Dr. Naomi Fried of Pharmstars joins Elena Putilina, Eric Sigel, and Jeff Sigel to talk about the challenges and opportunities of funding Pharma start-ups in this moment of rapid digital innovation. About Pharmstars: The PharmStars accelerator and the PharmStars Ventures fund together work to help digital health startups scale their business by preparing them for meaningful pharma engagement and providing the capital to grow. PharmStars equips startups through its PharmaUTM program — providing a tailored pharma curriculum and personalized mentoring to address the specific needs and challenges digital health startup face when selling to pharma. PharmStars Ventures builds on the accelerator foundation by leveraging the high-quality deal flow and rigorous due diligence to invest in the exceptional graduates of the accelerator. The two programs provide extensive support of startups with produce market fit, introductions to clients, and financial investment, enabling faster growth, stronger partnerships, and positive impact on patient outcomes.Naomi's Bio: Dr. Naomi Fried is a leading voice in digital health and pharma innovation. As CEO of the PharmStars accelerator and co-founder and general partner of the PharmStars Ventures Fund, she supports and invests in pharma-focused digital health startups. She has mentored 100+ startups, advised pharma on their digital health strategy, built a pharma-focused accelerator, and been involved in 25+ pharma–startup collaborations. Naomi previously was the first Chief Innovation Officer at Boston Children’s Hospital, the first VP of Innovation and Advanced Technology at Kaiser Permanente, and the VP of Innovation and External Partnerships at Biogen. Her perspectives have been featured in major healthcare and biotech publications.