Here at the Center for Total Health, life can sometimes be challenging for Leo and Rosemary – two elderly personas we use at the center to talk about programs around the country focusing on “aging in place.” Leo shows signs of cognitive impairment and Rosemary, his wife and caregiver, has to ensure that he takes his medication and goes to his appointments, while also having to care for her own emotional health. Yet, with Rosemary’s help, Leo is aging in place, able to live in the comfort of his own home and community.
Over the next 45 years, the number of individuals over the age of 65 will double and the number of individuals over the age of 80 will triple, representing the largest demographic shift the U.S. has seen. Earlier this year, Village Capital and Kaiser Permanente launched Health: US 2018, a venture development and diligence program for early-stage startups dedicated to creating a dignified, accessible, affordable, and successful aging experience, and enabling all of us to live the life we want after 65.
Today, both organizations announced the selection of the Health: US 2018 cohort. This venture development program will provide support to 10 early-stage startups presenting disruptive innovations that create an accessible, affordable and improved aging and/or caregiving experience for all. At the end of the program, Village Capital’s affiliated venture fund, VilCap Investments, will offer funding to each of the top two ventures, selected by their peers.
Village Capital also released an analysis of the program’s application, which includes the following statistics:
- 88% of teams have “lived experience” with aging-related challenges (they have experienced the problem themselves or through a close friend or family member)
- 61% of teams have a founder with past health care experience
- 73% of companies are serving health care providers (hospitals, caregivers, senior care facilities, etc.)
Kaiser Permanente helped to select the cohort participants, will work with Village Capital to facilitate the workshops the cohort members will take part in, and will be a co-investor in the two top ventures selected at the end of the program.
“At Kaiser Permanente we strive to create healthy environments for people of all ages living in the communities we serve,” said John Vu, vice president of Strategy, Community Health, for Kaiser Permanente. “We are excited to be at this point with Village Capital and these incredible entrepreneurs who are working to find new ways to help people age well with dignity where they live.”
“Too many Americans don’t have the opportunity to age in their home and with dignity,” said Allie Burns, managing director for Village Capital. “We’re incredibly excited to bring together this cohort of high potential entrepreneurs that are unlocking the power of technology to empower seniors to have the best possible quality of life.”
You can read more about the Health: US 2018 program here.
If your organization is interested in hosting a meeting about aging in place, healthy aging or any other event, please send us a request via our website. The Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health hosts internal and external educational events. All events – including annual banquets, quarterly meetings, trainings, interviews – feature healthy catering options and can be customized to incorporate the interactive exhibits that make the Center for Total health experience both fun and informative for attendees. We look forward to hearing from you!
