Many investors predicted Silicon Valley would be at a loss during the coronavirus pandemic, with cautious investors pulling back venture funding and startup founders fleeing to more affordable locales. But for healthcare startups and investors, that future never materialized.
Instead, healthcare investment has had a blockbuster year, with an all-time-high number of deals and a record number of dollars invested. Telehealth startups had a record-breaking first half of the year, with 154 funding deals in the second quarter alone, according to CB Insights.
The youngest employees at venture firms are typically its eyes and ears, relying on networking events and word of mouth to find the best entrepreneurs or companies to invest in. During the pandemic and largely working at home, that role has evolved into virtual coffee meetings, socially distant walks, and active group chats. The mission, however, remains the same: find the next big startup creating the future of healthcare before any other firm can.
The finalists all had five years or less experience in venture capital, but many had careers in healthcare prior to making a late-career switch.
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