We’re on the cusp of a profound demographic shift. In 1950, there have been solely 14,000 centenarians. Right now, it’s practically 750,000. By 2054, this determine is projected to achieve virtually 4 million. Residing to 100 is swiftly turning into the brand new regular.
Healthcare techniques aren’t prepared for this demographic tsunami. They had been constructed for a distinct period, when life expectancy was a lot, a lot decrease. (Because of this, by the way, older age care isn’t lined by the NHS remit – the founders of the well being service merely didn’t imagine there was an important sufficient want).
Getting older Society Lengthy Time period Care, Getting older Inhabitants aged care idea illustrationgetty
We’re getting into a brand new period. One which necessitates a totally contemporary method to well being, wellbeing and longevity. And the options that may step in to resolve this problem are getting VCs excited. We’re calling this new startup vertical – the place deep-tech, healthcare and AI meet – “bio-infrastructure”.
Why bio-infrastructure can repair our healthcare foundations
While current years have introduced a spread of recent therapies and sensible devices aimed toward serving to us reside more healthy lives, these improvements gained’t assist us address the upcoming demographic challenges at scale and not using a basic overhaul of the underlying techniques through which they function.
Markets the world over want new infrastructure that permits for a seamless interaction of information, tooling, bodily gear, and well being supply. Assume predictive AI that may optimise medical trials by matching medication to the precise affected person cohorts primarily based on genetics. Or cloud platforms that enable scientists to run experiments while not having their very own bodily labs.
Bio-infrastructure startups are stepping as much as repair these foundations and make them match for the longer term. Founders on this house are constructing on the intersection of healthcare, deep-tech, infrastructure, and synthetic intelligence. Trying not simply at software program, however the way it interacts with the bodily parts of healthcare: the labs, clinics, servers, factories, and workforce that make techniques just like the NHS operate.
These corporations don’t match into conventional containers like “drug developer” or “software program enterprise”; they’re collectively constructing the layer of intelligence that may energy the well being system of tomorrow. VCs like me are paying rising consideration to this house, particularly the startups constructing throughout these 5 bioinfrastructure pillars.
Lab Automation
There’s a large house to construct a class defining firm that may increase lab productiveness by leveraging agentic AI and superior automation. My prediction right here is that labs will turn out to be more and more subtle and autonomous, accelerating R&D and empowering nations with restricted assets to construct their very own biotech capabilities. The subsequent technology of pharma giants might come from this group; corporations that begin with a technical or course of benefit and use it to construct their very own drug pipelines. Firms like Micrographia Bio (an Ada Ventures portfolio firm) and Benchling are among the thrilling first movers already breaking by on this house.
Affected person Information
The medical trial course of is caught up to now. However fashionable software program can change that. I’m enthusiastic about corporations which are utilizing predictive analytics to match drug trials to the precise cohorts, shorten recruitment occasions, and fine-tune provide chains. The last word purpose? The “n-of-1” medical trial, the place therapy is personalised primarily based on a person’s distinctive genetic and illness dynamics. I imagine that the subsequent blockbuster remedy will come to market due to operational innovation like this, powered by startups like R.Grid (an Ada portfolio firm) or Owkin.
Bio-Manufacturing
The COVID-19 pandemic uncovered the fragility of world medical provide chains – making it clear that strategic autonomy in biotechnology is a nationwide crucial. As a VC, I’m trying to spend money on platforms that empower home biomanufacturing capabilities. That could be cloud biology platforms that democratise entry to compute, or specialised amenities for producing cell and gene therapies. BitBio and Nuclera are nice examples of any such bio-manufacturing innovation in motion. The VC guess right here is that, simply as cloud democratised entry to computing energy, bio-manufacturing infrastructure will democratise entry to life-saving therapeutics.Conceptual illustration of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid), visualising the work of genetic analysis and gene remedy.getty
Reg-tech
By no means the sexiest space, however regulation-focused startups have an enormous half to play within the bioinfrastructure revolution. My eyes are at the moment peeled for instruments that use agentic AI to standardise regulatory filings and API-first corporations that embed privateness, safety, and consent compliance immediately into units and care supply. Firms that simplify or automate regulatory burdens resembling FDA submissions and HIPAA compliance – like Keragon, Freshpaint or healthverity – can enable biotech corporations to concentrate on discovery as a substitute of paperwork. I predict that the subsequent wave of digital well being platforms will make regulation and compliance virtually invisible.
Expertise + Workforce
Healthcare can’t scale with out folks, however the best way we discover, prepare, and retain employees is damaged. We’d like extra platforms that may convey the pace of the gig financial system to healthcare whereas upholding the very best requirements of verification and onboarding. At Ada, we’re backing credentialing platforms, marketplaces that match healthcare employees with versatile shifts, and AI copilots that cut back cognitive load for nurses and caregivers. Current examples of leaders on this discipline embody Cera, Axuall and Atmosphere. The guess is easy: the subsequent billion-dollar workforce platform gained’t be for coders – it’ll be for caregivers.
The bio-infrastructure bets we make now will outline this new age of longer lifespans, and it’s thrilling to see so many founders already taking over the challenges of tomorrow.
With age comes knowledge, and if we’re dwelling to 100, we’ve quite a bit to stay up for. However for VCs like me, the wisest selection proper now’s to again the startups making healthcare techniques extra proactive, preventative, and truthful – for everybody.
