She’s the Venture Valkyrie. Long a prominent figure in the Bay Area known for working with health care entrepreneurs seeking an infusion of capital, Lisa Suennen still writes a blog under that nom de plume. And she still advocates for women in health care.Â
Her vantage point is different now. Since January 2024, Suennen has been the  managing partner of the American Heart Association Ventures, overseeing $200 million in assets. Its goal is to translate science, research, and clinical knowledge into commercial products and services, in some cases amplifying donors’ philanthropic contributions. The AHA isn’t the only medical organization of its kind to have a venture group under its umbrella: The American Cancer Society and Breakthrough T1D (formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation) also have venture arms to encourage new companies that align with their health goals.Â
Now, given the current less-than-red-hot climate for venture capital and the sharp decline in government funding of academic biomedical research, AHA Ventures’ investments have taken on even more luster. So far this year, thousands of grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health have been halted because they don’t align with the Trump administration’s political agenda. New policies and new layers of political review come on top of an estimated 40% budget cut.
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