Ben Freeberg

To my amazing network - I am thrilled to announce the launch of Pave Health Ventures, an early-stage venture fund dedicated to broadening access to healthcare and improving the overall well-being of our communities. I’ve been very fortunate in my healthcare career. As the Founder & CEO of MedPilot, we capped off a seven-year journey with a successful exit when we were acquired by Vytalize Health. For the last three years, serving as Chief Innovation Officer, I’ve had the honor to contribute to the remarkable growth at Vytalize, impacting the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients by enhancing the quality of care they receive. I am immensely grateful to Matt Buder Shapiro, not only for being the perfect partner and co-founder but also for being an incredible friend. Additionally, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to Faris Ghawi, Amer Alnajar, and Jordan Brown for their outstanding leadership and for broadening my perspective on the significance of value-based care. This journey has not only provided me with industry expertise but has allowed me to cultivate invaluable relationships and an incredible network. As I embark on this new chapter, I am profoundly grateful to be supported by top executives and thought leaders in the investment, wellness, and healthcare industries. Within the healthcare ecosystem, we are represented by key stakeholders from health systems, insurers, governmental organizations, retail health businesses, provider groups, and value-based care organizations. At Pave Health Ventures, we believe the timing couldn't be more opportune to help support health-focused startups. With the growing prevalence of illness and chronic health conditions impacting our communities, consumers and key Healthcare Stakeholders are increasingly prioritizing proactive and preventative care. This shift in focus is fueling demand for technology, products, and services aimed at improving health outcomes, unlocking trillions of dollars in growth potential within the healthcare landscape. Pave Health Ventures is all-in. We are actively seeking solutions that tackle the root causes of illness, manage chronic conditions, and optimize care and care teams. Please support us in our mission by opening your networks and introducing us to amazing founders and entrepreneurs. Together, let's help pave the way to a healthier tomorrow. Jacob Myers

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🚀 With this deck, Hinge Health Raises $300 Million in Series D at a $3 Billion Valuation 🚀 - Hinge Health, a pioneering startup in the digital health space, has just raised an impressive $300 million in its Series D round, securing a valuation of $3 billion! 🩺💰 - This funding round, driven by top investors, is a testament to the growing demand for innovative, tech-driven healthcare solutions. 👉🏻 Key Highlights: 🔷 Funding Amount: $300 Million 🔷 Valuation: $3 Billion 🔷 Lead Investors: A mix of leading venture capital firms and strategic investors. 🔷 Purpose of Funding: Expand product offerings, enhance R&D, and scale operations globally. 👉🏻Why This Matters: 🔷 Digital Health Revolution: Hinge Health is at the forefront of the shift toward digital-first healthcare, offering cutting-edge solutions for musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. 🔷 Scalability: This capital will enable Hinge Health to broaden its reach, making its services accessible to millions more patients globally. 🔷 Technological Advancements: Continued investment in AI, machine learning, and wearable tech will enhance personalized care and treatment outcomes. 👉🏻 Facts & Figures: 🔷 Total Funding: With this round, Hinge Health has raised over $426M, positioning itself as a dominant player in digital healthcare. 🔷 Growth Trajectory: The company’s valuation surged from $1B in 2020 to $3B in 2024, reflecting rapid market adoption and expansion. 🔷 Customer Base: Hinge Health’s platform serves over 400 employers and health plans, including 25% of the Fortune 500. 🔷 Innovation: The funds will fuel R&D, expand the product offering, and scale operations, particularly in integrating AI and remote care. 👉🏻 Strategic Focus: 🔷 Product Innovation: Introducing new features like real-time virtual physical therapy and AI-driven personalized care plans. 🔷 Global Expansion: Targeting new markets in Europe and Asia to address the global MSK pain crisis. 🔷 Partnerships: Strengthening collaborations with healthcare providers, insurers, and employers to enhance service delivery. 👉🏻 What’s Next? - Hinge Health’s innovative approach to MSK care is revolutionizing how chronic pain and injury recovery are managed. - With this significant financial boost, the company is set to further disrupt the healthcare industry by providing accessible, effective, and scalable digital health solutions. 👉🏻 Takeaway for Founders: - Strategic funding isn’t just about capital—it’s about positioning your startup for sustained growth and innovation. - For those keeping an eye on the health tech space, Hinge Health’s trajectory is a clear indicator of where the future of personalized healthcare is heading. 🔰 P.S.: Let me know in the comment section, which startup's deck you want to see next. #startups #founders #funding #healthtech #startupgrowth #india #venturecapital #digitalhealth #innovation

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Awesome report from Rock Health (in the comments) about H124 digital health funding. 📈 Despite broader economic challenges, the digital health sector, including mental health, has shown resilience, raising $5.7B across 266 deals. There is a strong Series A pipeline, tapering off of unlabeled funding rounds and 3 public exits in Q2 2024 indicating a revival in the exit market and a return to more sustainable funding patterns​. Key insights about the mental health market: 🧠 Mental health continues to be the leading clinical indication in digital health funding, securing $682 million in H1 2024. This consistent top ranking highlights the ongoing investor interest and the market's recognition of the critical need for mental health solutions. 🤖 The focus on mental health is driven by a combination of increased awareness, the rising demand for accessible mental health services, and the integration of tech solutions...🙄 In fact, AI has become a significant factor in digital health investments, with 34% of the total sector funding going to AI-startups. This trend is also reflected in mental health, where AI is being utilised to enhance diagnosis, personalise treatment plans, and provide scalable, efficient care solutions. Let's go!

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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

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The most talked about AI x Medical startup Abridge is working to rescue doctors from the never-ending admin grind (which causes burnout and less patient face-time). Abridge's AI listens to patient visits and generates precise medical notes, slashing the clerical workload. Now, doctors can focus on what truly matters: patient care. Major health systems like Yale and Emory are already on board and raving, calling it "life-changing" and "magical." 🔷 A big reason --> Payback of the scribe tool is easy to measure. It supports 14 languages including Haitian Creole, Brazilian Portuguese, and Punjabi. An ongoing criticism of generative AI is that it still has few substantive business applications. This seems to quash that. Question: is a dedicated medical LLM needed to be successful in the space? Or will the huge foundational models (GPT-4o, Google, and Meta) ingest a plethora of medical notes and kill the competition with performance? We're dealing with a fast and furious pace, and today's edge may not be relevant tomorrow. Competitors include Microsoft-owned Nuance Healthcare , Ambience Healthcare, Nabla and Suki. I'm excited to continue to see this field revolutionized. 🌟 #AI #MedTech #Abridge #HealthTech

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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

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A little late, even though this process started in July.... Excited to share our latest investment in Heads Together Health!! We met Steve DeVrieze in October last year, and we think they are poised for impressive growth! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ecYcqqkn #earlystagestartup #earlystageinvesting #VCinvestment #ncstartups #nctechstartups

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One of my proudest moments as an investor occurred today as Alaffia Health announced its series A because it shows how the Aperture® Venture Capital vision of multi-level, multi-generational #impactinvesting is succeeding in the marketplace. Here’s the model in its most basic form : ✅As diverse fund managers with meaningful capital to allocate, we are changing the VC landscape every day just by doing our day jobs. ✅As Black/Brown investors with ~40 years experience collectively, Aperture GPs have access to talent /excellence that others do not, so our portfolio *organically* is more inclusive by race, gender and geography even while optimizing for financial outcomes (all about the alpha). ✅Our most successful portco’s are using financial #innovation to solve market problems that impact underrepresented demographics and underserved communities. Alaffia Health is a shining example of the impact portion of our overall fund thesis, and we couldn’t be prouder of TJ Ademiluyi and Adun Akanni, MPH, PMP - the dynamic brother-sister founder duo whose vision we have steadfastly supported on their journey. Congratulations to TJ and Adun from William Crowder and myself, as well as the whole Aperture team- Marjorie King Philip McKenzie Yves Louis-Jacques Tanvi Lal Michelle Dhansinghani Lisha Bell Katie Kelly Amy Chung Cindy Chong, CFA Brian Fernandes-Halloran Monroe France Jayden Pantel Darren Herman Evan Wladis Neal Triplett Thomas Scriven Peter Ammon Irina Bit-Babik Tim Milanich Rob Rahbari

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At Outlander VC, we’re committed to backing the bold. As one of the key funding partners of LvlUp Ventures, Outlander VC focuses on visionary game-changers and industry disruptors who aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo. - Led by former founders: Our team has built and scaled companies to thousands of people and hundreds of millions in revenue. We understand the journey and are ready to get hands-on. - $150M Fund III: Outlander VC is deploying $150M over the next three years to fuel early-stage startups. Focus: - Industries: Agnostic (we back disruptors across all sectors). - Stage: Pre-Seed and Seed. - Geography: United States-based startups. If you're ready to disrupt your industry and scale, let's connect. We're here to help build something truly transformational. #VentureCapital #OutlanderVC #LvlUpVentures #Startups #PreSeed #Seed #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #Disruption #Scaling

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We're absolutely thrilled to announce a monumental milestone for Flo Health Inc.! After years of dedication to women's health, Flo, a long-standing member of the Target Global family, has secured over $200 million in Series C funding led by General Atlantic.This incredible investment propels Flo's valuation beyond $1 billion, officially making it a unicorn – a rare and remarkable feat in the femtech space. This accomplishment isn't just about numbers. It's a testament to the power of prioritizing women's health. Flo has seen phenomenal growth over eight years, becoming the #1 downloaded app in the Health & Fitness category. Today, Flo empowers nearly 70 million monthly active users (MAUs) and boasts close to 5 million paid subscribers. Notably, 1 in 4 US women trust Flo, solidifying its position as a leader in the global movement for women's health. But this is just the beginning! This investment fuels Flo's mission to revolutionize female healthcare experiences worldwide. By directing resources towards areas of critical yet unmet needs (which, let's be honest, encompasses a vast majority of women's health!), Flo will continue to be a driving force for positive change. Congratulations Dmitry Gurski,Yuri Gurski, and the entire Flo Health Inc. team! More in the Financial Times here ---->https://lnkd.in/dJZdajM4

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As I said right at the start of this week's The Heart of Healthcare Podcast, Shivdev Rao is one of the most exceptional founders I have ever worked with. He is also a great human being. In this week's episode he shares what is it like leading the 🚀 that is Abridge and some awesome life lessons. IMHO this is a great listen for founders building in both the AI and healthcare fields!

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Great article from PitchBook on why domain expertise amongst VCs matters. TL;DR -- in verticals like healthcare, having investors with high amount of domain expertise can result in up to 40% higher odds of achieving an IPO, 20% higher chance of being acquired and 30% higher chance of an overall successful exit. Importantly, the marginal value of having investors with domain expertise varies by sector and stage, and is not uniform, so your mileage may vary, and generalist investors still have a very important role to play in the venture ecosystem. https://lnkd.in/dXpi8gzm Curious to hear from founders: Do you have examples of seeing specialist investors be helpful in unique ways that you can share? Or alternatively, do you have an experience with a generalist investor who has been more helpful than the specialists?

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Abby Levy talks about venture's role in US healthcare and what we can expect to see as technology impacts the space on TFR. Check out the rest of the conversation with Abby & Alan Patricof of Primetime Partners on Episode 433.

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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. Link to the full episode is in the comment section below.

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Big things on the horizon, we are motivated and blessed to be at the dawn of a new age for the internet. Read more about our journey below or listen to the podcast: https://lnkd.in/eJeNhvVa

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Reflecting on the current state of pre-seed from my perspective. Here are some key observations from recent weeks: 🏃‍♂️ Seed and Series A funds are showing increased activity in pre-seed. ⏮ Pre-emptive seed rounds are on the rise, as more funds at later stages aim to secure promising startups early on, preventing them from slipping away. 🛰 Series A rounds are picking up momentum, US funds are taking a more active approach to Europe (a consistent theme over the past few years). 🌶 Hot sectors in the UK pre-seed scene include Cybersecurity, Robotics, Energy, and Fintech, with AI remaining a prominent player despite its broad scope. Excited to see if anything changes next month. Am certainly seeing more activity and later-stage funds comfortable taking more risk earlier on for a cheaper and secured stake in said companies. ✌️

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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 👇

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I have to say, whenever I read fertility investment stories like this recent one in PitchBook, it gives me pause. Scarcity of opportunity and private equity looking for a new fertility platform to scale?   While it’s true that private equity has been enthusiastic about fertility, some argue the strategy of investing in operators who perform IVF as a manual, artisanal, concierge service is akin to betting on flip phones after Apple launched the smartphone—or riding a dinosaur in the age of innovation. Now I know I’m biased, but the fact is Conceivable Life Sciences clearly sees the future of fertility—and it revolves around the end-to-end automation of the IVF lab. One way to make a billion dollars is by serving hundreds of millions of people—and in the coming decades, that’s where demand for IVF is heading. The urgency will only grow as countries confront declining birth rates and recognize that a key solution lies with the millions of hopeful parents who want children but can’t afford or access IVF. At Conceivable were building the next wave platform for IVF by automating the lab in a way that improves results, increases scale, and becomes a more affordable population health treatment that is accessible to whoever can benefit from it. In the process, Conceivable and our investors will do good and do well. #IVF #IVFAutomation #innovation #biotechnology #populationhealth Janelle Bradley

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🔋 #TodayinVC - All of the biggest deal announcements in venture capital - October 9th, 2024. Sourced from Litquidity NAOA's Exec Sum. · Maven Clinic, a virtual clinic for women's and family health, raised a $125M Series F led by StepStone Group · GROPYUS, a startup that prefabricates buildings using robots, raised a $109M round led by Semapa and Practical Venture Capital · Auger.AI, an AI-powered tool for supply chain-dependent businesses, raised a $100M seed round led by Oak HC/FT  · Resolve AI, an AI startup for engineers to automate software operations, raised a $35M seed round led by Greylock · AI testing platform Distributional raised a $19M Series A led by Two Sigma Ventures · MarqVision (YC S21), an AI-driven IP protection startup, raised a $16M Series A+ from Altos Ventures, QuantumLight, and more · VESSL AI, an MLOps platform to reduce GPU costs, raised a $12M Series A from A Ventures Group and more · Claim, a social app for Gen Z to discover brands, raised a $12M Series A led by VMG Partners  · Lightdash, an open source BI platform, raised an $11M Series A led by Accel  · Bitlayer, a Bitcoin Layer 2-based startup, raised a $9M Series A extension co-led by Polychain Capital and Franklin Templeton Venture Capital  · Driver, an AI helping firms create technical documentation, raised an $8M seed round led by GV (Google Ventures)  · Third Dimension AI, a 3D GenAI startup, raised a $7M seed round led by Felicis  · Data management platform Kiva AI raised a $7M seed round led by CoinFund  · Edtech Revyze raised a $6M seed round led by Speedinvest and Moonfire Congrats to all teams! Follow for daily #venturecapital news! 📆

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