The Next Frontier in Healthcare Innovation – From Weight Loss to Whole-Body Transformation
Unlocking new possibilities in healthcare: The rise of GLP-1 therapies and the investment potential driving change.
“The Zepbound trade” is shorthand for the GLP-1 seismic shift. What started as a targeted diabetes treatment has evolved into a profound therapeutic breakthrough. GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound aren’t just changing waistlines — they’re reshaping healthcare and creating a universe of opportunities for visionary investors.
Michael Collins
CEO, Alumni VenturesMike has been involved in almost every facet of venturing, from angel investing to venture capital, new business and product launches, and innovation consulting. He is the CEO of Alumni Ventures and launched AV’s first alumni fund, Green D Ventures, where he oversaw the portfolio as Managing Partner and is now Managing Partner Emeritus. Mike is a serial entrepreneur who has started multiple companies, including Kid Galaxy, Big Idea Group (partially owned by WPP), and RDM. He began his career at VC firm TA Associates. He holds an undergraduate degree in Engineering Science from Dartmouth and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Andrew Padilla
Partner, 116 Street VenturesAndrew has over a decade of experience in alternative investments, including roles as an investor, board advisor, and limited partner across venture capital and private equity. In addition, he previously founded an online lending platform that incorporated machine learning into consumer credit underwriting. Prior to joining Alumni Ventures, Andrew was an investor at Mithril Capital, a multi-stage global investment firm backed by Peter Thiel (co-founder of PayPal & Founders Fund), where he focused on deep tech and enterprise software investments. He began his career as a CPA with Big Four accounting firm Ernst & Young. Andrew holds a BBA from Baylor University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
A new study analyzing over 215,000 GLP-1 users reveals patterns that extends far beyond weight metrics. Patients consistently reported enhanced daily functioning, improved quality of life, and better management of conditions like hypertension and diabetes. Many described a renewed sense of energy and vitality, improved mobility, and heightened mental clarity that enhances their everyday lives. The study revealed in even more surprising effects, such as reduced risks for cognitive disorders, lower rates of excessive drinking and substance use, and decreases in suicidal ideation — benefits that touch the very core of human wellness.
This is not just theory or anecdote — it’s the emerging reality backed by large-scale studies involving millions of patients. For many, GLP-1 therapy is proving more than just a medical treatment; it’s a gateway to renewed health, vitality, and possibilities they once thought were lost.
For venture investors, GLP-1 therapies also represent more than a healthcare trend. They mark the emergence of an ecosystem that might create billion-dollar companies as 100+ million potential users adopt these therapies and demand complementary products and services.
We tend to think of drugs as surgically designed to do only one thing. But the reality is almost never like this. [GLP-1 drugs create] an intricate web of various effects.”
— Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, Chief of Research, VA St. Louis Health Care System
Already the global GLP-1 receptor agonist market is valued at $53 billion and projected to reach $157 billion by 2030. With obesity rates climbing — scientists predict that by 2050, four in five Americans will be obese or overweight — demand for effective treatments will only grow. But the true opportunity extends to complementary products and services across multiple industries.
Let’s explore five of the most promising investment opportunities areas emerging from this rapid transformation — where Alumni Ventures’ portfolio companies are already capturing significant value.
1. Digital Health & Coaching: The Power of Personalized Support
Why It Matters
While GLP-1 medications have demonstrated remarkable efficacy, emerging evidence suggests that integrating personalized health insights and coaching with GLP-1 medications can significantly enhance outcomes. As users navigate the complex physical and psychological aspects of treatment, the right digital support can transform a medication into a holistic lifestyle intervention — optimizing long-term success.
The Opportunity
With tens of millions of Americans expected to adopt GLP-1 therapies in the coming years, demand will rise for tools that help users navigate side effects, maintain muscle mass, and establish sustainable eating patterns. The broader digital health market, valued at $288 billion in 2024, is projected to grow at over 22% annually through 2030, with personalized platforms capturing a significant share. Companies that leverage actionable data analytics, wearable sensors, and AI-driven coaching in real time may create enormous value in this ecosystem.
Alumni Ventures’ Portfolio in Action: Levels
Levels is at the forefront of this opportunity with its metabolic health platform, powered by continuous glucose monitoring. Its technology helps users understand how their body uniquely responds to different foods and activities. These insights becomes even more crucial for GLP-1 users, whose medications alter appetite and metabolism. By delivering real-time, actionable data on how specific meals impact blood sugar — a key metric in metabolic health — Levels empowers users to fine-tune their nutrition, optimize treatment efficacy, and minimize side effects.
2. Earable Healthtech: Continuous Insights for Personalized Care
Why It Matters
The rise of GLP-1 therapies is driving unprecedented demand for continuous health monitoring. Patients and healthcare providers need real-time data on physiological changes such as weight, sleep quality, heart rate variability, activity levels, and other metrics to optimize treatment. This shift from episodic check-ins to continuous monitoring represents a significant change in how we manage health.
The Opportunity
The wearable tech market is projected to grow at nearly 14% annually through 2030, reaching $186 billion, with medical devices leading the expansion. As millions adopt GLP-1 therapies, demand for sophisticated monitoring tools will likely surge. The most successful ventures will integrate multiple data streams to provide comprehensive health insights, helping users maximize benefits while mitigating potential side effects. Companies that can deliver real-time, personalized analytics will be at the forefront of this market.
Alumni Ventures’ Portfolio in Action: Oura
Oura is a leader in this space with its sleek, smart ring that continuously tracks key physiological metrics, including sleep quality, heart rate variability, and activity levels. These capabilities help users monitor the subtle changes that occur during GLP-1 therapy, providing data that can reinforce treatment progress. With its non-intrusive form factor and advanced health tracking capabilities, Oura is the ideal companion technology for GLP-1 patients seeking to track their well-being.
3. Integrated Care Models: Reimagining Obesity Treatment
Why It Matters
GLP-1 medications have revolutionized medical weight management, shifting it from a test of willpower to a science-backed biological intervention with predictable results. This transformation is making comprehensive obesity treatment clinics more effective and scalable. The proven efficacy of these medications combined with nutrition, exercise, and behavioral support creates an unprecedented opportunity for new care delivery models.
The Opportunity
With obesity increasingly recognized as a chronic medical condition with severe consequences, the growing global obesity management market is projected to reach $352 billion by 2033. The most successful ventures will integrate medication management with multidisciplinary support, offering subscription-based models that enhance patient retention, improve health outcomes, and generate high-margin revenue streams. Companies that can deliver scalable, tech-enabled, and patient-centric solutions can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of obesity care.
Alumni Ventures’ Portfolio in Action: Salvo Health
Salvo Health is redefining integrated care with its hybrid model, blending telemedicine and in-person services to manage chronic gastrointestinal and metabolic liver conditions. This focus is particularly relevant as many GLP-1 users experience GI side effects that can compromise adherence. By providing specialized care that addresses these challenges, Salvo Health helps patients stay on track with their therapy and achieve long-term success. Their combination of specialized medical expertise with continuous digital support creates a seamless, data-driven model — ensuring obesity management is effective and sustainable.
4. Next-Generation Metabolic Therapeutics: Beyond GLP-1
Why It Matters
GLP-1 drugs mark only the beginning of a broader revolution in metabolic health treatments. Their success is fueling rapid innovation in complementary therapies that enhance effectiveness, reduce side effects, or target different biological pathways involved in metabolism and weight regulation.
The Opportunity
The global market for novel obesity and metabolic disorder treatments is poised for massive growth. Particularly promising areas of innovation include microbiome-based therapies, inflammation control, muscle preservation, or other biological pathways that work synergistically with GLP-1s. Companies developing therapeutics that complement or enhance GLP-1 therapies can address a likely increase in demand for more personalized and effective metabolic treatments.
Alumni Ventures’ Portfolio in Action: Pendulum
Pendulum Therapeutics is pioneering microbiome-based interventions for metabolic health. Its products are designed to regulate blood sugar regulation and support metabolic pathways that align closely with the needs of GLP-1 drug users. Pendulum targets bacterial deficiencies linked to insulin resistance and poor glucose control. Clinical studies have demonstrated significant improvements in glucose control when Pendulum products are used alongside traditional diabetes treatments, suggesting similar benefits may exist when combined with GLP-1s.
5. Financial Innovation: Making Treatment Accessible
Why It Matters
With GLP-1 medications costing around $1,000 per month without insurance, they’re out of reach for many patients. As these therapies transition from lifestyle drugs to essential medical treatments, there’s an urgent need for innovative financial models and pharmacy infrastructure that can make them more affordable. Addressing these challenges will not only expand access for patients but also help and payers, employers, and health systems manage costs.
The Opportunity
The pharmacy benefit management (PBM) market — valued at $548 billion in 2023 and projected to grow to $898 billion by 2032 — is rife with inefficiencies that drive up costs and limit accessibility. The most successful ventures in this space will be those that introduce transparent pricing models, leverage technology to improve medication access, and enable value-based payment structures tied to patient outcomes. As GLP-1 therapies potentially expand beyond weight loss to other conditions, platforms that can manage complex reimbursements will become increasingly valuable.
Alumni Ventures’ Portfolio in Action: Capital Rx
Capital Rx is modernizing prescription and healthcare infrastructure with its Enterprise Pharmacy. Unlike traditional PBMs, which often rely on opaque pricing models that inflate costs, Capital Rx brings transparency and efficiency to drug pricing. The company has also emerged as a thought leader in this space, publishing analyses on GLP-1 pricing and market dynamics in its widely followed series GLP-1s – What We Know Right Now. As health plans and employers seek solutions to balance cost with access, Capital Rx’s platform is well-positioned to address financial challenges for GLP-1 users.
Portfolio companies are shown for illustrative purposes only; not necessarily indicative of any AV fund or investor. Investments shown are not available to future investors, except potentially in the case of follow-on investments. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Why Now is The Time to Invest
The convergence of these five areas creates an unprecedented opportunity for venture investors. Consider these key trends transforming the healthcare ecosystem:
- Massive Addressable Market: With over 40% of Americans classified as obese and another 30% overweight, the potential user base for GLP-1 therapies and related services exceeds 100 million people in the U.S. alone.
- Expanding Clinical Evidence: Large-scale research, including a VA study of 2.5 million patients, continues to uncover new therapeutic applications for GLP-1s — from addiction treatment to cognitive protection.
- Regulatory Tailwinds: The FDA’s approval of GLP-1 drugs for weight management, coupled with expanding insurance coverage, is accelerating adoption and removing financial barriers.
- Data-Driven Innovation: The integration of continuous health monitoring, AI-driven analytics, and personalized interventions is enhancing treatment effectiveness while generating highly valuable data assets.
For healthcare professionals who also invest, this is a dual opportunity — enhancing patient care while benefitting from the financial upside of this healthcare revolution
Investing in the GLP-1 Revolution: Exclusive Webinar
The GLP-1 revolution is creating a wave of new investment opportunities beyond just medications — and we invite you to explore them with us. Join our exclusive webinar to gain insights into the rapidly evolving landscape of GLP-1 therapies and the broader healthcare ecosystem.
The discussion will cover:
- Emerging growth areas beyond the medications themselves, rom digital health to metabolic therapeutics
- Market insights on how these therapies are reshaping multiple industries
- Strategic investment approaches for capitalizing on this transformation
- Due diligence considerations when evaluating companies in this space
Our previous healthtech webinars have filled within 24 hours — secure your spot now to stay ahead of one of the most promising investment themes of the decade.
Join Us in Shaping The Future of Health
At Alumni Ventures, we see the GLP-1 revolution as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine healthcare while generating significant returns for well-positioned investors. The five key areas we’ve highlighted provide multiple entry points into this expanding ecosystem, where our portfolio companies are already making a measurable impact.
With deep connections in healthcare, technology, and life sciences, we are uniquely positioned to back the innovators at the forefront of this revolution. Join us as we invest in companies reinventing healthcare and creating the potential for significant upside.
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