Early-stage seed funding is often the most challenging capital for healthtech entrepreneurs to raise because of the higher risk profile with new technologies and the limited number of investors active at this stage. That challenge is magnified when the company is innovating for impact to reach under-resourced patients in emerging markets. Yet, that is exactly where some of the most promising opportunities are to improve care for the billions of people globally who lack access to essential healthcare.
Verge HealthTech Fund (“Verge”) was founded in 2018 by Dr. Joseph Mocanu and Ed Deng to address this capital gap. Verge invests exclusively in impactful healthtech startups at the earliest stages, with a focus on solving global unmet health needs. Verge’s first fund investments have already reached millions of patients, 98% of whom are in LMICs. Based in Singapore, Verge has now grown to an investment team of eight, in addition to a large network of advisors and partners around the world. The team combines deep investment expertise with relevant experience in startups as business operators and developers of technology. Verge applies those skill sets to actively support their portfolio companies beyond the invested capital with subject matter expertise, network connections and other resources that are critical to companies in early stages of development.
We recently spoke to Dr. Joseph Mocanu, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Verge, who shared with us:
“At Verge, we believe that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental human right, and we need innovation to ensure that more people can actually experience that right. That’s why we identify and work with the most promising, early-stage companies to accelerate and scale their impact so that millions of patients can benefit from their new technologies.”
J&J Impact Ventures, an impact fund within the Johnson & Johnson Foundation, recently invested in Verge’s second fund. Verge HealthTech Fund II is building on the momentum of the first pilot fund and has already made investments into three high-potential companies developing new technologies for remote endoscopy, AI-powered clinical decision support and digital biomarkers for neurological disorders.
“Verge is one of the only investment funds focused on the unique intersection of healthcare, global, impact, innovation and early stage. We are excited to partner with the Verge team, supporting their work investing in companies that give more patients around the world access to life-saving interventions.” – Dana Deardorff, Global Director of J&J Impact Ventures