Wrapping up 2024 with our 8th Digital Healthcare Breakfast

On October 23, 2024, Opportunity Austin hosted its annual A-LIST Awards. The A-LIST Awards showcase exemplary entrepreneurs and investors who are elevating the ecosystem to new heights. These visionary founders and startups are creating global solutions through innovative technologies and thriving in the Austin ecosystem in a powerful way.

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Four Next Coast Ventures' portfolio companies were nominated, including Braincheck, Somite, Workweek, and TinyHealth.

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Workweek was named the top Series A startup! Congratulations to co-founders Adam Ryan and Becca Sherman.

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https://opportunityaustin.com/opportunity-austin-honors-top-innovators-at-2024-a-list-awards/

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We wrapped up the year with our fourth healthcare breakfast, gathering Austin's digital health leaders, including CEOs, founders, and executives from early-stage ventures. A highlight of the morning was the exchange of insights on talent and compensation trends, led by Pamela Zients. Pamela provided a comprehensive overview of the market, shedding light on the current landscape and offering perspectives that are crucial for making informed hiring decisions.

Key Discussions and Insights

The discussions at this breakfast centered on making critical hiring decisions in the digital health sector. We explored several nuanced topics, including:

• Industry vs. Functional Expertise: Debating whether to prioritize hiring individuals with specific industry knowledge or those with functional expertise to drive company success.
• Short-Term Goals vs. Long-Term Commitment: Examining the balance between achieving immediate objectives and fostering long-term employee loyalty and development.
• Relocation Trends: Understanding the current appetite for relocation among potential hires and how it impacts talent acquisition strategies.

Looking Ahead

We are grateful to all the attendees for their participation and contributions to these discussions. Your engagement helps us continue fostering a collaborative environment within the digital healthcare community.

Thank you to Pamela Zients for leading the conversation and sharing your valuable expertise.

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This past September, we had the privilege of hosting nearly 20 incredible digital healthcare leaders at our office for another engaging Digital Healthcare Breakfast. As always, the event was a dynamic gathering filled with insightful discussions and forward-thinking perspectives.

Key Highlights

• Captivating Q&A Session: Mike Smerklo led a thought-provoking Q&A session with Garheng Kong of HealthQuest Capital. Garheng shared his valuable insights on the current fundraising environment, touching on changing valuations, how M&A possibilities affect underwriting considerations, and the complexities of the payer-provider dynamic. His expertise provided attendees with a deeper understanding of the evolving healthcare landscape.
• Content Recommendations: Beyond the industry-specific discussions, our attendees exchanged their favorite content recommendations, offering a glimpse into what inspires and entertains some of the brightest minds in digital healthcare. Here are some of the top picks:some text
  • Podcasts: Founders, Good Life Project, True Crime Couple, and Austin Next
  • Television/Film: Untold: Swamp Kings, Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams, Arnold, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Ancient Apocalypse, and The Sopranos
  • Books: Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson

The breakfast encouraged leaders to not only discuss industry challenges and opportunities but also share personal interests and build stronger connections.

Next Steps

Our Digital Healthcare Breakfast series remains an important part of our efforts to encourage collaboration and innovation in the healthcare sector. Stay tuned for more details and join us for another round of insightful discussions and networking opportunities.

Thank you to all who attended and contributed to the success of this event. We look forward to seeing you at our next gathering!