Strategies and Pathways for Economic Viability for Scaling Health Innovations in Underserved Settings

Join Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign (Stanford Biodesign), Baraka Impact Finance, and the Bay Area Global Health Alliance on March 31, 2026 at 11:00 AM PT for Strategies and Pathways for Economic Viability for Scaling Health Innovations in Underserved Settings, as part of Stanford Biodesign’s Innovation and Health Equity Discussion Series. Register here.

For nonprofit organizations/NGOs, pre-seed and seed-stage healthcare companies working in underserved settings, this session will explore how to build economically viable models and position ventures to attract funding. In light of the significant shifts in the funding landscape over the past year, James Bair, partner and managing director of Baraka Impact Finance, in partnership with Sara Anderson, executive director of the Bay Area Global Health Alliance, will provide an overview of current trends and discuss the strategic pivots private companies and NGOs may need to secure capital successfully.

The session will include two brief case studies of healthcare organizations operating in underserved environments, highlighting practical lessons on funding strategy and sustainability. It will also offer an interactive forum where innovators can ask real-time questions and gain practical guidance on adapting their funding strategies in response to changes in development assistance and private investment.

This will be a hybrid session, with in-person registration open to Alliance members and Stanford affiliates only and Zoom registration open to the public. Register here.

Learn more about the Alliance’s financing and investments work here.

Bios

James Bair, Partner and Managing Director, Baraka Impact Finance

At Baraka Impact Finance, Bair’s focus is on steering investments toward sustainable health solutions in emerging markets. Their team leverages private capital for impactful change at the intersection of finance, health, and technology. They’ve fostered a robust network that ensures the success of health sector advancements in some of the most challenging environments. His tenure as director of Stanford University Medical Center’s Department of International Medical Services and as the director of the NIH-designated Center of Excellence in Women’s Health at UC San Francisco enriched his understanding of the innate challenges in delivering affordable and appropriate primary, secondary, and tertiary care services across diverse markets and communities. His work with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on SRH services in Uganda grounded him in the realities of establishing sound clinical practices for protecting human health rights in societies that lack consensus on such rights. 

Sara Anderson, Executive Director, Bay Area Global Health Alliance

Sara Anderson is the first Executive Director of the Bay Area Global Health Alliance, serving in the role since 2020. With more than 30 years of experience in global health, international development advocacy, nonprofit management, partnership development, thought leadership, and strategic communications, she has a proven track record of driving impact. Before leading the Bay Area Global Health Alliance, Anderson was at the forefront of advocacy efforts in pioneering movements, including global surgery, raising awareness about debilitating burn injuries in low-income countries, and addressing the famine in North Korea. Her work on Capitol Hill and with various campaigns and nonprofits focused on shaping U.S. government policy and building strategic partnerships to influence policy and change lives. She holds a master’s degree from Georgetown University and has furthered her education through Stanford’s Designing for Social Systems program and the Maxwell School’s Transnational NGO Leadership Institute at Syracuse University. Additionally, she has served as a coach and partner in Stanford’s d.school Design for Extreme Affordability program.