Venture as a Moonshot: Investing in Systems That Scale With Communities

In partnership with Health Tech 4 Medicaid This workshop explores what it truly takes to scale innovation in Medicaid—not just through technology, but through equitable and inclusive-centered design, aligned incentives, and patient capital. While AI and automation offer powerful tools to reduce friction, identify need earlier, and support coordination, they are only effective when paired with humans in the loop: community health workers, clinicians, caregivers, and trusted local organizations who translate systems into lived experience. Drawing on real-world examples from Medicaid innovators, investors, and system leaders, the session will examine: - Why traditional venture models often struggle in Medicaid—and what needs to change - How AI can enable scale without replacing human relationships - What “responsible scale” looks like in a program built on public trust - How to move from pilots to permanence while preserving equity and dignity Rather than positioning AI as the moonshot itself, this workshop reframes the opportunity: the moonshot is building systems that can grow, adapt, and endure—without losing the people they are meant to serve. Speakers: Krishna Shah, Investor, CVS Health Ventures - Liz Rockett, Advisor, Rockett Advisory - Tiffany Yu, Investment Principal, 7Wire Ventures - Brendan Ahern, Director of Impact Investments, The SCAN Foundation - Ade Adesanya, Cofounder & CEO, CleanCut Health - Ben Freeberg, Founder & Managing Partner, Oncology Ventures