Sebastian Caliri
The Palantir-to-8VC Pipeline
Partner, 8VC
Overview
Led healthcare at Palantir Technologies — a CIA-backed defense/intelligence data company — where he built relationships with HHS, CDC, and CMS as a vendor. Now invests in health tech through 8VC, a $6B+ fund run by Joe Lonsdale, Palantir co-founder, $1M+ Trump donor, and political confidant of Elon Musk. Sits on a CMS advisory committee while his portfolio companies seek to sell into the same agency.
Career Arc
Professional Timeline
Current
Partner, healthcare team lead
8VC
Led healthcare division
Palantir Technologies
Board member
Candid Health (revenue cycle automation)
Stanford MD program (one year)
BS/MS magna cum laude
Yale — Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry
Business Interests & Affiliations
- •8VC — $6B+ AUM. Run by Joe Lonsdale (Palantir co-founder, ~$3.3B net worth, $1M+ America PAC / Elon Musk's pro-Trump super PAC).
- •8VC healthcare investments include Oscar Health (health insurance) — notable because Bill Gassen also sits on Oscar's board.
- •Palantir healthcare contracts include HHS, CDC, and CMS.
- •Caliri's published position: billing codes constrain innovation; CMS must create new payment categories — i.e., categories his portfolio companies can bill into.
Red Flags
Conflicts & Concerns
Built government relationships at Palantir selling data analytics to CMS and HHS. Now invests in health tech through 8VC. Sits on a committee advising the same agencies his former employer contracts with and his current portfolio companies seek to sell into.
8VC/Lonsdale is a Trump-aligned political operation. Committee appointment connects VC deal flow to federal policy.
Oscar Health crossover: 8VC invested in Oscar; Gassen sits on Oscar's board; both sit on this committee.
Published advocacy for new CMS billing categories is a direct financial interest dressed as policy opinion.
Physician-Owned Hospital Relevance
Caliri represents the venture capital layer seeking to capture new CMS payment categories for health tech. This agenda serves platform companies, not physician owners. No stated interest in physician ownership expansion.
Sources