Driving Health Tech with Purpose: Starlight with Jeremy Hill

Jeremy Hill is the Chief Commercial Officer at Avegen, a digital health company supporting pharmaceutical companies, academic researchers and healthcare providers.

With a career that spans start-ups and multinational corporations like Johnson & Johnson, Jeremy brings a pragmatic and mission-led approach to healthcare innovation. In this edition of Starlight with..., we explore what drives his work, the lessons he has learned, and the digital health shifts he believes have the most potential.

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Bringing Innovation to Market

At Avegen Jeremy leads sales, marketing and commercial planning, helping scale digital tools that improve health outcomes and create efficiencies. He joined the company in 2023 after reconnecting with one of its founders, a former colleague from Johnson & Johnson. "When Avegen was ready to grow, it was the right time to get involved," he explained.

Jeremy describes his role as working across product, delivery and strategy. "It’s my job to make sure our solutions are commercially viable, grounded in real needs and positioned to grow sustainably," he said. Having worked across healthcare corporates and start-ups, he continues to be driven by a desire to solve meaningful problems.

Proud Moments in a Changing System

Reflecting on his time at Johnson & Johnson, Jeremy recalled his involvement in growing the electrophysiology business. When he joined in 2001, heart rhythm disorders were not a priority. "We didn’t have dedicated cath labs, and many hospitals lacked the equipment or staff to deliver care," he said. By the time he left in 2014, the field had become a central part of cardiac care.

He is especially proud of the advances made in treating atrial fibrillation. "We used real-time imaging, 3D mapping and advanced sensors to guide catheters inside the body with precision. It was a great example of how engineering, medicine and vision can come together to change outcomes."

But that shift did not happen overnight. Jeremy described how, early on, there was scepticism about the feasibility of curing atrial fibrillation. "There was a lot of resistance initially. Even among clinicians, people were unsure we could make meaningful progress. But we had this incredibly driven team, both clinically and commercially, who kept pushing the boundaries." He highlighted how collaborative partnerships with leading hospitals and universities helped validate the technology and shift clinical pathways. "It took years of consistent work, evidence-building, and trust. But the result is a field that now saves lives at scale."

These experiences reinforced his belief in the value of persistence and aligned systems. "When you get the right people behind a shared goal and give them the space to iterate, you can create change that lasts."

Barriers to Adoption

One of the persistent challenges Jeremy sees is the difficulty of scaling innovation. "The technology exists. The use case is clear. And yet, innovation does not scale," he said. He attributes this to risk aversion and capacity issues across the healthcare system.

Jeremy believes digital health companies have a responsibility to do better. "We must stop treating pilots as wins and start designing for long-term adoption," he said. That requires a deep understanding of workflows, evidence requirements and the political landscape of healthcare.

Where Digital Delivers Value

Jeremy is particularly focused on reframing how we think about value. "Too often, people expect digital to save money. In reality, the benefit is increased capacity," he explained. Tools that reduce admin time or support diagnosis might not cut costs directly, but they allow clinicians to focus where they are most needed.

"Efficiency in healthcare is not about doing more with less. It is about doing the right things with the time you have," he added.

Focusing on the Right Innovation

In a crowded digital health landscape, Jeremy stresses the importance of prioritisation. "Thousands of solutions exist, but very few achieve system-wide impact," he said. He believes strategic selection starts with understanding the real problems worth solving.

He is especially excited about digital tools that improve the front end of healthcare: screening, prevention and early diagnosis.

"If we can intervene earlier, we reduce pressure downstream," he noted. AI is already showing promise in areas like radiology and drug discovery. The challenge now is integrating those tools into routine care.

The People Who Make It Work

While Jeremy sees huge potential in technology, he is quick to credit the people who bring it to life. "I have worked with incredible clinicians, product teams and leaders who push boundaries despite the constraints," he said.

He points to Professor Dan Lasserson, a pioneer in hospital-at-home models, as an example of the kind of leadership healthcare needs. "He challenged convention, built the evidence base and demonstrated a new way to deliver care," Jeremy said.

Those experiences have helped shape how Jeremy approaches leadership in his current role. "My job is to create the right conditions, whether that’s funding, evidence, or alignment, for good ideas to grow. We underestimate how much behind-the-scenes work it takes to build confidence in something new."

Final Thoughts

For Jeremy, digital health is not about apps or algorithms. "It’s about making healthcare better, more precise, more accessible, and more human." Achieving that, he believes, requires persistence, collaboration and a clear sense of purpose.

"I feel lucky to be part of that journey, and I am excited to see what comes next."