UNC Health today announced the rebranding of Rex Health Ventures and the launch of UNC Health Ventures, its corporate venture capital and strategic investment platform.

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The platform builds on more than a decade of investment experience and will help UNC Health partner with emerging healthcare companies that support better care, stronger operations, improved patient experience and long-term value creation.

Established in 2012, Rex Health Ventures was created to invest in and partner with emerging healthcare companies. Its work has since expanded across UNC Health, connecting entrepreneurs, co-investors, clinicians and operational leaders to help evaluate and adopt promising technologies strategically.

“Novel technologies are essential to advancing the care we provide to our patients and communities,” said Cristy Page, M.D., MPH, CEO of UNC Health and Dean of UNC School of Medicine. “UNC Health Ventures gives us the opportunity to engage with promising healthcare advancements earlier, helping our clinicians evaluate new approaches to care while shaping solutions that address real-world challenges across our health system.”

UNC Health Ventures will identify, invest in and collaborate with companies whose solutions align with UNC Health’s mission to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians. The platform is designed to generate both financial returns and strategic value while strengthening care delivery and operations.

“UNC Health Ventures represents an important extension of our commitment to responsible stewardship and long-term value creation,” said Will Bryant, chief financial officer of UNC Health. “By engaging strategically with emerging companies and technologies, we are able to support innovation that aligns with our mission while positioning the organization for future growth and sustainability.”

UNC Health Ventures is funded through UNC Health’s broader investment portfolio, with all returns reinvested into the health system to support patient care, operations, research and future innovation. Each investment undergoes rigorous due diligence with clinical and operational input and approval by a systemwide investment committee.

“Over the past decade, our team has worked to build a disciplined and collaborative investment approach that is closely aligned with the needs of our clinicians and operational leaders,” said Anita Watkins, managing director of UNC Health Ventures. “This next phase reflects both the progress we’ve made and the opportunity ahead to deepen partnerships and support innovation that can deliver meaningful impact across the healthcare system.”

Rex Health Ventures has supported nearly 30 early-stage companies, including Reprieve Cardiovascular, which is advancing personalized fluid management for patients with acute decompensated heart failure. By improving the management of this complex condition, the technology has the potential to enhance outcomes, reduce hospital length of stay, and increase capacity within health systems.

“Partnering with UNC Health Ventures has played a pivotal role in advancing our mission to redefine care for patients with acute heart failure,” said Mark Pacyna, CEO of Reprieve Cardiovascular. “Their support extends well beyond capital, providing clinical collaboration, strategic insight and real-world experience that accelerated progress toward meaningful impact for patients, clinicians and health systems.”

The transition to UNC Health Ventures aligns the platform more closely with the UNC Health brand and reinforces its role as a system-wide capability. The team will continue working with physicians, clinical leaders and system stakeholders to identify investment and partnership opportunities with meaningful impact across UNC Health and the communities it serves.

For more information visit www.unchealthventures.com

About UNC Health

UNC Health is North Carolina’s academic health system, dedicated to improving the health and well-being of all North Carolinians through patient care, education, research, and community engagement. With a statewide network of 20 hospitals, hundreds of clinics, and an affiliation with the UNC School of Medicine, UNC Health serves communities across the state with a mission-driven, not-for-profit approach focused on quality, access, and innovation.

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