The American Heart Association (AHA) is expanding its venture capital initiatives with a new $75 million fund focused specifically on women’s cardiovascular and brain health innovation. The Go Red For Women Fund, which has already secured $55 million in commitments, aims to address critical gaps in healthcare that disproportionately affect women.
“There’s a significant disparity in healthcare venture funding,” explains Lisa Suennen, who leads AHA’s venture efforts. “While cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women and two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients are female, only a small fraction of healthcare venture funding goes to women’s health initiatives beyond reproductive care.”
The organization’s venture journey began a decade ago with the Cardeation Fund, launched in partnership with Aphelion Capital. This medical device-focused initiative has already demonstrated strong returns through investments like Bardy Diagnostics (Ambulatory ECG Monitoring), which was acquired by Hill Rom. Current portfolio companies including Zeto (EEG Portable Headset) and Phaegenesis (Dysphagia Therapy) continue to advance their solutions.
Building on this success, the new Go Red For Women Fund will target several key areas where women face unique health challenges. These include heart disease, stroke, kidney and metabolic conditions, mental health, and Alzheimer’s/dementia. The fund has also identified promising opportunities in conditions with strong cardiovascular implications, such as menopause, autoimmune disease or PCOS.
“The biggest opportunity lies in developing solutions that recognize and address the fundamental differences in how health conditions manifest and progress in women versus men,” Suennen notes. “This includes everything from diagnostic differentiation to ensuring AI solutions are trained on appropriate gender-specific data.”
The Go Red For Women Fund operates under a donor fund structure, accepting contributions from corporations, family offices, and foundations rather than traditional limited partners. This approach enables mission-aligned investing while maintaining the potential for returns that can be reinvested for further impact. While primarily U.S.-focused, the fund will consider compelling opportunities globally, targeting Series A and B investments with initial checks of $2-3 million and potential total funding up to $6-7 million per company.
This initiative complements AHA’s existing Social Impact Fund, which has already raised over $45 million and committed more than $23 million across 150 investments, loans and grants targeting organizations addressing social determinants of health. These funding commitments for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations reflect AHA’s holistic approach to healthcare, supporting organizations like Weld, a nonprofit providing transitional housing in Seattle; Growing Together, which increases access to fresh food in low-income communities; Clymb, a digital mental health platform for youth; and Firebrand, a mission-driven bakery creating employment opportunities for returning citizens.
To further accelerate innovation in the sector, AHA is also launching a venture studio called Studio Red. This new initiative aims to create and co-create two to three companies annually by leveraging AHA’s extensive research network and intellectual property to identify and commercialize promising healthcare solutions.
Suennen explains: “The purpose of these venture capital endeavors is to support AHA’s mission by funding programs that translate evidence-based science and research into sustainable, impactful, and equitable solutions for patients and the healthcare system.”
As women’s health investment gains momentum, the Go Red For Women Fund represents a significant step toward addressing historical funding gaps. With its substantial backing and focus on overlooked areas of women’s health, AHA aims to catalyze a new wave of innovation that could transform outcomes for millions of women affected by cardiovascular and brain health conditions.
