Health Velocity Capital Raises $185 Million For Oversubscribed First Healthcare Tech Fund

Today, a new venture firm by the name of Health Velocity Capital announced that it has raised more than $185 million for its first flagship fund.

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The firm says its inaugural fund is the largest ever raised for a firm focused on its sector and stage of investing. What’s that you ask? A statement from the firm says it’s focused on “innovative healthcare software and services businesses that contribute to a more affordable, sustainable, [and] consumer-friendly US healthcare system.” Considering the ballooning cost of healthcare, it’s a sector that needs all the help it can get.

Health Velocity Capital has already invested in a number of companies working in the sector. These include Contessa Health, Infusion Express, MDLIVE, OnShift, and Spero Health, all of which are on the service end of the healthcare business. For example, Spero Health is building a network of outpatient centers offering medication assisted treatment (MAT) to people with opiate use disorder. OnShift is a leading provider of workforce management software to the senior care sector. And Contessa Health offers tech-enabled services that help people recover from surgery in the comfort of their own home.

The firm began raising in June 2017. According to paperwork filed with the SEC at the time, Health Velocity Capital had initially targeted $150 million for the fund. Its general partners were able to raise $35 million more than originally planned.

Health Velocity partner Marty Felsenthal said in a statement that “We are grateful to have received this incredible support from institutional and strategic investors that allowed us to meaningfully exceed our target fund size.” The fund’s limited partner base also includes “arms-length strategic investors” from throughout the healthcare industry. According to the firm, these strategic investors collectively insure 140 million Americans, operate 300 hospitals, and provide pharmacy services to more than 75 percent of the country.

Tom Richards, a senior executive at Cigna, said Health Velocity’s mission is “complementary” to Cigna Ventures. “Collaborating with Health Velocity has been, and will continue to be, instrumental in helping us partner with companies that are unlocking new growth possibilities in healthcare,” he said.

With $185 million prepped for deployment, Health Velocity will accelerate its investments throughout 2018 and 2019.

Healthcare technology is definitely a growth industry, even if the cost of care is enough to make anyone sick. Hopefully Health Velocity funds a startup that makes us all feel better about that.

Illustration: Li-Anne Dias