Sustainable Health Initiative

In alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the YIGH Sustainable Health Initiative (SHI) strives to solve complex global health challenges through business-minded approaches, creative problem-solving methods, and international collaboration.

The last decade has witnessed tremendous economic development in emerging economies which has brought about new challenges, including an increase in health and economic disparities.

Launched in 2019, the Sustainable Health Initiative’s (SHI) goal is to bring about positive change by investing in entrepreneurs who are building solutions that create sustainable impact in healthcare in the world’s emerging economies.

SHI has supported startups in the health space with innovative solutions including artificial intelligence for cancer diagnostics, environmental sustainability, data management platform for organ transplants, remote perinatal health monitoring, low-cost infant respirator, early childhood health, and parenting support platform among others.

Program Components

SHI Venture Development Program: In partnership with the Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking at Yale (Tsai CITY), The SHI venture development program is open to Yale students seeking to innovate and address complex global health challenges.

SHI Mentors in Residence: SHI partners with individuals and innovation hubs that have robust experience in global health innovation and entrepreneurship.

SHI Fellows: SHI Fellows will be working with Sustainable Health Initiative (SHI) and Tsai CITY staff to support student teams working on health innovation startups and NGOs.

Innovation Exchange Conversation Series : Innovate Health Yale and the Sustainable Health initiative are proud to support a series which aims to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where students interested in global health innovation come together to learn and connect. Each week, we feature a guest innovator or entrepreneur from around the globe and cover topics such as landing a job at a startup, designing for equity, impact measurement, social impact investing and more!

If you would like to know about the Sustainable Health Initiative or would like to discuss a startup idea at any stage of development, contact Fatema Basrai, Managing Director for SHI and InnovateHealth Yale, to learn more.