For Abigail Pohl, an associate at MSD Global Health Innovation Fund, corporate venturing combines two key interests: technology and healthcare. After gaining a degree in economics and global health, she completed an internship at a private equity firm before moving to Accenture, where she delved into life sciences and digital health. It was there she began working closely with the MSD Global Health Innovation Fund, ultimately transitioning to a full-time venture role at MSD in 2021.
Bill Taranto, president of MSD Global Health Innovation Fund, says Pohl’s impact has been impressive. “Abigail works closely with our business units to define their needs and turn those into landscape reviews and investment theses. Abigail is a trusted partner for MSD’s R&D, supply chain and commercial organisations. She helped to lead fundraising efforts for two of our portfolio companies last year and her strong performance resulted in a promotion to director,” says Taranto
“Abigail works closely with our business units to define their needs and turn those into landscape reviews and investment theses”
Pohl resonates strongly with the human element of business and the joy derived from working with passionate management teams. Witnessing businesses grow and succeed, fuelled by dedicated individuals, stands out as a key highlight of the CVC path.
When it comes to the challenges in corporate venturing, Pohl acknowledges the difficulty in ensuring awareness of the value of corporate venturing in large organisations. Communicating the value and potential partnerships of portfolio companies can be a hurdle, but, she says, it is vital as those connections yield substantial value.
In the healthcare sector, Pohl is particularly excited about the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in healthcare diagnostics.
Her key advice for corporate venturers is to leverage access to experts in the larger business. Tapping into knowledge and experience is a game-changing and valuable resource and one that startups value from their corporate investors.
See the full list of GCV Rising Stars for 2024 here.