HERAN empowered and took the investment experience and track record of its founders into the future. As an investment firm active in the Venture Capital space, HERAN aims to fuel growth of innovative technologies by supporting start-ups & scale-ups. HERAN’s sole focus lies within the healthcare market with investments ranging from tangible medical devices such as lab equipment, to AI solutions for improved diagnosis, patients monitoring and disease prognosis, and unlocking value from data.
As part of its mission to become the go-to preferred investor for MedTech and HealthTech ventures, HERAN actively scouts for visionaries who want to leave a mark on the world and strive to have impact. This by bringing to market highly disruptive innovations, both in technologies and business models, to the benefit of patients, healthcare providers, and payers. Additionally, HERAN strives to contribute to ESG beyond bringing life changing solutions benefitting patients, by measuring and improving the social and governance side.
Team, network & partnerships
The team of HERAN operates as a strong partner who not only supports ventures with financing, but also with knowledge and experience on the scientific and commercial front, as well as strategic input on how to maximise the venture’s potential in the longterm and build the best teams and cultures possible to get this done. HERAN always aims to grow the company hand-in-hand with the founders and management.
Investments are made alongside other Venture Capital firms to form a strong investor syndicate with complementary skills, knowledge and networks.
Over the years, HERAN has developed an impressive, across-borders network with key people in the investment space and also within large strategic corporates and relevant ecosystems.
Investment strategy
HERAN’s investment strategy is based on key drivers in the healthcare space. The growing need for insightful data – needed for personalised and precision medicine – creates the necessity for innovations in devices and tools. Escalating healthcare costs, a growing older population, new generations of expensive treatments and medications all ask for a transition towards more stringent but right patient selection and additional monitoring. Together with new views of reimbursement for example: outcome vs. treatment. Society’s mindset is bound to move from a “cure & care” approach towards more prevention as this will be key to keep rising healthcare costs in check.
Portfolio Company: Icometrix
Icometrix has developed artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to quantify brain structures based on MR and CT scans to allow for diagnosis, disease progression, outcome prediction with a mapping of potential side effects, and treatment response. Their cloud-based solutions can be easily implemented in a hospital’s existing radiology suite and used in multiple clinical trials.
As a technology leader, Icometrix enables not only cost savings to the healthcare system but also improves patient care and treatment outcome. Patients receive a more personalised diagnosis and tailored treatment, whilst at the same time facilitating a more efficient workstream for healthcare providers.
Founders HERAN Partners:
• Annie Vereecken – Serial Life Sciences entrepreneur/investor, founder Medhold
• Katleen Vandersmissen – Managing Partner HERAN Partners
• Herman Verrelst – CEO Biocartis
• Joris Mortelmans – CFO HERAN Partners
