Slice of Healthcare #504 - Bill Taranto, President at Merck Global Health Innovation Fund
Jun 18, 2025
Bill Taranto, President at Merck Global Health Innovation Fund, shares insights from his extensive career in healthcare. He discusses the $600M GHI Fund's focus on investing in digital health and technology. Taranto highlights groundbreaking companies like Npower and Cure AI that are transforming clinical trials and drug discovery. He explains the strategic advantages corporate venture capital offers startups, including industry expertise and access to networks. Lastly, he provides advice for startups navigating today's challenging market.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Bill Taranto's Career Journey
- Bill Taranto's career started in banking before moving to Johnson & Johnson for nearly 20 years.
- At Merck, he leads a $600 million fund focused on digital health growth investments.
Merck's Four Core Investment Areas
- Merck's fund focuses on four areas: drug discovery, clinical development, supply chain, and patient access/data.
- These areas leverage digital health and AI to enhance pharmaceutical efficiency and patient outcomes.
Spotlight on Portfolio Companies
- Bill highlighted innovative portfolio companies like Npower for diverse clinical trials and AeroSafe Global for vaccine cold chain.
- Cure AI advances early lung cancer detection, exemplifying impactful digital health innovation.