The annual JP Morgan healthcare week will soon be upon us and we're excited to be bringing the RESI conference back to the Bay for a high energy day of partnering, panels and networking. The RESI conference always hosts a wide variety of investment firms, strategic partners and startups, but each year's San Francisco event is unmatched in the volume and diversity of global players in the mix.

On the investor/strategic partner side, you'll find everyone from angel groups, venture philanthropy and endowments, venture capital and private equity, family offices, mid-size and big pharma. As for startups, RESI accommodates biotech/pharma (therapeutics), medtech (devices and diagnostics) and healthcare IT/digital health. Have a look at the some of the folks you can meet.

The Chinese government's comprehensive overhaul of drug approval is fostering a novel and unique life science ecosystem. China is booming with new opportunities for large pharma companies, within many of these companies are moving in and out. Under China's new policy, faster approvals could be an incentive for big pharma to step in, as they have the expertise to work and thrive in an improved system.  

In the meantime, the funding supported by the Chinese government and local investors such as family offices and venture capital firms is making big pharma companies more interested in working with drug developers in China. Pharma can supply their drug expertise and brand name to China's startup biotechs and in many cases do not need to provide funds or cover development expenses because many of these companies are well funded by local investors...

The healthcare conference week we all know as JPM began as a gathering for executives in the biotech, pharma and medical technology industries, but the rapidly expanding digital health industry is becoming increasingly a part of the annual San Francisco hubbub. We've seen that growth firsthand over the last 3 years of RESI San Francisco events. It's a sector that investors approach from a diverse range of directions; some funds that previously focused on biotech have broadened into digital health, while traditional technology investors are getting to grips with the healthcare industry. Additionally, many large health systems or payers are looking to digital investments to strategically benefit their business. These investors each bring a unique expertise and perspective to their digital health investment mandates.

On January 9th, five experts in the space will share their strategic insights and advice with entrepreneurs at RESI San Francisco's Healthcare IT panel. The participants are:

• Rich Simoni, Managing Partner, Asset Management Ventures
• Taha Jangda, Partner, HealthX Ventures
• Brent Stackhouse, Vice President, Mount Sinai Ventures
• Eric Louie, Chief Medical Officer, Healthbox Global Partners
• Dennis Depenbusch, Director, New Ventures Initiative, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas