For Alyssa Reisner, a partner and executive at CVS Health’s corporate venture unit CVS Health Ventures, working in corporate venturing is a dream come true. “I love this job and I have the opportunity to build long-term and deep relationships with our portfolio companies, entrepreneurs and operators, supporting them in the impact that they make in the healthcare industry,” she says.
Reisner began her career at CVS Health seven years ago as an analyst for strategic partnerships and innovation. She has held various roles, including manager for strategic partnerships and innovations before transitioning to CVS Health Ventures in 2021.
While working on strategic partnerships at CVS Health, she focused on how the company could strategically work beyond a standard vendor relationship with digital health startups and technology companies. The role included ad hoc investing, but the focus largely included strategic commercial agreements.
“I love this job and I have the opportunity to build long-term and deep relationships with our portfolio companies, entrepreneurs and operators.”
Reisner was part of the team that launched CVS Health Ventures in 2021. “We wanted to build more longitudinal relationships with startups beyond an initial partnership agreement through investments. I had a great opportunity to use my experience in partnership development to contribute to the strategy for the venture fund. I was able to evolve into a full-time role after the launch of the fund in 2021.”
CVS Health has several investment vehicles. Reisner leads investments in early-stage and mid-stage digital health companies through a $150m fund. The firm has invested in startups such as Vita Health, Waymark and Oshi Health.
Reisner says that shifting market dynamics have posed a challenge. “We have had to shift strategy over time to make sure we are working across some of those different dynamics. I also think people assume that CVCs are going to be less savvy and will not work at market speed, but at CVS Health we have worked to avoid that.
See the full list of GCV Rising Stars for 2024 here.