Raymond Zoeller

10 mid-market PE deals from the past week: ➡️ Vector Capital Management has acquired Bigtincan Holdings, which provides sales enablement software and AI solutions. ➡️ Argosy Healthcare Partners sponsored a recap of Nicklas Medical Staffing, a FL-based staffing firm for pathology and histology labs ➡️ Platinum Equity invested in Global the Source, a master distributor of HVAC/R components, with will be merged with existing Platinum portfolio company MARS ➡️ RECOGNIZE invested in SDG Corporation, a CT-based provider of cybersecurity services ➡️ CES Power, a live events infrastructure firm owned by Allied Industrial Partners, acquired Base Craft | Nationwide TV and Film Equipment Leasing, a provider of services and equipment for the motion picture industry ➡️ OpenClinica, a MA-based portfolio company of Thompson Street Capital Partners, acquired BuildClinical, a NY-based provider of patient recruitment software for academic researchers ➡️ Comvest Private Equity bought Bland Landscaping Company, an NC-based provider of commercial landscaping services ➡️ Morgan Stanley Capital Partners agreed to buy Prescott's, a CO-based provider of outsourced clinical engineering services ➡️ Priority Courier Experts Express, a Minneapolis-based portfolio company of TRIDENT acquired Indiana's NOW Courier Inc. ➡️ TTDS Thermal Technology Distribution Solutions, a Cincinnati-based portfolio company of Gryphon Investors, acquired Applied Thermal Systems of Minneapolis ➡️ Echo AI (acquired by Calabrio), which uses generative AI in a customer conversation platform, was acquired by Thoma Bravo-backed customer interaction analytics specialist Calabrio, Inc. ➡️ Amulet Capital Partners, LP acquired Theoria Medical, a managing service org for senior living communities #PrivateEquity #MergersandAcquisitions #Acquisitions #PE #Acquisitions

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Big ups to Russell C. Langan, MD, FACS, FSSO and RWJBarnabas Health for winning the 14th annual ACCC Innovator Awards which recognize visionary and compelling ideas in oncology from the ACCC! “In the 2 years following program implementation, 82 pancreatic cancers were detected from incidental findings with 65% of patients being diagnosed in earlier stages (stages I, II, and III), as well as instances of ampullary cancer, gallbladder cancer, and gastric cancer.” #defydisease https://lnkd.in/geeHnxAQ

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See the #ctDNA #MRD #breastcancer data one partner called "spectacular" despite the challenging sample set that included limited plasma, 78% stage I and II cancers with tumor sizes of T2 or less. #oncology #cancer #diagnostics #personalizedmedicine

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https://lnkd.in/gB_-yi-f Sharing a few thoughts on our Computational Care thesis, with a particular focus on the importance of clinical validation in building empathetic software solutions in a complicated environment. Based on the quality of conversations with founders and CEOs recently at HLTH and in the wild, now is a great time to build, deploy, and scale great software against hard problems in healthcare. We are seeing real progress, and we want to see even more bravery.

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Exciting news from Monica Chopra, Jeffrey De Flavio, MD, Samantha Adelberg, and the rest of the Auxa Health team as they officially announce their $5.2M Seed round. The team's deep industry expertise and drive for change have led them to solve critical infrastructural friction to providing quality healthcare and adoption of value-based care. Auxa's AI benefit navigation platform is simplifying the complexities of healthcare by streamlining all of the fragmented and siloed data and information to make it actionable in real-time for healthcare organizations. For the 70% of Americans who aren't getting access to the health and social care benefits they deserve, Auxa's solution will be pivotal in enabling equitable care. We're thrilled to partner with co-investors Zeal Capital Partners, AlleyCorp, Laconia, and Chaac Ventures on this journey and look to share many more milestones ahead. Cc K50 Ventures, Ryan Bloomer, Daniel Vásquez, Nick Talwar, Stefanie Ng https://lnkd.in/dPDY7-Db

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General Catalyst has raised ~$8Bn of new capital, across core venture capital, our Creation strategy, and SMAs, to continue to invest in the most ambitious entrepreneurs driving transformation and resilience in AI, Defense, Climate & Energy, Industrials, Healthcare, and FinTech. Like our founders, we have focused intensely on being the most ambitious partners to them across their journey. We are venturing beyond–doubling down on Seed globally, bringing our Creation platform to new markets like Europe, India, and MENA, scaling new capital solutions like Customer Value Strategy, and creating transformation companies like HATCo. As a global investment and transformation company, we seek outsized impact using applied AI and global resilience to address the world’s greatest challenges. We believe this has to include venture capital as well as many other solutions. We’re heartened to have a global limited partner base that believes in this same mission. More here on Venture Beyond, Fund XII, and GC Famiglia: https://lnkd.in/dsXknbhw CC: Neeraj Arora Marc Bhargava Chris Bischoff Niko Bonatsos Kenneth I. Chenault Quentin Clark Joel Cutler David Fialkow Paul Kwan Holly Maloney Deep Nishar Trevor Oelschig Alex Tran Adam Valkin Jeannette zu Fürstenberg Paul Fielding John Kim Gabriella Giglio Christopher McCain Arielle Gross Samuels Teresa Carlson Priya Mohan Elena Viboch Caitlin Donovan Katie Hughes Brouwer Jon Rehagen Pranav Singhvi Karanveer Mohan Boomer Dell #VentureBeyond #GlobalResilience #AppliedAI #Startups #VentureCapital

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How does an orthopedic surgeon wind up working for companies like Apple McKinsey & Company Exactech and JointMedica ? Listen to our latest DOCTORS EYES ONLY podcast from Vestia Personal Wealth Advisors to find out the story of Sharat Kusuma, MD, FAAOS. This was a blast to record. #wealththatmatters

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The digital health rhetoric these days seems to be quite polarizing. While acknowledging the pivotal role of technology in enhancing health, we are still in the early innings for healthcare tech as it relates to the transformative impact many had expected to come to fruition. I sat down with my long-time friend and colleague, Mona Siddiqui, MD, MPH, MSE, leader Highmark Health to put together our thoughts on how to truly create scale in healthcare through technology. The TL/DR: 💻 1. Scalability requires greater connectivity, diving into the integration of technology in clinical settings. 💵 2. Payer reimbursement models need to catch up to the changing care delivery landscape 🧠 3. There is real potential for AI and machine learning but it doesn't replace care 💢 4. The future of digital health scalability relies on a multifaceted approach. Highlights include some of the key players leading the way like 7wireVentures portfolio companies NOCD, Jasper Health, GroundGame.Health, as well as Waymark, Author Health, and more. Read more of our thoughts in our latest MedCity piece below! https://lnkd.in/gYSvdPgC

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Mandatory bundles in surgery are a bi-partisan objective, and (in)ability to optimize cost/quality will dramatically impact hospital P&L. Regular insights from granular data , and AI-based decision support are the only way to systemically reduce unwanted variability and be both profitable and high quality.

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AI and Med Tech in Focus   Implantable Device Reverses Opioid Overdoses Researchers at MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital have developed an implantable device that detects and reverses opioid overdoses by autonomously administering a dose of naloxone. Naloxone is a drug that binds to opioid receptors and blocks the effects of heroin, fentanyl and other opioids. Called iSOS, the device has sensors that continuously monitors a user’s respiratory rate, heart rate, body temperature and blood oxygen saturation and uses machine learning algorithms that are trained to recognize the signs of overdose using the cardiorespiratory data collected by the sensors. When the device detects a suspected overdose, the device buzzes and sends an alert to a user’s phone. If the alert is not cancelled, iSOS administers a rapid shot of naloxone.  The device is about the size of a stick of gum and implanted under local anesthesia. It has a wireless rechargeable battery that lasts 14 days and a 10-milligram refillable drug reservoir. ISOS has been shown to be effective in reversing the effects of overdose 96% of the time and could help people who are at the highest risk of re-overdose. Because the naloxone dose is automatically delivered in a “closed loop” survival is not predicated by timely intervention of a first responder or a bystander Further research is being done to miniaturize the size and optimize battery life. VC Investors are always adjusting their "Play Book" with a variety of options for investing. Mikal Ventures is one of those alternatives, offering curated solutions to real world problems. Reach out if you have questions on how we can be of assistance and bookmark https://mikalventures.com/ for additional insights and information.

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Hospitals are facing a moment of transformation. While many innovations aim to move care beyond the hospital, these facilities remain central to the healthcare system—and a $2.5 trillion market. The challenge? Balancing growth and profitability, especially for smaller systems under pressure. At @BedfordBridge, we’re digging into how technology can drive meaningful change in hospital operations and care delivery. There’s no shortage of work to be done, but the opportunities are clear.

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What’s next for health optimization? Come find out in Las Vegas, on December 11-12, 2024, at the Health Optimization Medicine and Practice Symposium. This isn’t just another conference—it’s a deep dive into the future of health, #AI, and building a better practice. Speakers like Dr. Ted Achacoso, Dr. Scott Sherr, Lucia Aronica will cover everything from leveraging AI to hands-on health optimization strategies with #epigenetics. These are the leaders shaping where this field is going. You’ll get a chance to experiment with the latest in health tech, but more importantly, you’ll have time to connect with other practitioners who are serious about growing their businesses and communities. Oh, and we’ve got a networking event at Meow Wolf, because the future of health deserves an unconventional setting. Come for the knowledge, stay for the connections, and leave with a clearer vision of where health optimization is headed. Details here 👉 https://lnkd.in/d3wwcVJW #healthoptimization

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The role of AI and new technology to aid cardiology “As cardiology starts to face staffing shortages and continued decreases in CMS payments, Biga believes technology advances need to be leveraged in cardiology to help improve outcomes, make workflows more efficient to do more with less, and to help cut costs.” “Many of the solutions that can help were displayed on the expo floor, including telehealth and real-time remote monitoring systems. "I think this area will experience an explosion in use," Biga said. Another major area that will likely see an explosion of use is artificial intelligence (AI). She said AI will begin playing a rapidly growing role in cardiology in the coming years to augment cardiologists and other clinical staff. And not just on the front lines of patient care, but also in the back offices where AI will play a growing role in IT systems, smoothing workflow, analytics, automated quality metrics capture and many other areas. "We must use AI to reduce administrative burdens and improve patient outcomes," Biga explained. “

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ReGelTec is presenting our latest data on Hydrafil for Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease

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Cofounders Capital Fund II is on a roll! Another huge announcement, this time from Pattern Health on its merger with Greenlight Health Data Solutions, Inc.

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Leapfrog Technology, Inc.’s first re:Invent was successful and eye-opening - and I want to share some of my personal takeaways. First and foremost, re:Invent shone an ultra-bright spotlight on (Gen) AI. From sessions to booths to partners, it seemed like there wasn’t a location in the building (any of them) without the words “AI” front and center. It was hard to have a random conversation without answering “What’s your AI strategy.” And that was both daunting and inspiring. Daunting since a lot of Leapfroggers build GenAI solutions on Amazon Web Services (AWS), and it turns out we’re very much not alone. And inspiring because there is so much AI innovation from AWS and its partners, and a clear demand for it. We’ve been experiencing that demand, and it feels like the tip of the iceberg. On the AI innovation side, here are the top five things I’m excited about: 1. New models on Bedrock  - Marketplace: Models tuned and scoped for specific use cases and constraints. At Leapfrog we work with frontier foundation models, and then tune them, prompt them, or RAG-with-them for vertical use cases. The prospect of using more customizable niche models like those from Upstage opens new doors that will ultimately allow us to build better solutions for our customers. - Nova: The new foundation model from AWS themselves that offers up to 75% cost savings of comparable class models. At scale, cost is something you need to watch out for, and we’ll be evaluating the performance/$ of this right away. 2. Tooling continues to evolve with things like SageMaker Unified Studio. At Leapfrog we use a combination of tools, IDEs, and notebooks to do GenAI/ML. The prospect of a completely integrated environment to explore, build, and test all things data/AI on AWS could be a huge productivity boost. 3. New features for Knowledge Base, like integrated document extraction, and features for Bedrock like prompt caching. We had to handle these things with code and context, and now perhaps, we won’t. 4. Using LLMs to evaluate…themselves. I’ve long loved the idea of using LLMs to automatically test and evaluate the outputs of LLMs. And AWS just released new tools for optimizing RAG and LLM implementations in this way. 5. The Industry and GenAI Pavillions - each a small city block in the expo. I observed GenAI tour de forces like having a robotic avatar interview Denise W. hold a real-time conversation, and draw a caricature based on her responses. Epic! And worth five dollars at your local arcade. In the Industry Pavillion, I was interviewed by Steve Faro as if he was my doctor, and watched AWS Transcribe + Bedrock document perfect SOAP notes based on my “encounter”. Leapfrog specializes in Healthcare solutions, and in particular data and AI-driven healthcare. The tools are here now to fix a lot of the efficiency issues for US Healthcare, and we are excited to be a part of it.

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Two other takeaways: - Partnerships: Amazon Web Services (AWS) success stems from partnerships both between APN partners and AWS, and between APN partners and each other. Our biggest value was finding new folks within AWS to share and learn from, and new partners in the ecosystem to work with. - How to choose where to be? Maybe by next year, Amazon Q will be able to optimize our trip. However, given how far apart some of the venues were, and how many after events there are to choose from, and leaving some space for serendipity - this will be approaching AGI level complexity. That’s it for now. We’re grateful specifically to some folks at AWS that helped make our trip effective - Jon Weisenborn, Amit Singh, Jason Randall, Alicia Fratto (Heddon), and especially Tricia Bonora and Christina Pritchett. A special non-AWS shoutout to Chris Halvorson for his continuous advice and support. Thank you to the Leapfrog team that traveled with me - Denise W., Yaju Pradhan, Manu Chatterjee, and Kritika Rajbhandari. As well as all those Leapfroggers who helped us prepare for this monumental week (MarComm, Ankur Sharma, our graphic design team, and our AWS core team). We’re already excited for re:Invent 2025! #aws #awsreinvent #genai #healthcare #ai

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Interesting to see that digital health funding is relatively stable. Only a couple of exits. I think we'll see more deals like DarioHealth's acquisition of Twill, since from a sales perspective, the narrower the solution, the more difficult it is to acquire customers. This difficulty has nothing to do with the quality of offerings, but with the data management and administrative complexity on the customer side.

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