On May 7, the Alliance convened leaders from HealthAI, Transform Health, and Vital Strategies for a candid conversation on what AI governance means in practice — and why it is quickly becoming central to whether AI strengthens health systems or deepens existing inequities. Co-moderated by Daniel Messer, chief digital and IT transformation officer at FHI 360, and Sara Anderson, executive director of the Alliance, the discussion focused not only on safeguards and regulation, but on the deeper infrastructure required for responsible and sustainable AI adoption.

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On April 30, the Alliance convened leaders from Amp Health and Google Research Africa for a Chatham House Rules session moderated by eHealth Africa that explored what it takes to build country-led ecosystems that can scale global health innovation. The conversation moved beyond broad calls for “country ownership” to examine what this actually requires in practice: trust, co-creation, embedded support, local governance, and a willingness by external partners to work through existing systems rather than around them.

Check out our AI and global health landing page for more on AI, innovation, and health.

The Bay Area Global Health Alliance is a cross-sector membership network that bridges technology, industry, and innovation with traditional global health. With 100+ members—40% focused on digital health and tech innovation—we serve as a neutral convener, facilitating collaborations across academia, industry, startups, nonprofits, foundations, and public institutions. Together, our community explores how AI can strengthen health systems, shares insights on financing to expand sustainable investment, and navigates global policy shifts. In this time of uncertainty, our trusted community is more essential than ever—connecting across sectors, regions, and disciplines to accelerate solutions, drive equitable health impact, and shape the future of global health together.

After an extraordinarily challenging year for global health, the past few months have produced a flood of predictions for 2026. If one stepped back and curated them all, what trends would actually rise to the top? We were curious and curated 40 articles and reports from trusted media, policy institutions, multilaterals, industry voices, and research organizations to identify the common threads shaping the year ahead. While not exhaustive, this synthesis offers key trends reshaping global health systems, innovation ecosystems, and markets — especially in LMICs where need, innovation, and opportunity intersect.

As funding constraints reshape the global health landscape, innovators are facing an urgent question: how do they turn strong ideas and meaningful impact into a clear funding case that resonates with funders and investors? This question shaped a recent Innovation and Health Equity Discussion Series session, ‘Strategies and Pathways for Economic Viability for Scaling Health Innovations in Underserved Settings,’ hosted by Stanford Biodesign, in partnership with the Alliance and Baraka Impact Finance. James Bair, partner and managing director at Baraka Impact Finance, in conversation with Sara Anderson, executive director of the Alliance, offered practical guidance on how founders and innovators can position their ventures for funding, sustainability, and scale in a rapidly changing capital environment.

For the third consecutive year, the Alliance convened a panel at the 2026 J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference (JPM) in San Francisco, followed by an Alliance side meeting held at Accenture’s San Francisco Innovation Hub. This year’s panel brought together leaders from Gilead Sciences, U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Nivi, Inc., reach52, and Accenture to explore how pharmaceutical partnerships, development finance, and patient platforms are creating investable infrastructure in high-growth markets across Asia and Africa. The panel underscored that the most promising long-term opportunities in emerging markets lie not just in individual products, but in the systems and partnerships that connect them to patients.

The Alliance convened a members-only virtual deep dive with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to help organizations better understand DFC’s mandate and assess whether their work aligns with the agency’s strategic priorities and financing tools. The DFC’s Nafisa Jiwani, Associate Vice President of Health Initiatives, and Monisha Ashok, Director of Health Investments, provided a clear overview of DFC’s investment criteria and strategic focus — along with practical guidance to help members evaluate potential fit and identify next steps for engagement.

Check out our financing and investments page for more.