Investing in Houston Healthcare and the World’s Largest Medical Center with Jay Zeidman [Video]

Jay Zeidman, Managing Partner of Altitude Ventures and Chairman of the Board for Houston First, talks about making impactful investments in the future of healthcare and the wellbeing of Houston. Based in Nashville, Altitude Ventures accelerates growth and provides early-stage venture capital financing for healthcare services and startups. Talking points include Jay’s journey from the White House to venture, startup experiences that shaped future investments, and investing in city projects at Houston First.

Timecoded Guide:

[00:00] Podcast begins – Investing in Houston Healthcare: Making a Global Impact in the World’s Largest Medical Center with Jay Zeidman

[01:32] Working in the White House after college in the Bush administration

[04:38] Combining healthcare passion with venture capital to make impact investments

[11:00] Founding Altitude Ventures & raising a $15 million fund one from 651 meetings

[20:00] Promoting Houston & investing in property through Houston First

[28:30] Getting involved in philanthropy & showing up to be a community volunteer

What is Altitude Venture’s mission and what is your approach to healthcare?

After successfully exiting a healthcare startup, Jay felt inspired to start impact investing in the healthcare industry. Combining efforts with his partner in Nashville, Jay set out to make value-add investments for healthcare services, focusing on relationships first and capital second. Altitude Ventures isn’t a charity, Jay explains, but an investment fund for good, seeking to achieve good returns for investors as well as make a genuine impact in digital health startups.
“We’re not a charity, we are a true investment fund and we do have a mission of focusing on value-add investments. To us, capital is secondary to what relationships can add to portfolio companies. We view investing as putting money to work and making sure that our rolodex can add meaningful value to the companies.”

Were you intentional about working in a healthcare startup before investing?

Before starting his journey in investing, Jay wanted to see how the sausage is made and how startups really operate. Working with a startup selling asthma and sleep apnea equipment, Jay experienced the regulations of the healthcare industry firsthand, along with the ups and downs of running a business. Taking this risk not only has gave Jay experience in operation, but also confidence in making tough decisions with the startups Altitude Ventures is investing in.
“There’s nothing more valuable than seeing how the sausage is made. I don’t think you can learn sitting behind a desk on a spreadsheet. I think you need to learn what it means to make payroll and make a sale, to really run a business, the ups and downs.”

What is Houston First’s mission and what impact are you hoping to have?

Jay has been a proud Houstonian his entire life and working with Houston First has opened his eyes to the amazing culture this city has to offer. Government run, but uniquely removed from the politics of City Hall, Houston First acts as a marketing organization for the city. Combining efforts with local organizations and groups like the Greater Houston Partnership, Houston First owns and manages property as well as works on key city projects to better Houston as a whole.
“We’re trying to promote what Houston is all about, which is diversity, culture, great food. We might not win on aesthetics, you don’t come here to go hiking, but you come here to experience a really unique town and it’s our job as an organization to sell that around the world.”

How can we inspire more people to get involved in the Houston community?

As someone who has been involved in philanthropy and charity his entire life, Jay believes that the first step of getting involved is making time to show up. Life is about so much more than going to work and going home, Jay says, and making time in your busy schedule to give back pays back tenfold. His strong network of friends and fellow philanthropists has allowed Jay to reach levels of success he never could’ve expected, and all of that was earned by simply showing up, asking to help, and being accountable.
“I think it’s important to be an active and engaged citizen, whether that’s in your community, your city, your state, your country, your faith. My objective in life is to create a better opportunity for my kids. It sounds cliche, but they’re eight and five, I want them to grow up in a safe city, I want them to grow up in Houston and have fun things to do.”