Investors in digital health are a different breed. They invest less than life science investors, and they expect (and receive) more rapid returns. What's more, the corporate, strategic investment funds are not simply the venture arms of big pharma and medtech; health insurers and the tech firms are in there, too. And, guess what – they have entirely different agendas.

Biopharmas and other life sciences firms risk getting left behind by technology firms if they don't begin addressing patient needs more directly through data-driven technological advances, such as those to aid clinical development or treatment decisions with real-time patient data.

Biopharma executives and investors gathered in San Diego on Feb. 28 and March 1 to talk about finding and funding innovation with a focus on novel technology and artificial intelligence that can improve drug discovery and development success rates.