McKesson this week launched McKesson Ventures, a strategic fund that will invest in early and growth stage companies aimed at tackling the big challenges facing the healthcare industry.

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"McKesson Ventures will help us support the development and commercialization of innovations taking place across healthcare," said John Hammergren, McKesson's chairman and CEO, in a press statement.

"By investing and partnering with entrepreneurs and other investors that can bring new approaches to the challenges our customers are facing, we will accelerate the innovation cycle and further strengthen the value we provide to industry stakeholders across all segments," he said.

McKesson Ventures is actively making minority investments in companies across the  healthcare industry, officials say, with a focus on those that are driving towards a "stronger, more sustainable future" for healthcare.

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It will seek out companies that are both enabling and benefitting from the disruptive changes affecting the industry, such as increasing consumerism, emergence of alternate delivery models and the shift towards value-based reimbursement.

Tom Rodgers, returning to McKesson after years in the VC space, has joined McKesson Ventures as managing director and leads the fund's investment portfolio. He comes to the fund from Cambia Health, where he led their venture investing efforts, targeting companies helping to lower cost, improve access, and improve the navigability and sustainability of the healthcare system for providers, employers and consumers. Prior to Cambia, Rodgers was a partner at Advanced Technology Ventures.

"McKesson has long been dedicated to staying ahead of its customers' needs, and the establishment of McKesson Ventures furthers its long-standing commitment to the development of innovative healthcare solutions and thought leadership within the industry," said Rodgers in a statement.