In this article, Amazon Web Services and venture capital firm General Catalyst have announced a new multiyear partnership aimed at tapping into the expanding artificial intelligence market in healthcare. Through this collaboration, General Catalyst’s portfolio companies will utilize AWS services to expedite the development and deployment of AI tools for health systems. The initial participants in this partnership are Aidoc, specializing in AI for medical imaging, and Commure, which streamlines provider workflows using AI.
Financial details of the agreement between AWS and General Catalyst have not been disclosed. Chris Bischoff, head of global healthcare investing at General Catalyst, emphasized the importance of having strong partners like Amazon and AWS to accelerate the progress of these companies in an interview with CNBC.
The healthcare sector in the U.S. is facing challenges such as staff burnout, labor shortages, and narrow profit margins, making it an attractive space for tech startups. General Catalyst aims to assist its companies in overcoming barriers in this complex and regulated industry by leveraging resources like AWS’s computing power.
General Catalyst has a track record of making significant moves in healthcare, having completed over 60 digital health deals since 2020. The firm’s expertise in the financial and operational aspects of health systems made it an appealing partner for AWS, according to Dan Sheeran, AWS’ general manager of Healthcare & Life Science.
AWS has a strong presence in the healthcare sector, offering specialized services for health and life sciences. The partnership between General Catalyst and AWS is expected to span several years, with new tools from Aidoc and Commure anticipated to be introduced in 2025. Aidoc is exploring cloud-based data utilization across various medical fields, including pathology, cardiology, and genomics.
Aidoc and Commure were chosen to kick off the collaboration due to their established product-market fit, operational status, and focus on high-priority issues for AWS customers. Both organizations believe that this partnership will help meet the increasing demand for innovative solutions in the market.
While the partnership is still in its early stages, General Catalyst and AWS are optimistic that it will address the rising need for AI solutions in healthcare. Sheeran highlighted that health system leaders seeking to leverage AI will now have a more accessible path to achieve their goals.
