Australian-first expert advisory to guide digital health investment decisions

Digital & Innovation: ANDHealth announced the appointment of its inaugural International Investment Advisory Committee (IIAC), which will provide critical insights and frontline industry experience to the MRFF funded ANDHealth Digital Health Accelerator Fund and associated ANDHealth+ program.

The IIAC comprises internationally recognised investors, clinicians, founders and executives with proven track records in identification and growth within the evidence-based digital health sector. The IIAC will be chaired by globally recognized digital health leader, Lisa Suennen. Lisa, named 2018 Rock Health Digital Health Evangelist of the Year, has spent more than 30 years in operating and investing roles at the intersection of technology and health, and has been actively engaged with ANDHealth for many years. Today she is Leader of Manatt Phelps & Phillips Digital and Technology Practice, as well as Managing Partner of the Manatt Venture Fund. 

ANDHealth CEO, Bronwyn Le Grice, said “The IIAC is an Australian-first expert advisory committee designed specifically to bring proven commercialisation and growth expertise on a global scale to our Australian SMEs. Successfully scaling into international markets is critical for Australian SMEs from both a sustainability and an investability perspective. The ability of us to call on some of the world’s leading digital health professionals to maximise the impact of the investments from the ANDHealth Digital Health Accelerator Fund into the ANDHealth+ program is priceless.”

Digital health remains a nascent but growing industry in Australia. As a result, the specialised skills and expertise, based on real world experience necessary to support the research, translation and commercialisation of digital health interventions, remain limited to a very small number of industry professionals. The IIAC will augment the existing Australian expertise available through ANDHealth, its members and local networks.

IIAC Chair, Lisa Suennen, commented “ANDHealth has long been a remarkably successful catalyst for the development of digital health companies, and thankfully so given the importance of this category during the pandemic. They have a knack for helping companies grow, mature, and realize their vision, while fostering jobs and economic growth in Australia, the US and beyond. I am thrilled to be an engaged supporter of this organization and to work alongside its leadership to further amplify the opportunity.”