Black Opal Ventures Holds Inaugural Brilliant Tomorrows Forum

With advances in AI, compute, and connectivity reshaping healthcare, this event brought together innovators and industry leaders to discuss the promise and responsible use of these technologies in transforming human health. 

On November 21, Black Opal Ventures held the first-ever Brilliant Tomorrows, a groundbreaking forum that brought together innovators, investors, and industry leaders to examine the transformative impact of technology on healthcare and life sciences. The event highlighted how advances in compute, artificial intelligence, and connectivity are improving the detection and treatment of disease, access to care, cost of care, and healthcare disparities. 

The day began with a fireside chat from Rosalind Picard, co-founder of Empatica and Director of the MIT Media Lab. Picard explored the role of wearable technology and AI in real-time health monitoring and how to translate technology from academia to commercialization. 

The first panel, Delivering the Future of Healthcare: Leveraging technology to improve care, access, and value, brought together Alan Murray of Conceivable Life Sciences, Dr. Katherine Saunders of FlyteHealth, Dr. Oliver Keown of Cleo Surgical, Dr. Aarti Ravikumar of Atlantic Health System, and moderator, Anna Stevens of Weaver. The panelists delved into how emerging technologies are revolutionizing healthcare delivery and the promise they hold for improving patient care. 

Another key discussion, Reversing Eroom's Law: How Compute Expands Discovery in Healthcare and Life Sciences, focused on the role of advanced computational power in reversing Eroom's Law. Eroom's Law, the evil twin of Moore's Law, is the observation that the cost of developing a new drug roughly doubles every nine years. Industry leaders, including Scott Boyken of Outpace Bio, Kristina Kitko of Eli Lilly, Renee Lamb of Parasail, Hakim Yadi of Closed Loop Medicines, and moderator, Himanshu Sharma of J.P. Morgan, shared their perspectives on how technology is enabling breakthroughs in discovery while addressing the challenges of cost and efficiency. 

Attendees also heard from Nick De Martino of Blaze.Tech, showcasing how no-code technology can power the next wave of digital health. 

The final panel of the day, The Data Imperative: Using AI and Data Safely and Effectively, tackled the critical issue of leveraging data responsibly in healthcare innovation. Panelists Israel Krush of Hyro, Christy Wheaton of Henry Ford, Rajeev Shrivastava of TigerGraph, and Danielle Gershowitz of Cooley discussed the ethical and practical considerations of using AI to handle sensitive data. 

The day concluded with a dynamic fireside chat with a Senior Government Official, who highlighted the importance of public and private sector collaboration, providing the audience with key takeaways on biosecurity and innovation. Throughout the event, speakers and participants emphasized the immense potential of technology to drive progress in healthcare while underscoring the importance of responsible innovation. By fostering meaningful dialogue on the challenges and opportunities at this crucial intersection, Brilliant Tomorrows laid the groundwork for a future where technology and healthcare can create a more equitable and efficient world. 

Thank you to the sponsors, J.P. Morgan, Cooley, and Weaver, all the attendees, and speakers. We look forward to next year’s Brilliant Tomorrows!