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Irem brings over 15 years of investing and operating experience across healthcare tech-enabled services and healthcare technology. At Norwest, she focuses on venture and growth equity investments across healthcare, partnering with founders building scalable, tech-enabled platforms that improve outcomes and affordability.
Prior to Norwest, Irem was at Summit Partners, where she invested in growth-stage healthcare businesses and served as a board member or observer for companies spanning risk-bearing providers and tech-enabled services. Earlier, as a Principal at McKesson Ventures, she led investments in value-based care and pharma IT/services. Across her investing roles, she helped source or support companies including VaxCare (recapped by Blackstone), Landmark Health (acquired by Optum), IVX Health (recapped by Linden Capital Partners), OncoHealth, SHYFT Analytics (acquired by Medidata), Aetion (acquired by Datavant), AllyAlign Health (recapped by NEA to form Curana Health), Kyruus (acquired by RevSpring), and Evariant (acquired by Healthgrades).
Earlier in her career, Irem was part of the founding team at Burd Health, where she led the development and implementation of value-based initiatives for self-insured employers across network management, PBM contracts, and wellness programs. She also held product and business development roles at Omada Health and Caremerge (acquired by Icon), and was an intern at Andreessen Horowitz, where she sourced digital health investments.
Irem began her career as an investment associate at Madison Dearborn Partners and as an investment banking analyst in the Healthcare Group at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, advising on mergers and acquisitions across life sciences, medical devices, and healthcare services.
She holds a BS in Biomedical Engineering and Economics from Duke University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she was an Arbuckle Leadership Fellow and Co-President of the Healthcare Club.
Irem brings over 15 years of investing and operating experience across healthcare tech-enabled services and healthcare technology. At Norwest, she focuses on venture and growth equity investments across healthcare, partnering with founders building scalable, tech-enabled platforms that improve outcomes and affordability.
Prior to Norwest, Irem was at Summit Partners, where she invested in growth-stage healthcare businesses and served as a board member or observer for companies spanning risk-bearing providers and tech-enabled services. Earlier, as a Principal at McKesson Ventures, she led investments in value-based care and pharma IT/services. Across her investing roles, she helped source or support companies including VaxCare (recapped by Blackstone), Landmark Health (acquired by Optum), IVX Health (recapped by Linden Capital Partners), OncoHealth, SHYFT Analytics (acquired by Medidata), Aetion (acquired by Datavant), AllyAlign Health (recapped by NEA to form Curana Health), Kyruus (acquired by RevSpring), and Evariant (acquired by Healthgrades).
Earlier in her career, Irem was part of the founding team at Burd Health, where she led the development and implementation of value-based initiatives for self-insured employers across network management, PBM contracts, and wellness programs. She also held product and business development roles at Omada Health and Caremerge (acquired by Icon), and was an intern at Andreessen Horowitz, where she sourced digital health investments.
Irem began her career as an investment associate at Madison Dearborn Partners and as an investment banking analyst in the Healthcare Group at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, advising on mergers and acquisitions across life sciences, medical devices, and healthcare services.
She holds a BS in Biomedical Engineering and Economics from Duke University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she was an Arbuckle Leadership Fellow and Co-President of the Healthcare Club.
I’ve invested across the full spectrum of healthcare—from seed-stage startups to traditional private equity—partnering with both emerging companies and large incumbents. That breadth gives me a practical understanding of complex healthcare sales, stakeholder dynamics, and what it takes to build durable traction. It also allows me to help founders anticipate what the next investor or strategic buyer will value and focus on the metrics that truly signal category leadership, scaling companies into enduring platforms that improve the healthcare system.
What’s the quality you most look for in other people? In yourself?I’m drawn to people committed to continuous improvement—those who seek feedback, challenge their assumptions, and consistently raise the bar. I value grit, humility, and self-awareness, and hold myself to the same standard. The best partnerships are built on shared accountability, resilience, and a willingness to grow.
What makes you fun to work with? And what makes you valuable to work with?I bring both rigor and levity to the table. With certifications in laughter yoga and life coaching, I aim to be a calm, steady presence in high-stakes moments—someone who can help reframe tough challenges and keep teams grounded. At the same time, I’m a deeply hands-on partner. I enjoy rolling up my sleeves by digging into strategy, refining positioning, pressure-testing metrics, and making the right connections and introductions to unlock growth. Founders can expect honesty, responsiveness, and a partner who shows up and stays engaged through the toughest moments.
What inspires you about your work?I’m inspired by founders willing to take on healthcare’s hardest problems—where incentives are messy, payment models are shifting, and the stakes are deeply human. That constant complexity is what makes the work so energizing and the opportunity to build real, system-level change so meaningful.
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