Raising Health

Nobel laureate Carolyn Bertozzi joins Jorge Conde to unravel the concept of bioorthogonal chemistry. Carolyn traces her pioneering path from early studies in carbohydrate chemistry to how her lab developed the revolutionary ability to manipulate chemical reactions inside the human body. Together, they highlight the intersection of cutting-edge academic research and the challenges of translating discoveries into market-ready solutions. They also discuss navigating the science-to-startup journey, balancing academic and commercial ambitions, and leveraging precision therapies to address unmet medical needs in cancer and beyond. It’s a compelling case study for founders looking to push the frontiers of biotech.

In this episode, a16z partners Jorge Conde and Jay Rughani sit down with Sajith Wickramasekara, CEO and cofounder of Benchling, to unpack the evolution of Benchling from idea to transformative software platform. Saji discusses his journey from software engineer to building Benchling and digitizing biotech workflows for industry giants like Sanofi. Together, they also talk about the increasing complexity of biology, the expanding role of AI in drug discovery, and the power of well-structured data. The 21st century isn't just the century of advanced biology—it's also the era of creating tools that supercharge scientific discovery.

Join healthcare expert Dan Rosenthal and a16z Bio + Health general partner Julie Yoo in a deep dive into the evolution of provider networks and their strategic importance in the health insurance ecosystem. Dan discusses how networks are built, managed, and optimized for both cost and quality—including the complexities of payor-provider contracts, the future impact of transparency laws, and opportunities for digital health startups to break into the network space. Dan also explores the possibility of AI-driven, personalized networks, challenging traditional models and paving the way for innovation. Whether you're building a health tech startup or seeking to modernize provider networks, this conversation offers a roadmap for navigating and disrupting healthcare's foundational structures.This episode was originally released in August 2023.

Chris Ellis, CEO and Adam Stevenson, president, both cofounders of Thatch, join Julie Yoo and Jay Rughani of a16z Bio + Health.In early 2020, a new policy called ICHRA altered the insurance market, which had remained largely unchanged for decades. As you’ll hear in the episode, it’s been slow to catch on — but the cofounders of Thatch think it’s a game changer. Together, they discuss these key takeaways:Consumers as a growing class of payor:Traditionally employers shouldered healthcare costs, but now consumers are paying more out of pocket and making purchasing decisions directly for their health coverage.ICHRA represents a major shift, allowing companies to give employees tax-free dollars to shop for personalized health plans.Distributed teams and geographic diversity are creating friction in providing effective healthcare via traditional group plans. Employees may find that certain doctors aren’t covered and plans aren’t tailored to their needs, making ICHRA an increasingly attractive option for employers.The fintech intersectionHow do you make spending healthcare dollars easy, secure, and efficient? By leveraging fintech solutions that ensure employees use healthcare dollars on what matters  most for them.This alignment between fintech and healthcare could enable more flexible, localized plans, with individuals choosing the add-ons that work best for them at that moment in their lives.