We are thrilled to announce that Bill Liao, a renowned entrepreneur, philanthropist, and global thought leader, has joined Seed Healthcare as a new member of our Advisory Board and Investment Committee. With a diverse career that includes co-founding IndieBio with Arvind Gupta, serving on the board of SENS Research Foundation, co-founding CoderDojo and WeForest, and serving as a general partner at SOSV, Bill brings a wealth of experience and a passion for driving impactful change. His commitment to health, sustainability, and innovation aligns perfectly with Seed Healthcare’s mission to disrupt the healthcare industry, promote early detection, and reduce healthcare costs.

In a recent conversation with our President & CEO Todd Perman, Bill shared his thoughts on joining Seed Healthcare, the challenges and opportunities in the healthcare space, and how his unique background will influence his role with Seed going forward.

With your extensive background in entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and global health, what attracted you to join the Advisory Board and Investment Committee at Seed Healthcare?

Healthcare as whole, despite its remarkable progress, remains inefficient and inaccessible for many people in the world. Seed Healthcare is working to address many of the critical issues that prevent scaling of healthcare solutions for the masses. This is strongly aligned with my personal purpose of “A world that works for all living things while civilization thrives.”

As a seasoned venture capitalist, how has your experience as an entrepreneur influenced your philanthropic work?

I would say that both disciplines have had a positive impact on each other. As an investor, I have learned to back things that scale their impact. As a philanthropist, I have learned to back things that have holistic impact then can be scaled.

With your background in biotech through IndieBio, the world’s first bio-tech accelerator, what potential do you see for Seed Healthcare to support biotech startups that align with the UN SDG goals? 

The potential for Seed Healthcare to support biotech startups that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is immense. Drawing from my experience with IndieBio, the world’s first biotech accelerator, I’ve seen firsthand how targeted support can catalyze groundbreaking innovations that address critical global challenges.

Seed Healthcare, with its unique focus and resources, can become a powerful force in advancing biotech solutions that directly contribute to the UN SDGs. By nurturing startups that prioritize sustainability, health equity, and technological innovation, Seed Healthcare can help accelerate the development of therapies, diagnostics, and other biotech innovations that have the potential to transform healthcare systems globally.

For instance, startups working on affordable and accessible healthcare solutions can directly impact SDG 3, which focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all.

By supporting these startups, Seed Healthcare can play a crucial role in bridging the gap between innovation and real-world application, ensuring that cutting-edge biotech developments are not only scientifically sound but also aligned with the broader goal of sustainable development.

Moreover, by fostering collaborations and partnerships across the biotech ecosystem, Seed Healthcare can help build a more resilient and inclusive healthcare infrastructure.

This approach not only supports the immediate goals of individual startups but also contributes to a more sustainable and equitable global health landscape in the long run.

What do you see as the biggest challenges in healthcare today and what solutions should we be focusing on? 

The biggest challenges in healthcare today revolve around accessibility, affordability, and the integration of technology. We are at a pivotal moment where healthcare needs to be more inclusive, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their socio-economic status, has access to high-quality care. This is not just a moral imperative; it is essential for the overall well-being of society. The rise of chronic diseases and the strain on healthcare systems demand that we rethink how care is delivered.

We need solutions that are scalable, sustainable, and patient-centered. Technology, especially in the realms of biotech and digital health, offers incredible potential to bridge gaps in care. By leveraging innovations like telemedicine, personalized medicine, and AI-driven diagnostics, we can create a more efficient and effective healthcare system.

Another pressing challenge is the affordability of healthcare. We must focus on developing cost-effective solutions that do not compromise on quality. This involves not only innovating within the pharmaceutical and biotech industries to reduce costs but also rethinking healthcare delivery models to make them more efficient.

The integration of these solutions into existing healthcare systems is crucial. We need to ensure that new technologies and treatments are accessible to all and that they seamlessly integrate into the current healthcare framework without creating additional barriers.

Collaboration across sectors, including public health, technology, and finance, will be key to overcoming these challenges.

Having been involved in ventures that have reached unicorn status, what lessons from those experiences do you think will be most applicable to your advisory role at Seed Healthcare? 

I’ve learned that the journey to such success is rarely linear and is often marked by both triumphs and challenges that shape the resilience and adaptability of a company and that when you meet a company it’s difficult to sort out what is a product of their immediate circumstances and what is inherent to the teams’ actual capabilities or lack thereof.

One of the most crucial lessons is the importance of maintaining clear purpose and values; this lesson is invaluable in guiding startups through the complexities of scaling in a highly dynamic industry.

The deep significance of building a strong, purpose-driven culture is often overlooked. Companies that achieve unicorn status often do so because they have cultivated a team that is deeply aligned with the company’s core values and goals.

This alignment fuels innovation and drives the organization forward, even in the face of adversity. At Seed Healthcare, fostering this kind of culture within startups will be essential, especially as they navigate the pressures of rapid growth and the challenges of the healthcare sector.

Furthermore, the experience of scaling ventures to unicorn status has underscored the importance of strategic partnerships. No company reaches such heights in isolation; it’s the collaborations and alliances with other industry players, investors, and stakeholders that often make the difference.

In healthcare, where the landscape is complex and heavily regulated, these partnerships will be critical in helping startups accelerate their growth and achieve their impact goals.

Also, understanding the value of data-driven decision-making is a lesson that cannot be overstated. Successful companies are those that leverage data to inform their strategies, optimize operations, and drive innovation.

In my role at Seed Healthcare, I will emphasize the importance of building robust data infrastructures from the outset, ensuring that startups have the insights they need to make informed decisions that propel them toward success.

You have incredible experience in technology and innovation through your work with CoderDojo. What role do you think technology and innovation will play in the future of healthcare?

Technology and innovation continue to play transformative roles in the future of healthcare, reshaping how we diagnose, treat, and even prevent diseases.

Through my work with CoderDojo, I’ve witnessed the power of technology to democratize access to knowledge and skills, and I see a parallel in how technology can democratize access to healthcare.

In the future, I believe we will see a healthcare landscape that is more personalized, more predictive, and more accessible, driven by advances in areas like artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and digital health platforms.

Invention will be at the heart of this transformation, enabling us to address some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare today, such as the need for more efficient care delivery, better patient outcomes, and reduced costs.

For instance, AI and machine learning have the potential to revolutionize diagnostics by analyzing vast amounts of data to detect patterns and predict health issues before they become critical.

Similarly, biotechnology is opening new frontiers in personalized medicine, allowing treatments to be tailored to the individual genetic makeup of patients, which could lead to more effective and less invasive therapies.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who want to create an impact?

For aspiring entrepreneurs who want to create an impact in this evolving field, my advice would be to stay deeply connected to the problem you are trying to solve. The most successful innovations are those that address a real, unmet need.

Start by understanding the pain points in the healthcare system, whether they relate to patient care, healthcare provider workflows, or system inefficiencies. This deep understanding will guide you in developing solutions that are both innovative and practical.

Another piece of advice is to embrace collaboration. Healthcare is a complex and highly regulated field, and the path to success often involves working with a diverse set of stakeholders, including medical professionals, regulatory bodies, and patients.

Building strong partnerships and seeking advice from experts in the field can help you navigate the challenges and accelerate your path to impact.

Don’t be afraid to think big and be bold in your vision. The healthcare challenges we face today require ambitious solutions, and as an entrepreneur, you have the opportunity to push the boundaries of what is possible.

Stay curious, stay resilient, and remain focused on your mission to make a difference and you need to surround yourself with doers who share a bigger purpose with you!