UnityPoint Health Starts Venture Fund

by Taylor Kennedy

UP Health 2 color

UnityPoint Health has launched its $100 million UnityPoint Health Ventures Innovation Fund to manage and direct the health system’s financial and strategic investment opportunities, the organization announced recently.

According to a release, the fund will invest in early-stage growth companies in digital health, medical devices, therapeutic spaces and healthcare services. It also will connect clinical and operational leaders throughout the health system with industry entrepreneurs to test and scale solutions that seek to lower health care costs, improve quality of care and positively impact population health initiatives.

“UnityPoint Health Ventures provides a platform for our clinical and operational leaders, who are some of the most knowledgable and innovative individuals in the industry, to lend expertise to early-stage companies seeking to revolutionize care delivery and experience,” UnityPoint Health Ventures Managing Director of Innovations Matthew Warrens said in a statement.

Kent Lehr, vice president of strategy and business development, will lead the fund with Warrens.

UnityPoint Health Ventures said it is funded through a reallocation of funds already earmarked for investment, with no funding from operations.

Headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, UnityPoint Health has a hospital–Meriter–in Madison.