Next Phase Newsletter

A healthcare-focused venture capital firm manages 2 funds, a RMB denominated fund and a parallel USD fund. With the USD fund, the firm generally seeks to make equity investments into emerging life science companies in seed and venture stages; however, the fund also considers commercial-stage companies, depending on the opportunity. The investment size of the USD fund ranges from $5 – $25 million. For the RMB fund, typical investment size is RMB 30- RMB150 million. The firm currently focuses on China-based companies or overseas businesses with a China angle.

The firm is looking for new investment opportunities across a wide spectrum of life science sectors, including Therapeutics, Diagnostics, Biotech R&D Services, Medical Technology and Healthcare IT. The firm is agnostic to disease indications but is most interested in areas with large market potential, including Diabetes, Cardiovascular, Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue, Diseases of the Eye and Oncology. Rare diseases are generally less of interest. The firm is open to invest in both small molecules and biologics, and it looks for all classes of devices. The funds are most interested in companies in preclinical and early-clinical stage, but they are open to companies in late-clinical and growth stage, on a case-by-case basis.

The firm will only invest in private companies. The firm is looking to be an active investor, sometimes taking a board seat post-investment.

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

A VC fund based in the USA that was founded in 2016 invests in many sectors, including cloud based enterprise SaaS, Property Tech, and life sciences & healthcare. Within the life sciences, the firm is interested in therapeutics, medical device, digital health and healthcare IT companies. The firm generally invests in Series B and later rounds, and can invest anywhere from $1-20M in the initial check, and may participate in follow-on rounds. The firm is generally focused on investing in companies based in North America, but will consider global companies if they have a large presence in the US and are focused on the US market.

The firm will invest in therapeutics, medical device, digital health and healthcare IT companies. Within therapeutics, the firm is seeking companies in IND or later stages. In addition, the firm is interested in platform technologies, and will also invest in AI or machine learning based drug discovery companies. The firm will not invest in single asset or single modality companies. For medical devices, the firm primarily invests in 510K pathway devices that are FDA approved. The firm will not invest in DTC devices, and is less likely to consider de novo or PMA devices as well. Furthermore, the firm is most interested in devices that have a continuing source of revenue, such as a software application component. For digital health and healthcare IT companies, the firm is primarily focused on companies with B2B services, and will not invest in digital therapeutics. The firm is interested in companies that have greater than of $3M in ARR.

The firm is willing to lead or co-invest, but will generally take a board seat if they lead the investment round.

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

A private investment firm based in Beijing, China and focused on medical device technologies is formed by pharmaceutical and medical device industry veterans and high-net-worth individuals with a committed capital of US$15 million. Typical investment size ranges from US$1-5 million. The firm is open to leading or following in a financing round. Since 2016, the firm has begun broadening its geographic exposure and is currently seeking seed to early-stage opportunities from the US, Canada, Israel, and China.

The firm is interested in unique, disruptive medical device technologies with a focus on the following target markets: ophthalmic diagnostic or therapeutic device; visual optics technology; home use and personal care device; in-vitro diagnostics (IVD); and surgical equipment and consumables. The firm considers products that have at least completed prototype and obtained in-vivo proof-of-concept.

The firm is looking for competent management teams with strong sector expertise. The firm can request board representation after investment on a case-by-case basis. The firm does not focus only on products with a China angle, however it can aid in identifying strategic partners in the Chinese market.

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

A venture capital firm based in South Korea, affiliated with a leading pharmaceutical company, generally participates in financings of Series B and beyond, participating in Series A rounds on a case-by-case basis. However, the firm has started to look for earlier stage opportunities and is most interested in spin-out assets and forming new companies in South Korea. Within this angle, the firm is highly interested in companies who are interested in entering the Korean market and looking to leverage on the capital and clinical infrastructure in South Korea.

The firm is focused on therapeutics companies and does not invest in medical devices, diagnostics, or digital health. The firm is open to considering assets of very early stages, even those as early as lead optimization phase. The firm considers various modalities, including antibodies, small molecules, and cell therapy. Currently, the firm is not interested in gene therapy. Indication-wise, the firm is most interested in oncology and autoimmune diseases but has recently looked at fibrotic diseases and certain rare diseases as well.

In regards to companies raising a Series A round, the firm prefers working with experienced management teams with high-profile scientific founders being involved. The firm incorporates a different strategy depending on the company’s headquarters. For companies based in South Korea, the firm serves as a hands-on, active investor and seeks board representation. In the USA, the firm prefers to be a more passive investor and generally seeks to co-invest with established venture capital firms that have a footprint in the USA.

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

A large conglomerate headquartered in China’s primary business is in single-use medical devices with a wide range of product lines in consumables, orthopedic materials, and blood purification. The group also have subsidiaries in biopharmaceutical, healthcare services, finance, and real estate. As a leading provider of healthcare system solutions, the firm is actively expanding its healthcare business in China. The group is seeking product-based collaboration opportunities with early stage medical device businesses overseas, primarily through joint venture or incubation. The firm’s newly opened incubator serves as a one-stop shop for early stage medical device companies by providing capital, R&D services, clinical trial services, CFDA registration, and distribution channels. Typical investments range from RMB 1-30 million (US$0.1 – 4.4 M), while there is no set upper limit. The firm would also consider in-licensing opportunities.

The firm is focusing on medical devices with an elevated interest in coronary stent, vascular ultrasound, endoscope, and surgical devices. The firm is also interested in medical technologies that are complimentary to its product line, which includes: i) consumables (infusion sets, syringes, medical needles, blood bags, pre-filled syringes, blood sampling products, and other consumables); ii) orthopedic materials and iii) blood purification consumables and equipment. The group prefers products that have received FDA clearance/approval or at early commercial stage, while it is also open to projects that are pending an FDA decision. The group would also consider biopharmaceutical assets in kidney diseases.

The firm is seeking strong management teams with mature products that have received or are close to receiving regulatory approval. The firm is interested in forming joint venture or attracting overseas companies to its incubator.

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

A famiily office located in Canada looks to invest in clinical stage medical devices and diagnostics technologies as well as digital health companies. The firm looks to invest in companies with large market opportunities. The firm prefers to invest in Canadian companies, but will consider companies outside of Canada if they wish to expand to the Canadian market. The firm prefers to co-invest alongside other investors, and will invest $100,000-$250,000 in the initial investment, potentially contributing to additional rounds of funding.

The firm is looking for device companies, either in the medical device or diagnostic space. The firm will also consider digital health companies, focusing on mobile applications. For devices and diagnostics, the firm prefers 510k devices, but will consider PMA devices as well. These devices should be in the clinical development phase. The firm is indication agnostic, but does look for there to be a large market potential.

The firm looks for companies with strong management teams with good team dynamics, although previous entrepreneurial experience is not required.

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

A healthcare-focused venture capital firm invests in companies and people that are changing the way people treat human health through new approaches and technologies. The firm invests in early-stage technologies to build the next-generation companies. The firm partners with companies early on as the firm looks to support visionary teams, cutting-edge healthcare technologies and those at the forefront of medicine. The firm’s teams are based in Boston and Taiwan.

For early-stage therapeutics, the firm focuses on novel approaches that achieve differentiated therapeutic results, regardless of modalities. The firm will engage with pre-clinical developments where there is compelling science with cell and/or animal model proof of concept data and invests through pre-clinical and early clinical proof of concept stages. Key areas of interest include, immunological diseases, neurological diseases, metabolic diseases, and infectious diseases.

For digital health technologies, the firm looks for technology platforms that enable pertinent scientific insights into drug development and design or novel approaches to enhance delivery of care from providers to patients. Key areas of interest include, synthetic biology, machine learning for drug discovery (proteomics and metabolomics), and tools that help reduce healthcare costs.

The firm is looking for experienced management teams with strong scientific expertise and management skills.

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