage healthtech solutions should nail a core problem first, then build strategic partnerships to enhance growth, scaling globally is not always necessary, and local impact can also be a meaningful goal.

Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website.

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