Podcast Summary: The Investor With Joel Palathinkal

Episode: Faye Sahai: Vinaj VC
Date: August 15, 2025
Host: Dr. Joel Palathinkal
Guest: Faye Sahai, Managing Partner at Vinaj Ventures & Talasi Fund

Episode Overview

This episode of The Investor features Faye Sahai, a healthcare, life sciences, and venture capital leader with deep expertise in corporate VC, digital wellness, and innovation. Dr. Joel Palathinkal and Faye delve into the evolution of venture capital in healthcare, the growing importance of digital and behavioral health, venture fund structuring, and actionable insights for emerging managers. The discussion weaves personal journeys, industry trends, and practical frameworks for innovation and impact.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Faye's Journey into Investment Management

• Background & Early Experience ([01:52])

  • Grew up in a medical family, gained firsthand healthcare experience helping in her parents’ offices.
  • Initially moved into finance and consulting (Deloitte), missing direct social impact.
  • "I kind of missed the impact of having an impact on positive on people." – Faye ([01:52])
  • Returned to healthcare, led innovation at Kaiser Permanente—evaluating and funding startups with potential for adoption and impact.

• Transition to Corporate VC ([01:52], [05:29])

  • Led AIG’s global innovation center, moving into the corporate venture landscape.
  • Managed investment platforms geared toward merging corporate strategy and innovative entrepreneurship.

• Mission-Driven Focus: Talasi Fund ([01:52], [03:23])

  • With Pivotal Ventures (Melinda Gates), developed a proposal to disrupt behavioral and mental health, particularly for youth.
  • “One out of every five young people have a mental health issue... What if we disrupted it and we can change the trajectory of someone’s life?” – Faye ([01:52])

Corporate VC vs. Traditional VC

Differences Highlighted ([05:29])

• Corporate VC (CVC): Strategic alignment, adoption potential, M&A prospects, and navigating corporate compensation models.

• CVC firms increasingly focus on strategic investments, not just financial returns—M&A, IP, new market expansion.

• “Corporate venture capital is trying to actually figure out the compensation plan with carry and whatnot...” – Faye ([05:29])

• Traditional VC: More focus on early-stage investments, venture-style returns, with a different risk/impact profile.

Evolution, Impact, and Hybrid VC Models

Emerging Trends ([09:13])

• Hybrids of strategic, financial, and social impact mandates (especially in health and cleantech).
• Rise in evidence-based, impactful solutions that drive returns and transform lives.
• Record-breaking health investments (2020: $73B); COVID as an accelerator for digital and health innovation. ([09:13])

Healthcare & Life Sciences Themes

Short-term and Long-term Focus Areas ([10:28], [11:15])

• Drug discovery, rapid diagnostics, chronic condition management (diabetes, obesity, cancer), hospital-at-home, remote monitoring, AI, IoT.

• Gigantic possibilities with genomics, predictive/preventative care, bionics, and (eventually) 3D-printed organs.

• “We have 3D printers that can print out organs now. So imagine for the future what that will be like.” – Faye ([11:15])

• Demographic shifts:

  • Aging population spending more on healthcare
  • Financial planning and “fintech longevity”—are families ready for the costs of extended lifespans? ([12:56], [14:13])
  • “The top reasons for personal bankruptcy in the US is a healthcare incident.” – Faye ([14:13])

Technology, Senior Care, & Fintech Longevity

• Senior tech ("silver tech") is an emerging opportunity, but must be accessible for non-tech-savvy users ([15:07]).
• UX/UI must mirror the simplicity of platforms like Facebook for seamless adoption by older adults ([15:59]).
• “If you have a really slick app, I don’t think that’s going to do anything if you can find some type of user experience that anybody can use.” – Joel ([15:07])

Vinaj Ventures & Talasi (Telosity) Fund

Structure, Mandates, & Team ([16:13]–[19:36])

• Telosity is Vinaj’s first fund, with a focus on early-stage companies impacting digital wellness, prevention, and mental health.
• Invested in 8 companies, already seeing an exit and broad impact.
• Eight primary categories: wellness, online experience, access to care, engagement/adherence, diverse founder backing (gender, ethnicity, location).

Team Composition:

• Executive backgrounds in venture, founder-operators, accelerators, health, and innovation research ([18:17]).
• Emphasis on complementarity: financial expertise, lab research, venture analysis, health/insurtech innovation.

Platform Model & CVC as a Service

• Vinaj offers “innovation as a service” for Fortune 500s: helping set up CVC funds, finding M&A targets, understanding adoption pathways ([20:12]).
• Unique edge: Blend of VC and strategic consulting for customized corporate innovation solutions.
• Runs the Innovation Executive Forum (300+ leaders sharing cross-industry lessons, trends) ([21:27]).

Product Development: UX/UI Pitfalls & Process

• Vinaj has an internal team focused on design, user journeys, and rapid prototyping ([23:00]).
• Importance of co-developing with clients, iterative feedback, and starting with the customer’s lived experience.
• “They don’t know what they don’t know... someone creating a Ferrari but having the Volkswagen requirements and budget...” – Faye ([23:00])

Building the Fund & Impact Thesis

• Identifying a critical need/gap in behavioral health—especially adolescent mental health.
• Tech must enable scalable, seamless, evidence-based preventative solutions ([25:19]).
• COVID reduced stigma, increased openness, and expanded reimbursement for digital care.
• Seek out novel approaches: community support, AI-driven personalized interventions (e.g., Maslow AI digital advisor, voice tech for seniors, Casana Health's phone-based assessments, Neolith’s neuroscience-driven platform) ([28:47]).

Industry Convergence & Social Return

• Mental health innovations spill over into edtech, future of work, employee retention.
• Pandemic triggered an overdue reckoning around mental health in society and organizations.
• “Some of the top reasons why you live longer... it’s actually your social connections is a number one way.” – Faye ([32:46])

Accelerator & Ecosystem Strategy

• Evaluate accelerators by quality of programming, network, mentoring, value-add ([35:21]).
• Best deals often source from strong relationships before demo days.
• Mentoring within accelerators allows early access and relationship building.

Startup Due Diligence & Return Analysis

• Due diligence starts with founders: values, product roadmap, traction, cap table.
• Talk to all co-founders, investors, and at least one client ([39:49]–[41:16]).
• “When you’re investing with someone, it’s kind of like a marriage you can’t get divorced in.” – Faye ([41:16])
• No one-size-fits-all exit formula; people/team are paramount. Founders should diligence their investors too.

Fund Construction, LPs, and Building for Scale

• Build relationship with LPs well before launching; use angel investing to build track record ([44:51]).
• Choose fund size based on sector, comfort level, and LP expectations (digital therapeutics vs. consumer tech).
• Consider board requirements, personal bandwidth, and digital brand differentiation ([44:51]–[47:16]).
• “You have to think of what your digital brand will be in your differentiation in the market. How do you want to be known and what is your superpower?” – Faye ([44:51])

Relationship Building, Networking, and Community

• Use multi-channel approaches (Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, conferences, volunteering).
• Warm intros, volunteering at demo days, and regular touchpoints (e.g., quarterly updates) are key to building trust with investors ([48:55]).
• Focus on adding value and stacking favors, not just asking ([51:03]).
• “When I flipped it around to: how can I help you? Like, it’s so much because then you’re building a relationship...” – Faye ([51:45])

Closing Advice: People, Teams, and Ecosystems

• “It really is about the people—whether it’s what you call as your network, your team, the startups you invest in, your co-investors, your partners that adopt the startups... we think about it as like an ecosystem.” – Faye ([53:28])
• Success is about supporting all sides of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and fostering honest, collaborative teams.

Notable Quotes

• “One out of every five young people have a mental health issue. And it’s even increased and accentuated with COVID... What if we disrupted it and we can change the trajectory of someone’s life?” — Faye Sahai ([01:52])
• "Corporate venture capital is trying to actually figure out the compensation plan..." — Faye Sahai ([05:29])
• “We have 3D printers that can print out organs now. So imagine for the future what that will be like.” — Faye Sahai ([11:15])
• “If you have a really slick app, I don’t think that’s going to do anything if you can find some type of user experience that anybody can use.” — Joel Palathinkal ([15:07])
• “The top reasons for personal bankruptcy in the US is a healthcare incident.” — Faye Sahai ([14:13])
• “When you’re investing with someone, it’s kind of like a marriage you can’t get divorced in.” — Faye Sahai ([41:16])
• “It really is about the people... we think about it as like an ecosystem.” — Faye Sahai ([53:28])
• “When I flipped it around to: how can I help you? ...then you’re building a relationship, you’re starting to build trust.” — Faye Sahai ([51:45])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:52] – Faye’s personal journey into VC & healthcare innovation
• [05:29] – Corporate VC vs. traditional VC, strategic investing
• [09:13] – Hybrid VC models: financial return & impact
• [10:28] – Major healthcare investment themes: chronic disease, genomics, longevity
• [16:13] – Structure & focus of the Vinaj / Telosity Fund, team overview
• [20:12] – CVC as a service and innovation for Fortune 500s
• [23:00] – Product development, UX/UI, and customer-driven iteration
• [25:19] – Fund thesis: addressing gaps in digital, behavioral, and mental health
• [28:47] – Notable portfolio examples: AI, community-based, and neuroscience platforms
• [35:21] – Evaluating and leveraging startup accelerators
• [39:49] – Faye’s due diligence process when assessing startups
• [44:51] – Fund construction, sizing, and advice for new managers
• [48:55] – Relationship-building strategies for emerging fund managers
• [53:28] – Final advice: Invest in people and ecosystems

Summary prepared for those seeking rich, actionable insights into the intersection of healthcare, venture capital, and impact-driven investing, as discussed by Faye Sahai on The Investor with Joel Palathinkal.