Timothy Rowe

To all #climatetech #founders and #funders in NYC and beyond, please join us on June 5th for an evening of #breakthrough #decarbonization #innovation at the ReGen Accelerator #DemoDay! 🎉 Get ready to be inspired by our cohort of #earlystage startups: ​ ▶ aich2 is engineering a novel #hydrogen ecosystem, built around Solid Hydrogen carriers. ​​ ▶ carbogenics produces sustainable #carbon adsorbents from difficult-to-recycle organic waste, including coffee cups and wastewater screenings ​​ ▶ TeamStack.ai is driving better performance by harnessing #AI, data, & the collective intelligence of teams. ​ ▶ Tesleon LLC uses compelling characters and #storytelling to instill compassion for communities and our planet in the next generation. ​ ▶ Tolam Earth is a trusted #marketplace for high-quality, high-impact carbon offsets. Don't miss out! Secure your spot below. Big thank you to Brown Rudnick LLP for hosting this event, our partners at ClimateHaven for their hard work and dedication during the entire program, and to our incredible network of #mentors and #facilitators, each of whom have dedicated time to working with these incredible founders this spring, including Jason Ambrose, Marina Rakhlin, Lauren Zujkowski, Stuart DeCew, Matt Puccini Andy Rooks, Nina Raab, and Bill Stephney. And of course Shai Tamary, Lars Korby and Sarah Cleveland, without whom we would not be able run such a #program. #innovation #sustainability #climateaction #accelerator

45

1 Comment

🚀DEMO DAY is coming soon! Want to come see what our founders are working on?🎉 Cohort 10 of the What If Fellowship is coming to an end May 17th! We will be showcasing 21 #digitalhealth startups at the earliest stages during demo day! We would love for you to attend. If you'd like to receive an invite, just fill out the typeform below. Who should attend❓ 1) Investors - those looking to invest in healthcare startups 2) Strategic partners / advisors - those who want to advise, help, or partner with digital health startups Demo Day will take place on May 17th at Noon ET remotely via Zoom webinar. We have limited spots, so please sign-up soon if you want to see what our #founders have been working on for the last 2 months! Attendees will see 21 healthcare #startups pitch for 3 minutes each and answer a few investor questions live in front of our audience. This is a great chance to find investment opportunities, and learn more about what the earliest of companies in our space are working on. This is about more than money - some of our founders need advice, advisors, Board members, co-founders and more. So come look for your opportunity to get plugged into the mental health hashtag #startup ecosystem with one of these early stage companies. One thing to point out - we highly encourage investors to attend, and pursue investing directly in these companies. We will NOT stand in the way nor require anyone to invest through What If Ventures to get access to any of these companies. So, please don't feel like we're trying to recruit you to give us money! Sign-up to attend demo day: https://lnkd.in/gEFt5YrY

59

5 Comments

What I learned this week…. As the economy works to eliminate the healthcare cost of poor nutrition, there is no simple set of instructions to follow. There is an abundance of AgTech, FoodTech and HealthTech innovations touching a piece of the bigger equation. But each is driven by divergent signals (GLP-1 vs. sustainable fuels). If this were a large corporation, its R&D group would coordinate the various parts to fit a broader objective. But there is no Bell Labs of longevity or nutrition. The master architect is 350k years of human evolution encrypted in our DNA. Without a large R&D lab or a master plan, it comes down to early adopter customers as our guide. And up to capital providers to see the knowledge arbitrage and invest. We are assembling Food is Health from a pile of Lego blocks. 1) The most legitimate startup investor is a customer. Why don’t we have a tool like PitchBook to find early adopter customers? 2) Nutrient test assays, and many assays, measure a proxy attribute to estimate the target nutrient (i.e. protein). NIR and other spectroscopy are non-destruction and measure a wider array of orthogonal attributes. With the addition of AI, increasing correlations expect an acceleration of valuable insights linking soil, crop genetics, bioavailability, nutrients, health, and longevity. And ultimately, affordable nutrition. 3) Intermittent fasting plus protein pacing (consuming protein at consistent intervals), may boost weight loss and gut health. Perhaps important to GLP-1 treatment and boost to Fairlife Core Power Elite. 4) If we can monitor crops for expression of nutritional qualities (Macro and Micro) during the growing season, we could dynamically modify inputs to modulate nutritional density in season or as a training set for the next season. (John Kempf) 5) Architectural Innovation: Vogue wasn’t replaced by a fashion media company, it was replaced by 10,000 influencers. Salesforce will not be replaced by another CRM. Clayton Christensen and Rebecca Henderson are both right. 6) Taylor Swift’s tour in the US generated $5 billion in consumer spending over 6 months. Who is the Taylor Swift of nutrition? 7) The net demand from the addition of New York to California’s Renewable Diesel standards, by some estimates, would consume the entire US production of soybeans. 8) United Airlines is using the 100k seat back video screens to micro-target consumers with advertising. 9) A plane uses 15%-20% of its fuel during takeoff 10) People who majored in Journalism in the 90’s have seen social media decimate their industry. What college majors will disappear with the Creative Destruction of AI? 11) When playing with Legos, some people follow the instructions precisely, and some do not. I never did. H/T: Erin Martin Ellen Brown Brad Fruth Katie Stebbins More commentary on Creative Destruction: https://lnkd.in/g-vQpF9d

49

27 Comments

Someone broke down the estimated costs of a $15 Sweetgreen salad. We need these cost graphics for digital health to help future founders. Especially for tech enabled cos, the greatest cost is labor. Much of the "value created" is in curation and matching, which means the gross margins are reliant on labor arbitrage. Pay someone $X, but get paid $X+Y% per visit. The challenge with healthcare is that you often have to pick one of two business models: 1. specialized, low volume, high cost, low gross margin % 2. generalized, high volume, low cost, high gross margin % I'd argue founders should focus on gross dollars over the lifetime of the customer (like Jeff Bezos said) instead of gross margin %'s, but we'll leave that for another time. The challenge is that many tech enabled digital health cos have high cost of goods sold (labor) and moderately high product, design, and engineering budgets. We must build differentiated solutions for patients, clinicians, and clients to be out incumbents, however, we're realizing that companies are ultimately valued on the discounted value of future cash flows. And the high SG&A costs at most organizations might be inbalanced to the unit economics of the business. I'm not sure the math pencils out for everyone unfortunately. But I'm just a guy on the internet, would love to hear the thoughts from those smarter than I (you!). Comment below. --- p.s. I have no idea the accuracy of the graphic and not an investor in Sweetgreen. Cheers. Credit: David Crowther

113

27 Comments

The healthcare landscape is rapidly evolving, driven by advancements in technology and a deeper understanding of patient care. I had the pleasure of speaking with Ambar Bhattacharyya, Co-Managing Partner at Maverick Ventures, on the latest episode of The Full Ratchet. Ambar has partnered with numerous billion-dollar companies like hims & hers, Cityblock Health, Devoted Health, and ConcertAI. His unique journey from rural America to becoming a prominent figure in venture capital offers invaluable insights into the future of healthcare and technology. We discuss his investment strategy at Maverick Ventures, the megatrends shaping healthcare, the impact of AI on the industry, and the importance of integrated care. Ambar also shares his thoughts on the challenges and opportunities in healthcare investment, offering a comprehensive view of what lies ahead. Check out TFR Episode 438 to catch our conversation. You'll be glad you listened.

117

8 Comments

This analysis, at least anecdotally makes sense to me. In many situations, infringe and holdout is the least painful option for large infringers. The system enables it. - The plaintiff must allocate the time and $$ to assert, taking time and $$ away from selling and developing products. Even if they engage litigation financiers they are limiting their upside potential. - The infringer continues to infringe while employing stall tactics or simply relying on the painfully slow, overburdened legal system. - The cost benefit analysis for infringers - "infringe and pay lawyers" typically outweighs the cost of design around or license. - Enhanced damages and injunctions are rare. - Litigation insurance products reduce risk all around. "The Marcum report shows that there is indeed something wrong with the patent system in the United States but it’s not excessive litigation or patent trolls. The real problem is the inability of patent owners to enforce their rights against infringers. Given the difficulty of obtaining injunctive relief and the limited enhancement of damages, it is unsurprising that predatory infringement has become a standard business practice when, at worst, all an infringer can be expected to pay is a reasonable royalty and, at best, nothing at all."

5

The GLP-1 space has continued to explode, with the potential for impact expanding to cardiovascular risk, sleep apnea, and liver disease. So who are the emerging players poised to challenge Lilly and Novo? The incoming players to watch are a mix of startups and incumbents. In the startup realm, Viking Therapeutics, Inc., and Altimmune, Inc. have gained significant attention as their GLP-1 candidates demonstrate solid weight-loss outcomes. For San Diego based Viking, weekly doses of VK2735 delivered weight loss of up to 13% compared to placebo in a Phase 2 trial. Perhaps most exciting, the weight loss did not plateau at any time during the 13 week study, suggesting longer duration doses would result in further weight loss. Meanwhile, Altimmune's Pemvidutide (being studied for both obesity and MASH) is on track for an end of phase 2 FDA meeting in Q3 of this year. Notably, Pemvidutide has showed promise in limiting the amount of weight loss derived from muscle, which is a notable problem with the existing GLP-1s. A recent phase 2 trial showed only ~25% of weight loss was from lean mass, more in line with the ratio seen in typical diet & exercise programs. There are also several incumbents working hard to establish their presence. Roche's $2.7B acquisition of California-based Carmot Therapeutics, Inc. Therapeutics in December and Amgen's MariTide are both notable. Roche recently announced data from a Phase 1B study for CT-388 showing placebo-adjusted weight loss of ~19%, with 85% of participants seeing weight loss of more than 10%. Not to be left out, Amgen has recently advanced MariTide into Phase 2 studies, with Phase 1 results published in February showing weight loss of up to 15% in 12 weeks, with some dosage levels only required once a month. To have a credible chance at challenging the existing market leaders, new GLP-1s will have to demonstrate meaningful improvements on the following: 1. Dosage - most approved therapies today (with the exception of Rybelsus) are subcutaneous injections, given weekly. Having an easier form (tablet) or frequency (bi-weekly or even monthly) would be a big advantage. 2. Preservation of lean muscle mass - helping patients derive weight gain from regular adipose tissue instead of muscle mass. 3. Benefits beyond weight loss. Novo's recent FDA label expansion for Wegovy for reducing the risk of serious cardiovascular events provides a blueprint of how to expand the area these medicines can be helpful in. While there are many companies active in the space, it's worth noting just how large a lead Lilly and Novo have in this future $100B+ market. A recent GlobalData report noted that even by 2029, these two giants will have ~80% of the market between them. That said, 20% of a $100B market is still a sizable prize for other innovators, and continued innovation will only help patients.

402

19 Comments

I recently sat down with Michael Batko, CEO at Startmate and Founder of Puddle Pod for Episode 11 of Insane Ambition. Startmate has invested in 230+ startups, much of it under Michael's leadership, and now has $3.5b in value across its portfolio companies. In this episode, we discussed: - Michael's journey from consulting, then living in the Amazon rainforest, to leading Australia's biggest startup accelerator - The future of Australia's startup ecosystem - The labour government's very stupid plan to make it harder for people to qualify as sophisticated investors (now thankfully shelved) - Startmate City! Startmate's plan to build Australia's first startup city. Probably the most ambitious idea I've ever heard from a startup accelerator. - The balance between visionary thinking and traditional startup advice (think Elon Musk's plan to colonise Mars, vs Y Combinator's problem/customer obsession) - "The Courage to Be Disliked", and its influence on Michael's approach to life and business. Links in the description below 👇

61

4 Comments

I used to spend 2-3 hours daily on clinic notes, skeptical of AI scribe technology. However, I've been impressed with RevMaxx, a generative AI company transforming clinical note creation by listening to physician-patient conversations and automatically generating comprehensive notes. This platform accurately captures crucial ICD-10 codes, saving valuable time ⏰. 👉 Why This Matters: - **Reducing Physician Burnout:** Administrative tasks are a significant contributor to physician burnout. Innovations like RevMaxx alleviate this burden effectively. #HealthcareInnovation #AI #PhysicianBurnout #MedicalDocumentation #HealthTech #RevMaxx

21

What do bio and health applications mean for the next wave of AI -- specifically about compute? (I'm talking to you NVDA longs!) LifeX Ventures is hosting a super roundtable with some serious techbio leaders tomorrow along with Analog Century Management's Val Zlatev -- come hear Thomas Clozel Sean McClain Chetan Patel at 11am ET For the survey results based on asking 100 techbio CTOs and CEOs, join the call. Here, my own speculations after wrapping up the report: -- Amazon needs to have a GPU program on warp drive right now -- Nvidia needs to have a data center / cloud business in the works -- Edge AI chips are about to be everywhere -- in your watch, car, sneakers, thermostats, gene sequencers, spectroscopes -- All this compute needs way more data: expect a boom in sensors of all types -- Remember human genome moonshot that sequenced one person once? Now you can sequence your every cell one by one. Expect that for protein folding (AlphaFold was that moonshot) and other simulation uses, a full "twin" model of you, cell by cell -- Google has no angle here -- worse chips, worse cloud, worse models, worse phones / edge devices -- Specialty silicon for unique use-cases, lower-power, lower-memory are surely coming fast - like back in the day for mobile phones when Qualcomm, Broadcomm, Infineon, Mediatek, etc duked it out.

26

4 Comments

New book. I was lucky to contribute a chapter: Investigating the Impact of Blockchain on Smart Cities and FinTech to Improve Healthcare The integration of blockchain and Fintech within Smart Cities exemplifies not just a futuristic vision but a current reality, actively transforming urban life. These technologies are leading the charge in building cities that are secure, efficient, and sustainable. The application of blockchain and Fintech is a bold step in revolutionizing urban living, signaling a shift towards more inclusive, efficient, and technologically advanced urban environments. Looking to the future, it's apparent that these cutting-edge technologies will continually be instrumental in molding the smart cities of tomorrow. They open up a world of possibilities for improved security, economic growth, and enhanced quality of life for urban residents. https://lnkd.in/d4uG36fC

4

Should you sell your practice to a VC-Backed MSO Startup? tldr: - new VC-backed startups are forming MSOs to roll up independent practices - The pitch is physicians receive early liquidity from the roll up and are granted ESOP shares that can be used for retirement - Problem is the use of ESOPs with independent practices is not a new concept and has been used with large group practices since the 70's - ESOPs do not grant full ownership and in order for the shares to be valuable for retirement, the practice needs to run the same if not better post roll up - With VC-backed startups being primarily operated by non-physicians with zero clinical or medical practice experience, the likelihood of this happening is extremely low making the entire concept high risk However, there is a viable path for continued ownership + liquidity for independent practices. Check out the article to learn more. ⤵ https://lnkd.in/gmGvTYwP

7

3 Comments

#EcosystemAsk- a Prosper HealthTech Accelerator startup has a goal you can help them reach. 🎤 Ask: participate in a 20min discover interview or share the link. Recess Labs digital health technology quickly rewires the brain and reprocesses trauma that hinder work performance in just 10 mins. A solution for workforces dealing with #burnout, secondary #trauma and compassion #fatigue. They are currently conducting discovery interviews with HR, CEOs & Wellness officers & Clinical managers at: ☑ Behavioral health companies ☑ Mental heath teams & departments ☑ Residential care facilities ☑ Physician residency programs ☑ High trauma healthcare units (Emergency medicine, trauma, Psychiatry , Pediatric Oncology etc) If this is you, book 20 mins to chat with the founder Kelz, here: https://lnkd.in/ddWc5qFT powered by gener8tor

14

5 Comments

Exciting news from Monica Chopra, Jeffrey De Flavio, MD, Samantha Adelberg, and the rest of the Auxa Health team as they officially announce their $5.2M Seed round. The team's deep industry expertise and drive for change have led them to solve critical infrastructural friction to providing quality healthcare and adoption of value-based care. Auxa's AI benefit navigation platform is simplifying the complexities of healthcare by streamlining all of the fragmented and siloed data and information to make it actionable in real-time for healthcare organizations. For the 70% of Americans who aren't getting access to the health and social care benefits they deserve, Auxa's solution will be pivotal in enabling equitable care. We're thrilled to partner with co-investors Zeal Capital Partners, AlleyCorp, Laconia, and Chaac Ventures on this journey and look to share many more milestones ahead. Cc K50 Ventures, Ryan Bloomer, Daniel Vásquez, Nick Talwar, Stefanie Ng https://lnkd.in/dPDY7-Db

44

4 Comments

Networking in Medicine and VC: In the overlapping areas of medicine and venture capital, networking isn't just about building contacts—it's about fostering relationships that drive innovation and growth. As a physician venturing into the investment world, I've realized the importance of networking to navigate these two dynamic fields successfully. Why Network? Knowledge Exchange: In medicine, staying updated with the latest treatments and technologies is crucial. In venture capital, understanding market trends and investment opportunities is equally essential. Networking provides a platform for exchanging valuable insights and experiences that enhance our capabilities in both domains. Collaborative Opportunities: Interactions with fellow medical professionals and investors open doors to collaborative projects, be it clinical research in a healthcare setup or co-investing in a promising health-tech startup. These collaborations often lead to innovations that might not be possible in isolation. Career and Investment Growth: Connections made through networking can lead to unique career opportunities and investment options that align with our dual interests in healthcare improvement and financial success. How do I network effectively? Below is what's worked for me 👇 Attend Industry Conferences: Participate in healthcare and investment conferences, not just as an attendee but also as a speaker or panelist, to increase visibility and establish authority in both fields. Leverage Social Media: Platforms like LinkedIn are invaluable for connecting with industry leaders and peers. Regularly share insights and engage with content relevant to both medicine and venture capital to grow your network organically. Join Professional Groups: Become a member of relevant professional groups—both in medicine and VC—that offer networking opportunities through workshops, seminars, and meetups. Mentorship: Engage in mentorship, both as a mentor and a mentee. This can provide profound insights and connections that are mutually beneficial. By fostering robust relationships across industries, we not only enhance our professional journeys but also contribute to the broader goal of improving patient outcomes and healthcare efficiencies. --- Join our vibrant community of 2,000+ healthtech experts and thought leaders. Comment below or DM me, and I’ll provide you with an invitation to our fast-growing network. 📩

22

Activation Capital is seeking #startups to participate in their NEW Frontier BioHealth program. APPLY NOW! https://lnkd.in/dBiSQuNZ - ❗ Application Deadline: June 17, 2024 - 🏁 Program Kickoff: August 8, 2024 - 🎉 Program End: November 22, 2024 - 💻 Location: All virtual except for three in-person events. Travel costs will be covered! -💰 Investment: We do not invest and we do not take any equity. - 🔬 Startups transitioning #lifesciences innovations from research to commercialization, particularly those originating from academic or federal research labs, are highly encouraged to apply. - 🌟 Startups with a clear commercialization path, some initial funding (dilutive or non-dilutive), a full-time founder, licensing, optioning, or the ability to demonstrate control of their IP are highly encouraged to apply. More About the Program: -Website: https://lnkd.in/dBiSQuNZ -Apply Here: https://lnkd.in/dAFb_XpE -Meet with Jackie to learn more: https://lnkd.in/dF3-Ga3h #medicaldevice #pharma #biotech #diagnostic

40

2 Comments

San Diego investor event: Aquillius Medical Devices & Diagnostics Symposium, taking place on Wednesday, May 15th, from 12:30 PM to 7:00 PM. This exclusive event brings together leading industry experts, groundbreaking startups, and prominent investors like yourself. Here's what you can expect: Expert Insights: Gain valuable knowledge from renowned speakers on topics critical to medtech success, including design for manufacturing, intellectual property protection, regulatory navigation, and fostering successful startups. Early Access to Innovation: Witness the future of healthcare firsthand as promising Aquillius incubees showcase their innovative medical device and diagnostic solutions during a dedicated startup showcase. Networking Opportunities: Connect and build relationships with other investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders shaping the medical technology landscape. This is a unique opportunity to: Identify promising investment opportunities in the medtech sector. Gain valuable insights from leading experts. Network with a community of like-minded investors and industry professionals. Space is limited, so RSVP today! Medical Devices Symposium (Investor Registration) Tickets, Wed, May 15, 2024 at 12:30 PM | https://lnkd.in/gjWDU9pz

4

Hot off the pre-print server – an important publication authored by the Atropos Health team exploring the performance of LLMs in answering real-world clinical questions. LLMs excel at summarizing and contextualizing existing literature, but cannot generate de novo medical evidence today. The results of the study highlight performance gains attributable to injecting novel, relevant, and up-to-date medical evidence into LLM-powered clinical decision support systems. Brigham Hyde Nigam Shah Saurabh Gombar Read the study here: https://lnkd.in/ecuU25Pq

49

2 Comments

The opioid crisis was a sad hallmark of my years working for the Baker Administration. In a time of extreme partisanship at the federal level, this was one area where public policy, civil discourse, and private enterprise seemed aligned and sufficiently motivated to find a solution. What we learned, however, is that dollars and access only go so far in combatting a disease that knows no so specific demographic. Instead, it's apparent that a battery of tools is needed to combat and prevent addiction--ranging from strong safety nets, to novel non-addictive pain therapies, and better technology. Introducing Marigold Health. Shrenik Jain, Ravi Shah, Tracey Cohen, MD, FASAM and team have built a proprietary NLP-based platform that--most significantly--improves the lives of those suffering from SUD/SMI. One customer we spoke with noted, "We needed a unique treatment intervention that had supportive research, fit into a CMS established model with a recognized service code, and that would provide positive clinical outcomes in an efficacious and fiscally responsible manner”. Another plainly said: "Marigold is our best hope to reach into the lives and help those who many have already given up on." Honored to join Bill Evans, Sean Day, and the entire syndicate in doing our part to scale a tool we believe will become essential in the fight against addiction. Marigold Health Innospark Ventures Rock Health KdT Ventures Matt Fates Lily Zarrella Venkat Srinivasan

49

1 Comment