Anne DeGheest

Anne DeGheest is recognized for her contributions to healthcare innovation, particularly in the HealthTech and digital health sectors. DeGheest has held roles as a healthcare executive, entrepreneur, angel investor, corporate advisor, and mentor capitalist, combining operational experience with investment expertise in the healthcare technology industry. She holds an MBA from Harvard and a master's in business engineering from the University of Brussels, providing a foundation for her career at the intersection of healthcare, technology, and business strategy.

DeGheest is the founder of HealthTech Capital and MedStars. Since founding MedStars, she has served as a business consultant to large healthcare companies and as a mentor capitalist focused on early-stage healthcare ventures. Her life science portfolio companies have generated over $27 billion in market capitalization, including eight IPOs. DeGheest has provided angel capital, operational expertise, and business strategy in the founding of venture-backed companies such as Pyxis (CareFusion), Aspect Medical (acquired by Covidien), VISX (acquired by AMO), Thermage (merged into Solta Medical), VISICU (acquired by Philips), and Masimo. She has also contributed to the growth of entrepreneurial divisions within corporations including ASP/Johnson & Johnson, Baxter, Medtronic, and McKesson.

DeGheest founded HealthTech Capital, a group of private and corporate investors dedicated to funding and mentoring new HealthTech startups focused on reducing healthcare costs and empowering patients. This ecosystem brings together angels, venture capitalists, providers, payers, and healthcare industry leaders with expertise in healthcare, technology, and user engagement. DeGheest has startup operating experience as CEO and vice president and has served on public and private boards. With eight IPOs and over 10 million lives impacted, she emphasizes the importance of market understanding, stakeholder alignment, and adaptability in building sustainable healthcare companies.

DeGheest organized the HealthTech Conferences and is a frequent speaker at industry events and a guest lecturer at Stanford Business School. Her speaking topics include healthcare innovation, angel investing, market creation, women's leadership, and the consumer health revolution, offering insights for audiences ranging from startup founders to Fortune 500 executives. DeGheest advocates for grounding healthcare solutions in clinical need and credits creativity as a key factor in effective investing.