Hot Mandates: Texas-based Seed Fund

A seed fund founded in 2016 and based in Austin, TX. The firm has an initial fund of $20 million. The firm focuses in investing in women-led startups; the firm will only invest in companies that have at least 1 woman working full-time on the executive team. The firm typically makes seed investments of $500,000, with a majority of their capital reserved for follow-on rounds. The firm focuses on US startups but will also consider opportunities outside of the US with a US-based entity.

The firm invests in healthcare companies in which consumers are involved in the use of or purchase of the product or service. The firm does not invest in drugs, PMA devices or in purely B2B technologies. Areas of interest include wearable medical devices, software used by patients or their caregivers, products that support seniors in aging in place, and products for wellness and prevention of disease. The firm does not invest in products based on unproven science, and the company needs to be able to demonstrate that the product or technology improved clinical outcomes; however, the firm is open to investing in pre-revenue products.

The firm only invests in companies with at least one woman on the executive team. The firm will invest in companies that face operational risk, but not companies that face scientific risk. The firm would consider investing in digital health companies that have not yet conducted pilot studies with customers provided these companies have a strong IP position.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email LHI@lifesciencenation.com.

Hot Mandates: US-Based VC Investor

A newly established venture capital firm based in the USA. The firm just successfully closed the first round of their fund ($20M target). The firm invests globally in medically related early-stage companies. Initial size of investment ranges from $250 – 500K. While the firm is focused on USA-based companies, the firm is open to considering companies across the globe.

The firm invests in medtech and digital health companies. While the founder has decades of experience as an oculofacial plastic surgeon, the firm is generally opportunistic and will consider any promising technologies that address unmet medical need. The firm has looked at AI companies, digital health/software companies implementable in medical practices, etc. In terms of stage of development, the firm is open to investing as early as pre-prototype, given that the company has properly researched the idea behind their technology.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email LHI@lifesciencenation.com.

Hot Mandate: VC Invests In Tech-Based Digital Health or Diagnostics Companies With China Angle

Founded in 2002, a venture capital firm is looking to invest in tech-based digital health and diagnostics companies looking to expand to the Chinese market. The firm primarily invests in European companies but will consider US-based companies as well. The firm looks to leverage their connections in China and the Chinese market to help its portfolio companies, and usually invests between $2-10M in each company, taking a 15-30% equity stake. The firm prefers to be a lead investor, taking an active role in their portfolio companies and typically make 2 investments per year, depending on their fund cycle. In cases where the firm does not invest funds, they are also willing to offer consulting services for equity, connecting companies with strategic partners in China.

The firm has an additional partnership model that, instead of making direct investments, licenses technologies through a Chinese platform company, acting as a focused distributor for entry into the Chinese market. This is the firm’s alternate investment approach to bring these technologies to the Chinese market, by utilizing this Chinese platform company to serve as their portfolio company’s representative in China to navigate the regulatory environment and spearhead all of the sales and marketing.

The firm is interested in tech-based companies that are not consumer-focused, such as diagnostics tools or AI/machine learning technologies in the healthcare space. The firm has some experience with pathology and diagnostic-related companies but is willing to consider other areas as well. The firm prefers to invest in a few companies within the same area, choosing complementary technologies between their portfolio companies. The firm will consider companies with technologies that are in development or in pilot stages. The firm is an active investor and takes a board seat for every company in which they invest.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email 4dmeetsai@lifesciencenation.com.

Hot Mandate: Asia Based VC With Strong Interest In Drug Discovery Platforms Leveraging AI/ML

A venture capital firm founded in 2005 is headquartered in Singapore and Shanghai, with additional offices in Hong Kong, New York, and San Diego. In 2017, the firm closed the 5th fund of over $220M and is actively seeking investment opportunities across a wide range of industries. 1/3 of the fund is dedicated to global/USA-based life sciences and healthcare investments, while the rest of the fund will focus on investing in China and Southeast Asia-based companies. In addition, the firm is expecting to close its sixth fund, Fund VI, this year, targeting $500M. On average, the initial size of investment is in the $2-5M range but the firm has the capacity to invest more in companies they identify as a strong fit. The firm can participate anywhere from Seed to Series B, but Series A is their sweet spot.

The firm is an opportunistic investor and will consider therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, and healthcare IT companies. However, the firm will generally avoid single therapeutic assets and those that are pre-clinical or earlier. The firm is open to novel medical devices of all FDA regulatory pathways, including 510k and PMA. The firm is strongly interested in platform plays, or technologies that have implications in multiple disease areas or indications. Examples include novel drug delivery platforms, drug discovery platforms that leverage AI or machine learning, regenerative medicine, etc.

The firm considers the management team’s character and entrepreneurial spirit – more so than the team’s experience – as one of the most important factors in the investment screening process. Each partner of the firm will dedicate their time to become acquainted with the management team and determine their degree of fit. The targeted market and the company’s competitive edge are also important considerations. The firm prefers to act as the lead investor and will seek board representation, but is also open to co-investing.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email 4dmeetsai@lifesciencenation.com.

Hot Mandate: California Based VC Interested in ML/AI Applications In Digital Health

Founded in 2005 and located in California, a venture capital company has just under $70 million in assets across 2 funds and makes equity investments into companies ranging from a few hundred thousand dollars to two million with additional capital reserved for follow-on rounds. The firm is looking for companies located throughout the United States and plans to make 4 new investments over the next 6-9 months.

The firm is looking for companies developing Medical Devices, Diagnostics, Healthcare IT products and Life Science Research Tools with an emphasis on fast-to-market, low capital intense products that reduce the cost of delivering quality healthcare. For Healthcare IT investments the firm is most interested in machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) applications and is generally not interested in Telehealth and EMR solutions. The firm is open to all sub-sectors and indications in the Medical technology space except for those targeting diseases and disorders of the spine. The firm will invest in both seed and later-stage companies.

The firm is looking for companies with skilled and experienced management teams. The firm generally looks to take a board seat into companies after investment and play an active role in the management. The firm is willing to invest in both public and privately held companies.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email 4dmeetsai@lifesciencenation.com.

Hot Investor Mandate: VC Firm Invests Up to $6M in Life Science Companies Seeking to Enter China Market, Open to All Sectors

A venture capital firm with main offices in China currently manages three funds including both RMB and USD funds. On average, the initial size of investment is in the $1-6M range, but the firm has the capacity to invest more in companies they identify as a strong fit. The firm has several innovation centers across China focusing on different special areas in life sciences and medical devices. With over 8 years operating experience of international medical technology incubators, the firm looks to tailor its services to help portfolio companies reaching key value-added milestones. The firm will consider opportunities based in China and around the globe. The firm is actively supporting global companies to China market by leveraging the fund’s connections with leading hospitals and KOLs in China.

The firm is a flexible and opportunistic investor that is currently considering Therapeutics, Medical Devices, Diagnostics, AI, and Biotechnology R&D Services. The firm is opportunistic in terms of sub-sector and indication and is willing to consider companies targeting orphan indications. The firm is open to novel medical devices of all FDA regulatory pathways, including 510k and PMA. In terms of therapeutics, the firm will look at products in pre-clinical stages. Regarding medical devices and diagnostics, the firm will invest at any stage of development.

The firm will invest in privately held companies only, and the firm can participate as either lead or co-investor. The firm has no specific requirements for the management team. The firm may take a board seat in applicable cases.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email mandates@lifesciencenation.com.

Hot Investor Mandate: Early-Stage Healthcare VC Firm Looks for Cell Therapy & Regenerative Medicine-Related Technologies in Therapeutics, Diagnostics, and Digital Health

An early stage venture capital firm dedicated to building next generation companies in the healthcare sector is focused on the cell therapy and regenerative medicine sector and will consider opportunities encompassing therapeutics, diagnostics, and those harnessing data to revolutionize the sector. The firm partners with passionate teams that are backed by strong scientific platforms and will primarily invest in preclinical stage assets, contributing $1 – 2M initially. With operations in Japan and the United States, the fund take a global approach to building value in their portfolio by linking these two important life science markets and leveraging the respective advantages of each ecosystem.

The firm invests exclusively in technologies relating to cell therapy and regenerative medicine, including precision medicine tools and discovery of new treatment modalities. The company can be in therapeutics, diagnostics or digital health. The firm’s primary areas of interest are oncology, autoimmune disorders, CNS, cardiovascular, renal and liver. The firm invests exclusively in technologies relating to cell therapy and regenerative medicine, including precision medicine tools and discovery of new treatment modalities. The company can be in therapeutics, diagnostics or digital health. The firm’s primary areas of interest are oncology, autoimmune disorders, CNS, cardiovascular, renal and liver.

Most of the firm’s investments are in companies either located or looking to enter the Japanese market. The firm can lead or co-invest, and will generally take a board seat when leading.

If you are interested in more information about this investor and other investors tracked by LSN, please email mandates@lifesciencenation.com.