HealthIT folks joined us virtually for a conversation with A.T. Gimbel, Partner at Atlanta Ventures, and Kate Merton, Staff VP, Digital Care Delivery at Anthem. The two spoke about Kate’s decision to go into healthcare, her time at JLabs and launching Anthem’s new digital incubator.
These events are part of an ongoing series of talks about Healthcare in Atlanta, with the goal to make Atlanta the premier place to start and grow a HealthIT business.
About the Event
The event kicked off with 40+ entrepreneurs dividing into breakout room sessions. In groups of about 7, they discussed the question: “What do you see as the future of in-home, proactive medicine?”
Next, A.T. and Kate dove into discussion about healthcare and beyond. Kate also shared about the launching of Anthem’s new digital incubator, and what problems they are focused on as well as the type of entrepreneurs they are looking for.
Key Takeaways From the Event
Start with the problem.
“It’s important to think about what keeps a president up at night. If you know the problem, there shouldn’t be any nos.”— Kate Merton
Do your research on the power of the investor or partner.
“When coming in, entrepreneurs truly understood what JLabs had to offer them. If there was a company that came to us, but wanted to make a drug that J&J had no interest in, number one, they didn’t do their homework, which is not good. Number two, they are probably going to be wasting their time and our time. So do your research.”— Kate Merton
What common mistakes do entrepreneurs make?
“My favorite is when you ask, ‘Who are the competitors in the area?’ and they say, ‘No, I’m unique.’ Never say you have no competition, say, ‘I do this, but the closest corollary may be…’.”— Kate Merton
“Always come in with realistic expectations. The best question is when someone comes in and says, ‘I have this really great technology, and I’d really like to understand what opportunities you might have for someone like me to enable you to meet your goals.'”— Kate Merton
“Not understanding the tech. If you’re the CEO, make sure you bring a tech person with you.”— Kate Merton
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