Ultra-Wealthy Investors Double Down on AI and Healthcare in 2025

In 2025, ultra-wealthy investors managing family offices are showing a clear preference for artificial intelligence and healthcare investments, even as the overall volume of direct deals has pulled back significantly. According to data from FinTRX, global family offices cut their direct investments by 32% in the first half of this year, yet their commitment to AI-driven healthcare innovations has not wavered. Instead, many are doubling down on ventures that promise foundational technological breakthroughs rather than incremental market improvements. 

This cautious yet focused approach reflects a strategic recalibration amid a fluctuating investment landscape. Family offices have long been known for their patient capital and willingness to engage in longer-term bets. That mindset is clearly evident in 2025, as they increasingly prioritize deep-tech companies over consumer-facing startups. For example, SandboxAQ, a quantum AI company backed by family offices linked to Ray Dalio and Jim Breyer, raised $450 million in funding earlier this year. Hippocratic AI, a startup working on AI to optimize clinical workflows, secured $141 million with investment from Premji Invest, associated with Indian billionaire Azim Premji. 

The healthcare sector, in particular, has been a magnet for capital among ultra-wealthy investors. They are attracted to the potential to solve systemic challenges in healthcare delivery through AI-powered tools. Horizons Ventures, the investment firm backed by Hong Kong’s Li Ka-shing, put $27 million into Owlstone Medical, a company pioneering breath-based disease detection technology. Such investments illustrate a shift from incremental innovation to transformative, capital-intensive developments. 

This trend is not limited to startups alone. Family offices are also investing heavily in the underlying infrastructure necessary for AI’s growth. That includes data centers, high-compute capacity, and specialized hardware firms. The family offices connected to Peter Thiel and Eric Schmidt have made multiple investments in AI and aerospace infrastructure, reflecting an understanding that the backbone technologies enabling AI are where the most durable value might lie. This mirrors historical investment patterns where enabling technologies unlock transformative industrial shifts. 

Data from Goldman Sachs underscores the scale of this shift. Their 2025 Family Office Investment Insights report found that nearly 58% of family offices plan to have overweight allocations in technology sectors, with 86% already exposed to AI-related investments. This aligns closely with a $63.1 billion total AI funding pool in North America during the third quarter of 2025, which represented 57% of all startup financing that quarter. 

Yet the broader picture shows a dichotomy in how family offices participate in the AI ecosystem. While direct investing in startups has declined, financing rounds supported by family offices dropped 46% year-over-year in September according to FinTRX data, they maintain exposure to AI largely through public equities. A Goldman Sachs survey of 245 family offices worldwide revealed that 52% have investments related to AI through primary equity ETFs, whereas only 25% reported direct investments in AI startups. This suggests a balancing act where family offices opt for more liquid and potentially less risky avenues while still capitalizing on AI’s growth narrative. 

Continued investments in healthcare also highlight the sectors’ enduring appeal. Harbor Health, a network of primary-care clinics, attracted $130 million from well-known family offices such as DFO Management, led by Michael Dell. This funding aims to expand insurance offerings and increase clinic locations, blending healthcare service expansion with technology investment. At the same time, family offices remain opportunistic across adjacent sectors, with some purchasing companies like Cos Bar, a luxury beauty retailer, signaling diversification even during a private equity slowdown. 

The rationale behind family offices’ sustained enthusiasm for AI and healthcare strategies can be traced back to their long-term views. Unlike many institutional investors bound by quarterly returns, family offices often bet on multi-decade horizons. Their investment philosophy prioritizes shaping future industries over chasing quick gains. This patient capital is well-suited to AI-healthcare ventures that require extended research and development timelines before delivering commercial impact. 

There are, however, challenges ahead. Regulatory scrutiny around AI and healthcare data privacy is increasing globally, and the capital intensity of these sectors demands resilience and ongoing commitment. Despite these hurdles, the pace of adoption among family offices, who increasingly integrate AI into their everyday decision making and invest strategically, indicates confidence in a structural shift rather than a passing trend. 

As family offices continue to refine their allocations and deepen their expertise, their role as both capital providers and industry shapers in AI and healthcare is set to grow.