From Neuroscience to Venture Capital

Farley alum Lauren Risenhoover (’23) shares her journey from studying neuroscience to investing in early-stage digital health companies.

While many students enter college with predetermined career paths, Lauren Risenhoover’s ('23) journey reflects the value of staying open to new opportunities and embracing unexpected directions that align with your passions. Initially aspiring to become a surgeon, her path has led her through a neuroscience degree, healthcare-focused investment banking, and ultimately to venture capital.

Today, as a digital health investor at 7wire Ventures, Risenhoover helps support startups that are transforming the healthcare experience. Her time at Northwestern, particularly through the Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, provided her with the tools to think creatively about making an impact in healthcare beyond the operating room.

Below, Risenhoover shares insights from her Farley education, career progression, and how entrepreneurial thinking shapes her approach to investing in healthcare innovation.

What brought you to study at Northwestern?

In high school, I hoped to become a surgeon, but I wanted to go to a school where I could explore my interests outside the typical pre-med track. Northwestern’s quarter system stood out to me as it gave me the flexibility to study a wide range of subjects. While I majored in neuroscience, I also enjoyed taking courses in Spanish, history, economics, and entrepreneurship, which helped broaden my perspectives. Plus, as someone who grew up in Texas, where football is a big part of the culture, I was excited about attending a Big Ten school. Go ’Cats!

How did your interests evolve from pre-med to business?

I joined a business fraternity at the beginning of my first year and had a mentor who encouraged me to explore internships in healthcare-focused investment banking. At the time, I didn’t even know that banks had specialized healthcare groups, but it sounded like a great way to combine my interest in healthcare with my desire to learn tangible finance skills. Following my second year, I was fortunate to have a summer internship in the Healthcare Group at Goldman Sachs, working primarily on mergers and aquisitions for large biotech companies. It was an invaluable experience that helped me realize the impact I wanted to make in healthcare could be achieved through a business lens.

What led you to venture capital?

During my third year, I came across a flyer for the Farley Center’s Bay Area Quarter program, which immediately caught my attention. I had always been drawn to San Francisco for its strong ties to both entrepreneurship and healthcare. While in the Bay Area, I met many founders building innovative companies from the ground up, which inspired me to think more deeply about how I could make an impact in healthcare. At the time, I was also interning at Homeward Health, a value-based care navigation platform focused on improving healthcare access for rural populations. As one of the early employees, I saw firsthand how the team’s commitment to these communities, often driven by personal experience, could make a tangible difference. The combination of these experiences made me realize that venture capital, where I could invest in and support early-stage companies driving meaningful change in healthcare, was the perfect fit for my skills and passion.

What do you do in your current venture capital role?

At 7wire Ventures, we invest in early-stage digital health companies focused on improving the healthcare experience for consumers. By leveraging technology, our portfolio companies empower individuals to take control of their health, leading to better outcomes and a more efficient and affordable healthcare system. In my role, I identify startups that align with our mission and conduct due diligence on potential investments. I also collaborate closely with our portfolio companies, helping them refine their growth strategies and strengthen their financial operations to drive measurable improvements for their patients.

What lessons did you learn from your Farley Center education?

One of the professors in the Bay Area program often said, “It’s important to have strong opinions, loosely held,” and that phrase has stuck with me. It captures the mindset I developed during the program: having confidence in your ideas while staying open to new information and perspectives. Entrepreneurship is inherently unpredictable – ideas evolve, competitors emerge, and markets shift. Through hands-on projects, including building startups as part of the classes, I strengthened my ability to think creatively and pivot when needed. Working on these projects with students from various academic backgrounds expanded my problem-solving approach and reinforced the importance of collaboration, lessons that continue to influence how I work today.

What does entrepreneurial thinking mean to you, and how do you apply it in your career?

For me, entrepreneurial thinking is about having the humility to realize when something isn’t working and the flexibility to change course. It’s also about understanding your target consumer and building solutions that meet their needs, even as those needs change. In healthcare, this could mean addressing the fragmented patient journey or making care more accessible. At 7wire, we focus on investing in companies that meet patients where they are, offering solutions that are responsive to their unique and changing needs.

What message would you like to share with Farley students?

I’ve found that the entrepreneurial community is incredibly supportive, and people are often more than willing to offer advice if you take the initiative to reach out. In fact, every job I’ve had began with a cold email. Northwestern alumni are particularly enthusiastic about helping current students. Whether you're interested in healthcare, venture capital, or anything related to Northwestern, I’m always happy to be a resource!