The healthcare status quo is cracking

As mentioned, panelists noted that while technology has transformed nearly every sector of modern life, healthcare still largely operates on practices that have seen little change for decades.

“The moment of physician-to-patient interaction, the physical examination, literally has hardly changed in the past 200 years,” said moderator Ohad Arazi, setting the stage for a talk about what healthcare could look like in 2030.

“Of course, many things in healthcare have changed, but it’s been a very slow slog. And yet we see that the pace of change, the pace of adoption of innovation on both therapeutics and diagnostics, is accelerating.”

Lu Zhang, founder of Fusion Fund, highlighted that healthcare is now entering its “prime time for innovation,” emphasizing that the core goal for the future is to ‘improve the quality of life, to really enable the future of healthcare to be personalized … and also be able to do super early diagnostics and reduce the healthcare burden in the long term.’

AI as a catalyst for regenerative and personalized medicine

Zhang pointed to advances in AI-powered digital diagnostics for conditions like cancer, heart disease and mental health, citing the recent launch of the Arc Institute’s Evo 2 AI model, designed to understand and generate genetic code.

Arc researchers recently published a preprint showing that their gene-editing technology can implement broad alterations to the human genome, something not achievable with other gene-editing techniques.

She also mentioned the promise of new digital therapeutics and regenerative medicine, noting a recent exhibition where researchers showcased 3 centimeters of beating heart tissue created from iPS cells.

These kinds of innovations could transform how practitioners approach health and wellness. Eric Hoskins, partner at Maverix Private Equity, offered a more cautious but ultimately optimistic perspective, identifying AI-guided personalized medicine as one of the “fast movers” poised to bring an abrupt and immediate change to healthcare.

However, the consensus was that challenges remain, particularly when it comes to navigating the regulatory landscape and addressing persistent data isolation issues within healthcare.

Dr. Victoria Lee, a physician and prominent leader in Canadian healthcare who previously served as president and CEO of the Fraser Health Authority, called for a decisive shift from a reactive “sickness care” model to a more proactive, AI-augmented model focused on prevention, personalization and long-term wellbeing.

She asserted that healthcare’s massive data output (30 percent of global data) is an underutilized resource.

Zhang agreed, adding that less than 5 percent of that data is currently being used. This is primarily due to privacy compliance concerns, which could also be mitigated by the use of AI.

Coupled with a global healthcare worker shortage, Lee presented AI as the crucial enabler for this transformation, arguing that it is indispensable for improving both the efficiency of healthcare operations and the effectiveness of medical professionals in an era of exploding medical knowledge. Her most compelling vision is the implementation of precision wellbeing through digital twins and AI agents.

Cancer care as a testbed for change

AI is already being used to personalize cancer treatment and reduce travel barriers via distributed platforms. A separate panel featuring James Lumsdaine, CEO of healthtech company Avitia, showcased the company’s AI-powered molecular diagnostics platform, which supports distributed cancer testing through simple blood draws. The technology has already been deployed in seven countries and has processed over 40,000 tests.

The platform, validated in Canada, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, reduces treatment times from weeks to days, improving patient outcomes and quality of life. Avitia’s initiative aims to make cancer a manageable chronic condition, advocating for better access to precision care and advanced diagnostics at or near the patient’s point of care.

“The ability of a patient to get personalized care for their cancer is now no longer limited by their ability to travel and where they’re based,” Lumsdaine explained, laying out his vision for the company’s role in therapeutic innovation.

Opportunity, strategy and real-world fit

As transformative as AI-driven healthcare could be, scaling breakthroughs requires investment and infrastructure alongside regulatory evolution. During opening remarks at Web Summit, AI researcher and author Gary Marcus said biology is a natural fit for AI, especially in protein interaction modeling and drug development.

At the ‘Smart Money in 2025’ panel, Wesley Chan of FPV Ventures also pointed to the life science space as a sector where AI has the clearest potential to deliver real-world productivity gains.

He argued that the convergence of biology and AI represents a generational opportunity for investors, citing companies like Strand Therapeutics, which used AI to develop a new mRNA cancer therapy.

Tom Beigala, founding partner at Bison Ventures, told journalist Anne Gaviola, moderator at the “The Healthtech Investment Checkup” panel, that he believes AI and next-generation computational technologies are driving innovation across the entire healthcare system, from making drug discovery easier and more cost effective, to optimizing data utilization and significantly increasing labor and clinical productivity.

Bison invests in early stage frontier tech companies, and its portfolio spans AI-enhanced drug discovery, advanced life science tools for pre-clinical testing and synthetic biology applications addressing broader public health challenges.

Outside AI, Beigala revealed his interest in the field of non-invasive cancer surgery using focused ultrasound technology. This burgeoning field uses technology that is often enhanced by AI for precision targeting. He pointed to an unnamed company rumored to be in acquisition discussions for a multibillion-dollar valuation.

For her part, Zhang highlighted Fusion Fund’s focus on AI-powered healthcare solutions that enhance workflow efficiency. She also pointed to physical AI, particularly surgical robots, as a promising area within healthcare, noting its potential to enable more non-invasive and micro-invasive surgical approaches.

But while the opportunity landscape is expanding, panelists emphasized that deploying these innovations successfully requires a clear-eyed understanding of the healthcare system’s structural complexity.

Beigala underscored that successful AI applications in healthtech require a deep understanding of the healthcare system’s existing incentives and workflows, including how doctors bill and how insurance companies operate.

He also cautioned that AI, as merely a tool, must be strategically integrated to avoid unintended consequences and to ensure that it genuinely fits within established practices.

Beyond those challenges, Zhang touched upon external regulatory hurdles, citing the US Food and Drug Administration’s current processes as a significant hurdle for innovation and market entry. However, she expressed optimism that the agency’s exploration of AI could eventually accelerate and streamline the approval process.

Bridging the imagination gap

The promise of AI to revolutionize healthcare is undeniable, but it’s solely a matter of technological development.

The conversations at Web Summit were a reminder that the future of healthcare also requires collaboration, trust and data governance. Together, these elements can pave the way for a healthcare landscape profoundly reshaped by AI.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$104,656, as markets opened, up 0.2 percent in 24 hours. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$100,783 and a high of US$104,737.

Bitcoin price performance, June 6, 2025

Chart via TradingView

Ethereum (ETH) finished the trading day at US$2,606.52, a 2.8 percent decrease over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached an intraday low of US$2,408.52 and saw a daily high of US$2,596.13.

Altcoin price update

• Solana (SOL) closed at US$152.16, up 1.0 percent over 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$142.38 in the final minutes of trading and reached a high of US$151.79.

• XRP is trading at US$2.19, reflecting a 0.7 percent decrease over 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached a daily low of US$2.08 and a high of US$2.20.

• Sui (SUI) peaked at US$3.15, showing an increaseof 1.5 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Wednesday was US$2.91, and its highest was US$3.19.

• Cardano (ADA) is trading at US$0.6779, down 1.3 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest price of the day was US$0.6233, and it reached a high of US$0.6762.

Today’s crypto news to know

Strategy to raise nearly US$1 billion via stock offering to buy more Bitcoin

Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR), the company known for its aggressive bitcoin acquisition strategy, is launching a nearly US$1 billion capital raise through its new 10 percent Series A STRD preferred stock.

The offering includes over 11 million shares and promises a high fixed yield, making it attractive to yield-hungry investors in a low-rate environment.

Unlike other Strategy offerings like STRK (convertible) or STRF (senior status), STRD offers the highest payout at 10 percent but comes with more risk due to its non-cumulative dividend and junior status. Dividends are only issued when declared, and the shares cannot be called under normal market conditions.

According to Strategy, proceeds will go toward “general corporate purposes,” which notably include expanding its bitcoin holdings.

UK set to lift ban on retail access to crypto ETNs

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced plans to lift its ban on retail investors buying crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs), a major shift from its earlier risk-averse stance.

Initially barred due to concerns over volatility and investor protection, the FCA now says consumers should have the right to choose whether these high-risk assets fit their portfolios.

David Geale, the FCA’s digital assets chief, said the move is part of a broader push to ‘rebalance’ the regulator’s approach to financial risk. The proposal enters a public consultation phase and would allow ETNs to be sold on FCA-registered investment exchanges.

However, the FCA emphasized that its separate ban on crypto derivatives for retail traders will remain in place.

This regulatory pivot follows the UK’s introduction of draft laws in April aimed at integrating crypto into the formal financial system.

Metaplanet plans US$5.3 billion warrant offering to scale Bitcoin treasury

Tokyo-based Metaplanet is taking its Bitcoin commitment to the next level with a massive US$5.3 billion stock warrant issuance, the largest of its kind in Japan.

The company is offering 555 million shares through stock acquisition rights, using a novel moving-strike pricing model that adjusts with market value—a first in the Japanese market.

This “555 Million Plan” follows an earlier US$600 million raise and is part of Metaplanet’s goal to hold over 210,000 BTC by 2027, approximately 1 percent of total bitcoin supply.

The vast majority of the proceeds—around 96 percent—will go toward direct BTC purchases, while a small fraction will support debt management and derivative strategies like selling puts.

AI reshaping the investment landscape

Despite challenges in public and private markets, experts across multiple panels agreed that AI is fueling the rapid development of new markets, influencing capital allocation and funding trends.

Speakers on a panel focused on the current state of venture capital (VC) highlighted AI’s potential to revolutionize the VC landscape, with Freestyle Capital general partner Maria Palma asserting that AI technology has revitalized the industry by creating new opportunities and altering market dynamics.

She argued that VCs are inherently optimistic, but must adapt to longer fund cycles and prioritize top talent migrating to startups, while also considering AI’s influence on liquidity and the speed of company building and scaling.

Palma pointed to development platform Lovable, which brought in US$50 million in revenue in five months.

“You didn’t see that 10 years ago in any company … I think that the pace of ability to build and ability to attack different markets is different than it’s ever been,” she told the Web Summit audience.

In another panel, Brett Gibson, managing partner at Initialized Capital, pointed to a broader shift toward authoring software and the potential for widespread fragmentation and consolidation in the software market. 500 Global CEO Christine Tsai discussed the volatility of emerging tech stacks, while Andy McLaughlin, managing partner at Uncork Capital, stressed the importance of spotting opportunities outside mega platforms.

The consensus was that AI is fueling new business models, pushing investors to rethink how value is defined.

AI transforming how businesses operate

During the ‘Smart Money in 2025’presentation, speakers Alfred Chuang of Race Capital and Wesley Chan of FPV Ventures emphasized that investors now see AI as the foundation of new hyper-focused platforms.

The industry-specific approach of legal tech unicorn Clio was showcased at the ‘Vertical Software is Eating the World’ discussion, andhighlighted the growing interest in AI-powered vertical SaaS business models.

“There is a huge amount of opportunity that remains, and a disruptive opportunity to unseat the incumbents in software verticals today with AI native companies, and also an opportunity for incumbents in the space to embrace AI and tap into what is an exponential opportunity for AI,” Clio CEO Jack Newton told the audience.

Chuang elaborated on the transformative role of AI in the software industry. “I think SaaS has a huge opportunity for basically a re-up for all the different applications. We’re going to see a whole new wave of apps. Now we can automate the process, and a process can write code to automate another process … these are opportunities we have never seen before. It’s a very exciting time. We’re going to be hugely more productive going forward.”

Chan stressed to the audience that AI utility matters more than AI branding, echoing Marcus’ earlier sentiment on its potential to increase productivity for life science companies. He cited recently announced results for Strand Therapeutics’ mRNA cancer drug, which was developed with the help of AI.

Uncork Capital’s McLoughlin pointed to Toronto-based software company Tailscaleas an example of a firm that is enabling core functionality for AI at scale without branding itself around AI.

“They build virtual private networks that have become fundamentally important to the AI economy. Every single (AI) hyperscaler is using Tailscale to network together this kind of global cluster of GPUs,’ he said.

‘We didn’t think about that when we first invested in 2019. We liked the idea of connected devices and people, but we never thought of a future where actually this would be a killer use case.”

Discussions also honed in on generative AI’s uses in areas like customer service co-pilots and sales automation, and how AI agents are developing into more proactive partners, freeing human teams to focus on strategy. However, as AI agents begin to reason, act and potentially make decisions that carry real-world consequences, the conversation consistently circled back to the importance of accountability, privacy protection and regulation.

While agentic AI may not yet be mainstream, it’s quickly becoming a frontier for productivity, ethics and innovation.

Trade tensions recalibrating tech alliances

Speakers on the ‘All in on AI’panelalso discussedthe potential for emerging markets to provide liquidity and foreign buyers, noting the increasing importance of non-US markets in the context of regulatory changes.

“One thing that’s really quite unprecedented about this wave versus other waves is just how much of a national agenda (AI) is for so many countries around the world,” said 500 Global’s Tsai, noting that Silicon Valley still has its place among the great global founders. Palma shared that sentiment during ‘The State of Venture Capital’ talk, adding that the bigger problem is not the listing exchange, but whether entrepreneurs still desire to go public at all.

The rise of non-US markets and a more globally dispersed talent pool are occurring against a backdrop of evolving international trade relations and policies. Several panels focused on the US-China relationship while addressing how tariffs are shaping the global tech economy, from talent acquisition to material sourcing.

Economist William Lazonick called out the inefficacy of the current tariff strategy in terms of encouraging innovation, highlighting Big Tech’s underinvestment in research and development and prioritization of share buybacks.

Separately, Bison Ventures founding partner Tom Biegala noted the shift toward onshoring and AI-enabled robotics in manufacturing to enhance productivity and reduce labor costs. He also touched on opportunities in the defense tech sector, driven by the need for critical components to be US- or western-made for national security reasons.

“I think that has certainly been accelerated in today’s environment, and it’s bleeding over into a whole bunch of more traditional industries, from 3D printing to manufacturing of what are typically commodity components,” he said.

While much of the discussion focused on US policy, another takeaway was Canada’s potential to thrive in a changing trade landscape, with several noteworthy announcements taking place throughout the week.

One came at a Bell press conference, where the telecommunications company unveiled Bell AI Fabric, an initiative to build a network of data centers across the country, with Kamloops as its first hub. Later, Diana Gibson, BC’s minister of jobs, economic development and innovation, announced the expansion of the Integrated Marketplace Program with an additional C$30 million in funding, supporting over 30 startups across the province.

While the province supports its tech sector, challenges like high costs and regulations remain. Gibson and Rocky Tung, director and head of policy research at Hong Kong’s Financial Services Development Council, addressed BC’s need for stronger ties, particularly in finance, VC and web3. Even so, Canada’s stability and innovation ecosystem could be attractive to investors seeking a haven and fertile ground for growth amid international volatility.

Investor takeaway

Web Summit served as a vital forum for exploring the multifaceted impact of AI on the tech industry and beyond, highlighting its role as both a disruptive force and a catalyst for innovation.

As AI continues to reshape industries and markets, the insights shared at the Vancouver-based Web Summit provide a valuable roadmap for navigating the future of technology and investment.

AI reshaping the investment landscape

Despite challenges in public and private markets, experts across multiple panels agreed that AI is fueling the rapid development of new markets, influencing capital allocation and funding trends.

Speakers on a panel focused on the current state of venture capital (VC) highlighted AI’s potential to revolutionize the VC landscape, with Freestyle Capital general partner Maria Palma asserting that AI technology has revitalized the industry by creating new opportunities and altering market dynamics.

She argued that VCs are inherently optimistic, but must adapt to longer fund cycles and prioritize top talent migrating to startups, while also considering AI’s influence on liquidity and the speed of company building and scaling.

Palma pointed to development platform Lovable, which brought in US$50 million in revenue in five months.

“You didn’t see that 10 years ago in any company … I think that the pace of ability to build and ability to attack different markets is different than it’s ever been,” she told the Web Summit audience.

In another panel, Brett Gibson, managing partner at Initialized Capital, pointed to a broader shift toward authoring software and the potential for widespread fragmentation and consolidation in the software market. 500 Global CEO Christine Tsai discussed the volatility of emerging tech stacks, while Andy McLaughlin, managing partner at Uncork Capital, stressed the importance of spotting opportunities outside mega platforms.

The consensus was that AI is fueling new business models, pushing investors to rethink how value is defined.

AI transforming how businesses operate

During the ‘Smart Money in 2025’presentation, speakers Alfred Chuang of Race Capital and Wesley Chan of FPV Ventures emphasized that investors now see AI as the foundation of new hyper-focused platforms.

The industry-specific approach of legal tech unicorn Clio was showcased at the ‘Vertical Software is Eating the World’ discussion, andhighlighted the growing interest in AI-powered vertical SaaS business models.

“There is a huge amount of opportunity that remains, and a disruptive opportunity to unseat the incumbents in software verticals today with AI native companies, and also an opportunity for incumbents in the space to embrace AI and tap into what is an exponential opportunity for AI,” Clio CEO Jack Newton told the audience.

Chuang elaborated on the transformative role of AI in the software industry. “I think SaaS has a huge opportunity for basically a re-up for all the different applications. We’re going to see a whole new wave of apps. Now we can automate the process, and a process can write code to automate another process … these are opportunities we have never seen before. It’s a very exciting time. We’re going to be hugely more productive going forward.”

Chan stressed to the audience that AI utility matters more than AI branding, echoing Marcus’ earlier sentiment on its potential to increase productivity for life science companies. He cited recently announced results for Strand Therapeutics’ mRNA cancer drug, which was developed with the help of AI.

Uncork Capital’s McLoughlin pointed to Toronto-based software company Tailscaleas an example of a firm that is enabling core functionality for AI at scale without branding itself around AI.

“They build virtual private networks that have become fundamentally important to the AI economy. Every single (AI) hyperscaler is using Tailscale to network together this kind of global cluster of GPUs,’ he said.

‘We didn’t think about that when we first invested in 2019. We liked the idea of connected devices and people, but we never thought of a future where actually this would be a killer use case.”

Discussions also honed in on generative AI’s uses in areas like customer service co-pilots and sales automation, and how AI agents are developing into more proactive partners, freeing human teams to focus on strategy. However, as AI agents begin to reason, act and potentially make decisions that carry real-world consequences, the conversation consistently circled back to the importance of accountability, privacy protection and regulation.

While agentic AI may not yet be mainstream, it’s quickly becoming a frontier for productivity, ethics and innovation.

Trade tensions recalibrating tech alliances

Speakers on the ‘All in on AI’panelalso discussedthe potential for emerging markets to provide liquidity and foreign buyers, noting the increasing importance of non-US markets in the context of regulatory changes.

“One thing that’s really quite unprecedented about this wave versus other waves is just how much of a national agenda (AI) is for so many countries around the world,” said 500 Global’s Tsai, noting that Silicon Valley still has its place among the great global founders. Palma shared that sentiment during ‘The State of Venture Capital’ talk, adding that the bigger problem is not the listing exchange, but whether entrepreneurs still desire to go public at all.

The rise of non-US markets and a more globally dispersed talent pool are occurring against a backdrop of evolving international trade relations and policies. Several panels focused on the US-China relationship while addressing how tariffs are shaping the global tech economy, from talent acquisition to material sourcing.

Economist William Lazonick called out the inefficacy of the current tariff strategy in terms of encouraging innovation, highlighting Big Tech’s underinvestment in research and development and prioritization of share buybacks.

Separately, Bison Ventures founding partner Tom Biegala noted the shift toward onshoring and AI-enabled robotics in manufacturing to enhance productivity and reduce labor costs. He also touched on opportunities in the defense tech sector, driven by the need for critical components to be US- or western-made for national security reasons.

“I think that has certainly been accelerated in today’s environment, and it’s bleeding over into a whole bunch of more traditional industries, from 3D printing to manufacturing of what are typically commodity components,” he said.

While much of the discussion focused on US policy, another takeaway was Canada’s potential to thrive in a changing trade landscape, with several noteworthy announcements taking place throughout the week.

One came at a Bell press conference, where the telecommunications company unveiled Bell AI Fabric, an initiative to build a network of data centers across the country, with Kamloops as its first hub. Later, Diana Gibson, BC’s minister of jobs, economic development and innovation, announced the expansion of the Integrated Marketplace Program with an additional C$30 million in funding, supporting over 30 startups across the province.

While the province supports its tech sector, challenges like high costs and regulations remain. Gibson and Rocky Tung, director and head of policy research at Hong Kong’s Financial Services Development Council, addressed BC’s need for stronger ties, particularly in finance, VC and web3. Even so, Canada’s stability and innovation ecosystem could be attractive to investors seeking a haven and fertile ground for growth amid international volatility.

Investor takeaway

Web Summit served as a vital forum for exploring the multifaceted impact of AI on the tech industry and beyond, highlighting its role as both a disruptive force and a catalyst for innovation.

As AI continues to reshape industries and markets, the insights shared at the Vancouver-based Web Summit provide a valuable roadmap for navigating the future of technology and investment.