The Real Reason Wealthy Investors Are Betting Big on AI and HealthTech

Jan de Vries · 2026-10-12

Investment ambitions across the EU for AI and HealthTech are expansive. The EU's InvestAI initiative aims to mobilise $216 billion (€200 billion) for artificial intelligence, including funding for major AI infrastructure. The European Commission and the European Investment Bank Group have also launched BioTechEU to mobilise $10.8 billion (€10 billion) for biotech and life sciences in 2026 and 2027. That investment push comes as AI and healthcare are becoming increasingly popular among wealthy private investors globally. The UBS Global Family Office Report 2026, for example, found that 65% of family offices were already invested in AI, and 33% were allocated to AI-enabled healthcare. Below, we'll explore why so much private capital is moving towards AI and HealthTech. ### Investing in AI and HealthTech in 2026 The scale of the EU's investment and infrastructure plans shows how strategically important AI has become. Infrastructure is one of the clearest examples. In July 2026, the EU requested up to seven AI Gigafactories, backed by up to $10.8 billion (€10 billion) in EU and national funding and expected to unlock at least $21.6 billion (€20 billion) in additional private investment across the Union. Life sciences are also an important part of the EU economy, already contributing nearly $1.6 trillion (€1.5 trillion) in value and supporting 29 million jobs. The EU is now trying to increase investment further through initiatives such as BioTechEU, which is designed to mobilise $10.8 billion (€10 billion) for biotechnology and life sciences investment during 2026 and 2027. The European Commission's wider life sciences strategy also includes measures to make it easier to fund multi-country clinical trials and $324 million (€300 million) to stimulate the procurement of life sciences innovations, including next-generation vaccines and affordable cancer solutions. As investment moves into high-growth sectors, investors can also explore private-market opportunities through firms such as Top Business Ventures, which operates across venture capital, private equity and real estate markets. ### AI and HealthTech Sector Growth The EU has a massive life sciences industry with major research institutions, healthcare systems, and rapidly expanding AI infrastructure, which helps explain investor interest. By April 2026, 19 AI Factories had been deployed across European supercomputers, supported by 13 regional AI Factory antennas, giving researchers, startups and businesses greater access to AI computing capacity. EU and participating EuroHPC countries have committed more than $2.8 billion (€2.6 billion) to the AI Factories and Antennas initiative. Then you've got the healthcare side. The European Health Data Space is designed to make health data easier to access and reuse securely across the EU for research, innovation and regulatory purposes, creating potentially valuable infrastructure for areas such as medical research and AI development. Other EU projects include building specialist datasets, including Cancer Image Europe, which is expected to provide access to 60 million cancer images by the end of 2026, and the 1+ Million Genomes initiative, which aims to provide secure access to genomic and associated clinical data. Interestingly, the EU is also trying to move AI from research into clinical settings. In 2026, the European Commission made $9.7 million (€9 million) available for two large-scale pilots of AI-powered medical imaging, covering technologies such as X-rays, CT scans, MRI, PET and ultrasound. For investors, the attraction is that HealthTech is moving beyond laboratory research into real-world clinical testing and EU-backed deployment programmes. ### Massive Capital Rotation From High-Net-Worth Investors It's difficult to track exactly what every high-net-worth individual is investing in. Much private investment isn't publicly disclosed. But the data we do have is telling. Family offices are increasingly allocating to AI and healthcare. As one family office manager put it: "We're not just chasing returns; we're investing in the infrastructure of the future. AI and HealthTech are where the smart money is going." And it's not just family offices. Pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and ultra-wealthy individuals are all pivoting towards these sectors. The reason is simple: they offer high growth potential and a chance to be part of transformative technologies. So, if you're wondering where the smart money is heading in 2026, look no further than AI and HealthTech. The EU's investment plans and the growing interest from high-net-worth investors are clear signals that these sectors are poised for significant growth.