At the Investopia 2022 Inaugural Summit, health and technology experts came together to discuss the future of medicine in the digital age. The “From Healthcare to Healthtech” session was moderated by Salvatore Lavallo, Head of FDI at the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). The speakers included Assaf Barnea, Founder of Sanara Ventures, who presented his work briefly; Ashish Koshy, CEO of Healthcare at G42; and Cillin O’Flynn, Middle East & Africa Representative at MediConCen, who provided insights into the most promising technologies and viable investment opportunities in the sector.

The speakers agreed that groundbreaking healthcare innovations and assessment technologies are the most exciting healthcare trends. Current investment interests are focusing on life-saving technologies and value-based medicine. Data is crucial to inform product and service provisions and predictive care.

One of the top viable investment opportunities in the sector is InsurTech in healthcare. Insurers collect data that helps them manage risk while promoting good patient behavior. Patients can benefit by becoming healthier, which could result in longer life, and insurers will have a larger dataset.

The digitalization of healthcare is also a significant investment area, with many investments in DeepTech and R&D in the applicability of technologies for medicine/health purposes. The pandemic has made healthcare a top priority for all countries and generated considerable investment flows, which are here to stay and promising for future R&D and innovation in HealthTech.

MediConCen is the first Blockchain Medical Ecosystem and a great example of how blockchain technology can be applied to the medical field to solve healthcare issues. Ashish Koshy also noted that polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing was a new technology at some point. A new applicability was found for PCR during the pandemic, although it was not created for Covid-19 back in the day. Investing in existing technologies is never a loss.

The speakers highlighted the importance of data in medicine as a precious resource for predictive care. They emphasized that health systems are ripe for a rethink driven by digitalization, new tools, and new disease prevention and treatment approaches. The session showcased the most promising technologies and viable investment opportunities in the sector, highlighting the potential for AI to accelerate science and health solutions.

The speakers also highlighted the importance of investing in data analytics and AI in the health sector. Ashish Koshy mentioned that with the help of AI, they were able to develop a technology that could predict patients’ clinical outcomes and provide better-personalized care. AI and machine learning are revolutionizing how healthcare providers and patients engage. With the massive amounts of data available, AI algorithms can analyze medical images, detect anomalies, and predict outcomes. The possibilities are endless, and investments in AI and machine learning are an excellent opportunity for investors looking to get involved in the health sector.

Assaf Barnea also briefly presented Sanara Ventures, a healthcare investment platform that invests in health tech startups. Sanara Ventures provides support and expertise to healthcare startups, helping them scale and grow their business. Barnea mentioned that investing in health tech startups is a promising opportunity for investors. There are many unmet needs in the healthcare industry, and startups are constantly developing new solutions to address these needs.

The speakers also discussed the importance of investing in telemedicine and remote patient monitoring technologies. Cillin O’Flynn mentioned that telemedicine and remote patient monitoring technologies have been in high demand during the pandemic, and the trend is expected to continue even after the pandemic. With the help of telemedicine, patients can access medical care remotely, reducing the need for in-person visits and improving patient outcomes. Remote patient monitoring technologies can help patients manage chronic conditions and provide doctors with valuable data to monitor their health.

Overall, the session highlighted the promising investment opportunities in the health tech sector. Many innovative solutions are being developed to address the healthcare industry’s unmet needs, from AI and machine learning to telemedicine and remote patient monitoring. Investors looking to get involved in the health sector should consider these opportunities and invest in companies that positively impact the healthcare industry.