Venture Capital in the Age Tech Space

with Sarah Thomas,

Chief Executive Officer, MezTal

This week on the Art of Aging, host Michael Hughes welcomes Sarah Thomas, CEO of MezTal, a staffing company that helps find exceptional talent and builds a connected community for mission-driven teams. During the episode, Sarah discusses her passion for transforming the aging experience. She emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurs choosing venture partners that align with their vision and the significance of a well-rounded team, and highlights the importance of human-centered design in age tech solutions, involving caregivers and the community in the development process. Mike and Sarah discuss pitches from tech companies that focus on selling technology without understanding the problem areas, the impact of mentorship, the importance of nurturing mental and spiritual well-being, and more.
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Notes:

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

  • Sarah’s background and passion for age tech (1:38)
  • Occupational Therapy and Problem Solving (3:57)
  • Stages of Investment and Venture Capital (7:38)
  • The importance of venture partners and capital providers (11:27)
  • Criteria for an investable project (14:50)
  • The role of teams and human-centered design (18:55)
  • The personal experience bias (23:16)
  • The broad scope of age tech (25:30)
  • The problem with tech-driven solutions (34:49)
  • Lacking affordability and accessibility (39:08)
  • Passion for improving the lives of older adults (45:49)
  • Connecting with Sarah and MezTal (47:41)

 

Abundant Aging is a podcast series presented by United Church Homes. These shows offer ideas, information, and inspiration on how to improve our lives as we grow older. To learn more and to subscribe to the show, visit abundantagingpodcast.com