Alex Bussenger, Founder & Managing Partner

January 2025​

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Exactly one year ago today (1/8/24), I was moments away from death.

 

The main artery in my heart, which delivers blood to the rest of my body, unexpectedly split (aortic dissection - a condition where 40% of people die instantly). After a 12-hour open-heart surgery, I was extremely fortunate to survive. In hindsight, it was the best thing that ever happened to me.

 

Like 20% of Americans, I hadn't seen a doctor in over five years. I felt fine - I was active, ate well, and had no reason to believe anything was wrong. But that's the issue: many life-threatening conditions don't show warning signs until it's too late. If I had been proactive about my health, perhaps my condition could have been diagnosed earlier, or even prevented altogether. This realization changed everything for me.

 

Going through this experience firsthand made me realize how much our healthcare system focuses on reacting to crises rather than preventing them. Despite all the medical advancements we have today, life-threatening conditions like mine often go undetected until the moment of catastrophe. It made me think: How many lives could be saved if we shifted from reactive care to a model that prioritizes early detection, predictive analytics, and personalized interventions?

 

The experience gave me an entirely new perspective.I knew I wanted to be part of the solution.

 

That’s why I launched One Eight Capital - to back visionary founders who are building the future of healthcare, transforming how we predict, prevent, and personalize treatment. Because no one should have to go through what I did when we have the means to do better.

 

If you're a founder or investor passionate about transforming healthcare, we'd love to connect with you! alex@oneeightcapital.com