Yang Zhang, a student in the Yale School of Public Health’s Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology and Regulatory Affairs Track, took a break from his studies this fall to work for ZhenFund, an early-stage investment firm in China. Back in his native country, Yang focused on proposing deals and identifying strong business proposals. He attended events where start-up founders met with angel-round or pre-series A funding as well as entrepreneurship events at college campuses. Start-ups, particularly in technology, media and telecommunications, are booming in China, where project organizers seek to capitalize on the country’s huge user base.
“I believe that most health problems in developing countries today arise from availability and affordability instead of from science and technology,” says Yang. His gap semester experience broadened his view of public health and helped him realize that venture capital can make significant contributions to the public health landscape by identifying and restructuring existing technology and resources to make a greater impact. “For example,” says Yang, “an online over-the-counter drugs platform with remote doctor support that targets rural communities in China would serve a great purpose. Rural areas don’t have sufficient healthcare support, and people are eager to get access to drugs that are common in more developed areas.”