On the heels of the biggest year in venture funding, the digital health space is starting off 2018 with a bang: record Q1 funding of $1.62B, three $100M+ mega-deals, and a massive exit. Compared to last year, the commotion from policy debates has largely settled and a path to regulatory clarity has emerged. On our end, we’ve launched a couple of new sections within our funding post—check out our deep investor analysis as well as an update on the sometimes elusive, always critical quest of every digital health company: validation.
Last month, we released our whitepaper, Demystifying AI and Machine Learning in Healthcare. In this latest blog post, you’ll learn how venture funding gives us a glimpse into the AI/ML use cases taking hold now—and those areas that aren’t ripe yet. ICYMI: Our first post established a framework to understand the algorithms underpinning AI to allow stakeholders to more readily identify true breakthrough innovation.
After seven years, we’ve seen $23B invested into thousands of digital health companies. But we wanted to know: what has been the real-world impact of digital health? We were moved to learn just how many lives had been significantly changed by a new wave of technology. We aim to shift the digital health dialogue from one focused on the degree of investment and future expectations to one about digital health's effect on patients and healthcare outcomes. In that spirit, this ongoing project brings you stories of people living far outside Silicon Valley and the companies shifting the healthcare status quo who have made an impact on their lives.
AI in healthcare feels inevitable: Optimists predict that artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) will diagnose disease better and earlier, treat illness more precisely, and engage patients more efficiently than today’s healthcare system does. On top of this, AI/ML is expected to streamline business operations and restore sanity (and humanity) to the clinician experience. To separate hype from reality, and access the complete white paper, connect with our partnerships team.
We are excited to welcome the newest member of the Rock Health team, Jeff Trost, as Venture Principal!
Even small med device, drug, or digital health companies can shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in consulting fees on labor-intensive, slow, paper-based processes—with larger companies spending millions. These companies are tackling some of healthcare’s biggest problems, and we believe regulatory compliance workflow shouldn’t be an expensive bottleneck. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce our latest investment in Enzyme, a company building software to help large and small enterprises alike streamline workflow, making regulatory compliance a seamless part of the development process.
2017 was a record year for digital health by many accounts: total funding far surpassed previous years, there were more investors participating in digital health deals, and we saw more mega deals of $100M+ than ever before. With the industry maturing and entering its “middle innings,” we significantly expanded our Digital Health Funding Database and the information we track on every venture deal and company.
2017 was a record-smashing year for digital health, with venture funding approaching $6B and the most mega deals ($100M+) to date. It’s clear that the early game has concluded and digital health is entering the “middle innings” as an investment sector.
Rock Health and AARP Foundation joined forces for the 2017 Aging in Place $50K Challenge to identify startups with solutions to help low-income, older Americans remain in their homes and communities as they age. The panel of judges named DispatchHealth the winner of the $50,000 cash prize and opportunity to work with AARP Foundation.
Each year we recognize the leading entrepreneurs, investors, technologists, reporters, and providers dedicated to bringing technological advancements to healthcare are and recognize their work from the past year. We're honored to announce the Top 50 in Digital Health 2018.