Digital Health Panel

Leveraging Software to Lower Costs and Improve the Quality of Care

Thursday November 18, 11:00AM EST

This panel focuses on investing in innovative digital health products that bring new efficiencies to the healthcare system, change how care is delivered or managed, and how patients are involved in their own care. Panelists will explore topics related to investing in digital health, including:

  • In what kinds of digital health technologies are they interested in investing?
  • What metrics and evidence do you look for in a digital health startup?
  • How can an early stage digital health company demonstrate the value of their products?
  • What are the main challenges for startups raising capital in this space?

The moderator and panelists will discuss this rapidly evolving field of healthcare investment, and will introduce the audience to the key fundraising opportunities and challenges facing digital health entrepreneurs today.

Panelists:

Tom Gibbs, Director, Debiopharm Innovation Fund (Moderator)

Tom Gibbs is Director at Debiopharm Innovation Fund, Switzerland where he is responsible for new investments in smart data companies in the healthcare space. He is currently a Director on the boards of Nucleai, Carevive, BC Platforms, Immunexpress, and Acteon. Previous board positions include Biocartis and GenePOC. Tom holds a PhD in molecular microbiology from the University of Warwick and has 30 years’ experience in the commercialization of life science technologies in start-ups and established companies in Europe and the USA (including Molecular Devices Corp, Covalys, Med Discovery, Debiopharm). His responsibilities have included quality assurance, operations, late-stage product development & marketing, and business development. He is excited to apply this breadth of experience to the digital health revolution, helping companies make a medically meaningful impact.

Nissim Darvish, Senior Managing Director (Israel), OrbiMed Advisors LLC

Nissim Darvish, M.D., Ph.D., is a Senior Managing Director. Nissim is a veteran of the lifescience industry, with 15 years of experience covering medical technology development, corporate leadership and investment management. Nissim spent eight years with Pitango, where he was a General Partner managing life sciences investments. Previously, Nissim was the founder and CEO of Impulse Dynamics, which he led for six years, culminating in a $250 million realization event.

Baudouin Hue, Partner, Karista

Baudouin started his career in Canada as Lean Manufacturing Engineer. In 2009 he joined Bureau Veritas where he was responsible for the development and launch of new certification services worldwide, leading several insider start-up and scale-up assignments with focus on business development.

Joining Karista in 2014, Baudouin is mainly involved with Healthcare and Digital Health ventures. He also actively contributes to fundraising and overall development of the firm. Baudouin is a board member or observer of different portfolio companies: Implicity, Pherecydes Pharma, Tricares and Watchfrog.

Baudouin holds a MSc in Engineering from the University of Technology of Compiègne and graduated from ESSEC Business School. He also studied in Spain (Universidad de Valladolid) and Canada (University of Waterloo).

Justin Leushner, Partner, Launchit Ventures

Justin Leushner has had an extensive and diverse business career in the life sciences and biotechnology industries. He was responsible for developing a national molecular diagnostics program for MDS Inc., Canada’s largest life science’s company, and served as a business analyst and portfolio advisor to one of Canada’s largest medical technology VC funds. In 2003, Justin co-founded Sernova Corp. currently traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange. In addition, he developed an Islet Transplant Program for the London Health Sciences Centre and served as Director for Health Care Restructuring. His many years in a hospital and laboratory setting has provided him an understanding of the procurement and processes involved in adopting innovations within a patient provider setting. Justin has recently provided strategy consulting services to many of the world’s largest pharma, medtech and venture capital companies. Justin is active in the development and commercialization of medical technologies including company formation and financing through his venture fund Launchit Ventures. He has served on boards and in an advisory capacity for investors, institutions, and industry. An MBA graduate of the University of Western Ontario’s Ivey School of Business, Justin also holds a B.Sc. in Cell Physiology/Genetics from the University of British Columbia and numerous technical designations in Forensic Science and Molecular Biology.

Patrik Sobocki, Investment Manager Life Science, Industrifonden

Patrik has a profound interest in deep innovation in Deeptech and with a specific passion for technologies applied in healthcare.

Prior to joining Industrifonden, Patrik held the position as business franchise leader with IMS Health responsible for data and technology business in Europe, Asia and Africa including responsibility for M&A in HealthTech. His previous experiences include having built two HealthTech start-ups which were both exited to US buyers (United Health Group and IMS Health), the last as CEO and part of integrating the technology into the global IMS Health tech stack and offering. Prior to that he held international R&D and commercial leadership roles with BigPharma companies in Glaxo Smith Kline and AstraZeneca.

Patrik holds a Master of Science in Finance from the Stockholm School of Economics, a Master in international management from the Community of European Management Schools (CEMS) and a PhD in Medicine from Karolinska Institutet. He currently holds an Associate Professorship in health economics and epidemiology with Karolinska Institutet and has published research in over 40 international peer-reviewed journals.