STAT+: As investor for AHA, ‘Venture Valkyrie’ argues ‘good medicine is good business’

Elizabeth Cooney is a reporter at STAT, specializing in cardiovascular disease, covering critical issues related to heart health, stroke, and metabolic conditions. You can reach Liz through Signal at LizC.22.

Lisa Suennen, also known as the Venture Valkyrie, continues to make waves in the health care venture capital scene. Celebrated for her assistance to health entrepreneurs in the Bay Area, she maintains her influence through her blog dedicated to industry insights and advocacy for women in health care.

As of January 2024, Suennen has stepped into the role of managing partner at American Heart Association Ventures, where she supervises $200 million in assets with a mission to transform scientific research, clinical insights, and scientific innovations into viable commercial products and services. AHA Ventures is part of a growing trend among medical organizations; alongside it, groups like the American Cancer Society and Breakthrough T1D (previously the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation) have established their own venture arms, fostering innovation aligned with their health missions.

The landscape for venture capital is shifting, particularly amidst a less vibrant investment climate and a significant downturn in government funding for biomedical research. This year has seen a considerable number of grants from the National Institutes of Health being suspended due to their non-alignment with the current political inclinations of the Trump administration. According to reports, new regulatory policies coupled with heightened political oversight have compounded the challenges at the NIH, contributing to an estimated 40% budget cut. In this context, the work of AHA Ventures takes on an even more crucial role, illustrating the importance of alternative funding sources for advancing heart health innovations.