Microsoft's former Windows lead heads up new health data company Truveta

Myerson's new company is ready to bring new insights from thousands of exabytes of health deta generated every year.

What you need to know

• Microsoft's former Windows Chief, Terry Myerson, has launched a new health data company.
• Called Truveta, the company's mission is to help generate insights from thousands of exabytes of health data generated every year.
• Myerson left Microsoft in 2018 amid a shakeup within the Windows organization.

Terry Myerson, the former head of Windows at Microsoft, has launched a new company. Called Truveta, the company is a big shift away from the world of operating systems, focusing instead on health data. Truveta's goal is to help generate insights from the thousands of exabytes of health data generated every year.

"As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our world, loved ones, and daily lives, the opportunity to apply data in the development of breakthrough health solutions has never been clearer," Myerson said in an introductory post on Truveta's blog. "We will pursue this vision in close collaboration with health systems, life science researchers, physicians, and others in the health community."

Myerson says the "health industry is swimming in data," but much of it is "unstructured, siloed, and inaccessible for insights that would improve patient care." Truveta's goal, it would seem, is to help break down those walls. However, Myerson is quick to note the company's emphasis on data privacy as well.

"We know health data is unlike other data. It is the very definition of personal," Myerson said. "While we embark on our pursuit to generate knowledge and insights to improve diagnoses and treatments, we know we must do so with the utmost caution to protect the privacy of the people we ultimately seek to serve: patients."

Myerson left his executive vice president role at Microsoft in 2018 amid a large shakeup in the Windows organization. He had overseen Windows since 2013, and had been at Microsoft for 21 years. Since leaving, Myerson has assumed roles at Madrona Venture Group and The Carlyle Group.

"Having lost my father to cancer at a young age, I learned early on the tragedy of loss," Myerson said. "I am grateful at this point in my career to focus my efforts on my passion to help patients and their families."