#Twenty25 - Funding the future of health tech - Part 12/20 Interview with Daria Gherghelas, Speedinvest.

Ian Coyne: What are the exciting or interesting investments in health tech for 2025?

Daria Gherghelas: We are excited about addressing cyber resilience and procurement, two critical pain points for healthcare providers.

As the pace of connectivity in healthcare organizations is accelerating, both clinical and non-clinical workflows are increasingly dependent on new technologies, expanding attack surfaces and introducing new vulnerabilities. Massive security breaches highlight the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures, making it a top priority for health system executives. There is a growing demand for comprehensive surveillance systems that safeguard patient data while offering continuous monitoring and visibility across all connected devices.

Additionally, healthcare supply chains present a significant opportunity for disruption. Fragmented data across multiple systems and the lack of real-time asset visualization often lead to excessive spending on supply chain products. Platforms that streamline procurement by enabling real-time asset tracking, automated ordering, and intelligent allocation have immense potential to transform the sector.

AI will continue to take center stage, with growing trust in its capabilities unlocking new opportunities for innovative startups. Non-clinical areas like claims processing, medical billing, and tendering are especially well-suited for automation. However, success will depend on delivering measurable productivity gains alongside a demonstrable impact on the bottom line.

Ian: Beyond 2025, what other areas are exciting or interesting?

Daria: Beyond 2025, several areas offer promising opportunities for innovation. For instance, the dominance of Epic and Cerner in the system of records could give way to a more diverse ecosystem, enabling smaller, specialized players or modular solutions to integrate seamlessly into healthcare workflows. Additionally, investing in advanced biobanks to enable the exchange of diverse real-world data, along with collaborative data environments for testing and training new software, could significantly accelerate advancements in diagnostics, treatments, and drug discovery.

Ian: If you had a magic wand, what changes would accelerate health tech innovation?

Daria: Several regulatory actions could help drive greater adoption of technology in healthcare. One example is allocating a portion of the healthcare budget specifically for innovation and establishing clear guidelines on the minimum investment each practice should make in technology. This would speed up digitization and reduce entry barriers for startups. Additionally, interoperability continues to pose a significant challenge for emerging healthcare companies. By opening the architecture of electronic health record (EHR) systems and granting third-party companies access to patient records, innovation could advance more rapidly, and clinicians would be more likely to adopt new software.

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Daria Gherghelas, Associate at Speedinvest

Daria is part of the Health & TechBio team and keeping an eye open for all things CEE.

An engineer by background, Daria worked as a software developer at a Seed-stage startup, helping build the world’s largest database for small businesses. She then decided to move to the other side of the table, helping founders achieve their vision.

Originally from Romania, her academic background includes pursuing a BSc in Systems Engineering at University Politehnica of Bucharest. Outside the office, Daria loves to travel and explore local cafes and restaurants.

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