Last year was when we all got the wake-up call about longevity. From major reports published on the impact of longevity by the National Academy of Medicine and McKinsey to every leading newspaper, public discourse highlighted how our global healthcare, financial and housing infrastructure was failing to serve a rapidly growing older adult population.
While this demographic data is not new, from kitchen table talk to Congress, there was a heightened call for urgency and immediate action.
At Primetime, we observed this wake-up call beyond the research and media attention. First, our deal flow of early-stage businesses in the sector increased from 70 in Q4 2021 to 120 in Q4 2022. And, we were one of only three dedicated funds investing in aging and longevity when we launched in 2020, but we are now aware of at least six more agetech funds in formation, in addition to many other existing funds keen to expand their team to cover the sector.
We are very optimistic for 2023 as we see incredible founder momentum, untapped areas to build new businesses and a window to an increasingly tech-accessible, rapidly growing consumer market.
Here are our top predictions for the longevity industry in 2023.
By 2030, the 50-plus market is projected to swell to 132 million people, who are projected to spend an average of $108 billion every year on tech products.
Health span is the new life span
The COVID-19 pandemic had a dramatic impact on older adult behavior with regard to technology usage, penetration of telemedicine and remote health monitoring, early retirement and financial insecurity. Sadly, one of the harshest implications of the pandemic was that life expectancy in the U.S. declined to 77 from 79.
This year will shift the conversation from “life span” to “health span” — how we live healthier for longer.
While telemedicine usage has declined from its peak during the pandemic, the new average is much higher than before the pandemic. We are particularly excited about companies that will accelerate the growth of 100+ primary and specialty-care telemedicine startups by managing their technology, patient payments and reimbursement, as well as provider acquisition and certification.
In an effort to prevent costly hospital visits, the past few years have seen a proliferation of startups offering supplemental health plan benefits for older adults — from transportation to home modification.
