“It is health that is the real wealth, not pieces of gold and silver.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Kaleidoscope Health Venture’s approach
We are building a healthy neighborhood and energizing a health cluster–together. The strategy is derived from analysis on health, longevity, and happiness research as well as successful health cluster development.
Health as a neighborhood
Why Chicago?
Health as a Neighborhood
After extensive research and analysis, we’ve determined several key components of a ‘healthy lifestyle.’ What does that mean? Health is not just your heart rate, cholesterol number, or BMI but a holistic view of your life. How do you relate to your lived environment? Does your job provide enough income? Do you have access to healthy food options? Do you participate in lifelong learning? These are the parts that make the body and mind healthy. Of course, individual choice is central to any given person’s health, but the data have shown that your neighborhood – where you work, relate, eat, learn and move – are huge determinants of your health and that of your family and neighbors. We pronounce WRELM – “realm,” and it is your realm that influences a long and healthy life. We’re shaping an environment that anticipates these essential human needs. An environment that prompts a healthy lifestyle day-in-day-out, throughout the day. It may sound too aspirational, but the challenges of the 21st-century call for bold thinking and iteration of the best ideas. This combination can make real breakthroughs in science, quality of life and overall healthspan through a cohesive, collective, large-scale endeavor.
Work
Focus on next-generation jobs
Bring purpose and fulfillment to role
Workplace promotes good health
Relate
Buildings and open space promote interaction
Technology-enabled virtual connections
Eat
Promote urban agriculture
Enable food technology and innovation
Learn
Next-generation job training
Lifelong learning
Health and wellness education
Move
All-season pedestrian ways
Next-generation transportation options—smart mobility
Why Chicago?
At Kaleidoscope Health Ventures, we are committed to creating a diversity of jobs at varying skill levels, helping Chicago participate in the next wave of health-based economic development. San Francisco and Boston are deeply developed, dominating the current wave of health cluster economic growth in the U.S. If you don’t believe it, look at the relative amount of venture capital deployed in these cities compared to others across the world. Analysis shows there is the next wave of cluster development; focused on health and wellness underway in several cities, like Madison, Austin, and Denver– to name a few. We believe Chicago is well suited to lead that next wave of cluster development – especially in health. In Chicago, the longevity gap between the wealthy and underserved neighborhoods is thirty years – with some living until 90, while others die at 60! We have the ingredients and resources to solve this problem--world-class science, talent, available capital, entrepreneurs, and a supportive government. Now is the time for action. We have the parts and a population that needs better. Let’s become the leader in driving the next wave in health cluster development.