VC Spotlight: Tanya Beja, AlleyCorp
Earlier this month, we opened applications for our first Startup:NYC season, focused on Health and Wellness Tech.
Across an eight-week sprint in fall, early-stage founders can expect curated gatherings, industry briefings, mentorship opportunities — all powered by a vanguard of New York’s next leading investors. Apply to join here.
Why?
Health tech is a specifically resilient part of our economy. Healthcare spending in the US in 2023 rose to $4.8 trillion. On average, individual healthcare spending in 2023 was around $14,423; in 2024 it’s projected to increase to $15,074. (Reuters)
In H1 2024, US digital health startups raised $5.7B across 266 deals. Most of H1’s energy came from early-stage deals: Seed, Series A, and Series B checks accounted for 84% of labeled raises. (Rock Health)
Q2 funding doubled compared to the same period last year, with 56 companies raising $2.2B in H1 2024. (Digital Health New York)
New York City is home to some of the most successful healthcare startups in the world, like Oscar Health, Ro, and Maven. So what exactly makes the Big Apple a standout?
Tanya Beja, a general partner at AlleyCorp leading the Economic Infrastructure team, where she focuses on investments and incubations that directly benefit working families, shares her insights.
AlleyCorp Healthcare is one of the most active early-stage investors in New York dedicated to healthcare. With a physician-led team, they build and invest in companies that dramatically improve healthcare across quality, cost, and access, writing $1-4M entry checks at incubation, pre-seed, and seed stage.
Tech:NYC: Why do you think health and wellness startups are finding success in NYC?
Tanya: Overall, the combination of access to talent, proximity to healthcare institutions, market demand, funding opportunities, supportive ecosystem, and brand visibility makes New York City an advantageous location for health and wellness startups to thrive and grow. In NYC, you can build extraordinary teams with expertise across disciplines and you can find a host of medical centers, research institutions, and universities that can accelerate innovation and validate products. NYC has a large population with a high level of health consciousness so it’s an attractive market. On the funding side, NYC offers a supportive ecosystem for startups, including incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces, industry-specific events and of course, access to investors and VCs deploying funding!
You’ve directly invested in startups that are shaking up how we provide training for healthcare professionals, support students' mental health, and run pharmacies. What trends are you particularly excited about?
What excites me personally is supporting startups that aim to enhance healthcare accessibility, convenience, and effectiveness for Medicare and Medicaid populations, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare disparities. I'm eager to witness how AI can enhance patient outcomes and operational efficiency through improved engagement, health risk prediction, personalized treatment plans, and optimized care management. Beyond AI, I observe a broader shift in healthcare towards more holistic and patient-centered approaches. I believe that integrating social determinants of health into healthcare solutions is pivotal for addressing the diverse factors that influence health outcomes beyond medical care alone.
What should funders and founders know about the healthtech sector that may not be immediately obvious?
Navigating the healthtech sector involves understanding complex stakeholder dynamics, long sales cycles, and strict regulatory requirements. It's crucial to integrate technologies into healthcare systems, ensure data privacy, and navigate reimbursement challenges. Navigating all of this involves considerations that may not be immediately apparent to funders and founders coming from other industries.
You have a founder or LP in from out of town… Where are you taking them?
This is such a hard question! High Line park for a beautiful view and some art installations.
And, because we always ask our founders… Best slice in town?
My local pizzeria. Da Nonna Rosa in Park Slope.
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