D I S S E C T I N G B U S I N E S S
capital , particularly in the HealthTech sector will ensure that the most impactful and transformative companies will get funded , and the perspectives of women will be represented in products , services , and teams addressing important healthcare problems .
What inspired you to specifically focus on health and technology for your inaugural fund , and how do you envision it making a positive impact on healthcare accessibility and affordability ?
There are major changes happening in technology that are similar to what we saw in disease , medical errors , lack of access to care , health disparities and unsustainable costs . We want to improve healthcare accessibility and affordability and believe it is time to leverage technology to solve these challenges .
How do you believe your unique perspective will contribute to the success of Black Opal Ventures in the HealthTech sector ?
Our ( Tara and Eileen ) respective backgrounds bring a unique vantage point and investing approach . First , we are highly experienced women in healthcare , technology and venture capital , allowing us to ‘ bridge the gap ’ between technology and healthcare . Second , we understand and are addressing the most pressing issues in healthcare like access to care , cost of care , and health disparities . Third , we invest in companies that are building cutting-edge technologies that leverage the strides that have happened in computing , connectivity and AI . Finally , we are a fully female-led fund built by two colleagues who met 30 years ago when we were undergraduates at MIT . That relationship helps us make thoughtful decisions and have honest conversations as we build this VC together .
Tara Bishop , Co-founder , Black Opal Ventures
Black Opal Ventures is backed by influential institutions . Could you share more about your partnership and how it will support your mission in HealthTech and VC funding ?
the mid-1990s with the dawn of the internet . These technological shifts include changes in connectivity , computing and Artificial Intelligence . If the healthcare sector can leverage these technologies , we can likely solve some of the biggest challenges in healthcare including untreatable diseases , poor access to care , rising costs of care and health inequity .
Could you elaborate on the key challenges you see in the intersection of health and technology , and how Black Opal Ventures plans to address them through your investments ?
With global healthcare spending approaching $ 9 trillion annually , substantial problems still exist , including uncured and unmanaged
We are fortunate to have investors in the fund who come from healthcare and life sciences as well as others from the banking industry and asset management . We believe our aligned goals will enable us to achieve outsized returns , address critical issues in healthcare and change the face of venture capital .
With 20 years of experience investing in various companies globally , what lessons have you learned that you believe will be valuable in the world of HealthTech and venture capital ?
With two decades in the healthcare industry , I ’ ve combined my medical expertise with extensive experience in healthcare leadership , digital health , clinical practice , and startups . My Co-founder , Eileen Tanghal , is a venture capitalist with 20 years of experience investing in more than 40 early-to-late-
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