The growth of healthtech is being driven by more powerful mobile devices and wireless connectivity such as 5G technology. This has buttressed the development of applications in the area of patient data, telehealth and wellness, as well as consultation via smartphones and interconnected healthcare devices. “Smart devices are generating a lot of healthcare data and the opportunity is to connect data to make it actionable,” he said, highlighting Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G solutions as an exciting space for healthtech investments.

Bringing in the investment aspect of healthtech, Bonnie Cheung, Venture Partner of seed investors 500 Startups said that healthcare demand will outstrip GDP in Asia, with providers unable to keep up. Based on the current demand and supply dynamics in the region, she noted that this is the right moment for businesses to leverage technology to disrupt the industry. Seemant Jauhari, Managing Partner at HealthXCapital added that there is a lot of great healthcare innovation, but the challenge is how to make them more investor-friendly and attractive.