Next Phase Newsletter

A venture philanthropy firm based in San Francisco, CA provides seed grants of $350,000 to 8-10 early stage companies per year.  Companies must reach specific milestones in order to receive instalments of the grant.  Grants are in the form of a convertible note that, if the company raises a Series A round, will convert based on the Series A valuation; however if the company fails before raising a Series A round, no debt will be due.  Additionally, when a portfolio company becomes revenue-generating or is acquired, the firm receives a 3% royalty payment capped at 3x the value of the grant.  The firm funds companies throughout the USA.

The firm invests in fundamental technological breakthroughs that intersect hard science (including life sciences) and technology.  In the case of therapeutic technologies, only novel technologies are of interest; repurposed/biosimilar assets are not of interest.  The firm is interested in platform technologies rather than companies developing a single biotech asset.  The firm works with very early-stage companies requiring capital to meet specific milestones, and therefore does not fund human clinical trials.  The firm has experience of investing in life science companies across the therapeutics, diagnostics, medical technology and biotech R&D tools sectors.

The firm funds companies that have raised less than $1 million of outside capital.  In addition to financing, the firm assists portfolio companies with business strategy, presentation, and finding strategic partners and investors.  Generally a company works with the firm for two years prior to raising a Series A round.

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

The corporate venture arm of global pharmaceutical company based in Japan is looking to provide equity capital to seed and venture stage companies in the life science space. The firm is looking to provide companies with as much as $5 million over the lifetime of the investment and plans on making 2-3 investments over the next year. The firm will invest in companies located anywhere around the world.

The firm is currently looking for companies developing Therapeutics and Platform Technologies. The firm is looking for companies in this sector working with small molecules, vaccines and biotherapeutics. Indications of interested include nephrology, cardiovascular, immunology, inflammation, stroke, metabolic disease and the firm is especially interested in companies working with therapies for CNS disorders and orphan indications. Ideal companies will have assets either in preclinical stages or in Phase I of clinical trials.

The firm strongly prefers that the company has a strong management team with experience in the industry. The firm is looking to allocate to companies that will eventually be able to partner long term with its parent company.

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

A single family office based in the western United States makes seed-stage and venture-stage equity investments; typical seed investments are of $250,000-500,000 initially with the potential for follow-on financing of up to $3 million.  The firm is open to opportunities worldwide, and currently has portfolio companies in North America, Europe and Oceania.

The firm focuses on brain health, with 80% of the fund’s investments occurring in this indication area.  The firm’s mandate encompasses both diseases of the nervous system and psychiatric disorders, with a particular interest in Alzheimer’s disease.  The firm is open to investing in therapeutics, diagnostics and medical devices, and is interested in interdisciplinary approaches.  The firm seeks early-stage opportunities, but will also consider later-stage opportunities.  The firm’s prior investments include drug discovery for treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, and novel diagnostics including a tool that tracks early cognitive decline.

The firm strongly prefers to invest in privately held companies.  The firm only backs top scientists pursuing breakthrough approaches, and does not invest in “me-too” ideas.  In the medical technology sector the firm prefers to invest in companies developing platform technologies with multiple potential applications.

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

A life sciences venture capital firm based in Canada with an additional office in the US is currently investing from two new funds totaling approximately $165 million of new capital under management. The firm typically makes initial investments ranging from $1-$5 million of equity and looks to invest $8-$12 million over the lifetime of the investment. The firm plans to make 4-6 investments over the next 12 months and evaluates opportunities throughout the US and Canada.

The firm is currently looking for companies developing Therapeutics, Medical Devices, and Healthcare IT. The firm has a special interest in immunology, inflammation, cell therapy, vaccines and protein based therapies, although the firm will also consider other small molecule and biologics therapies in other areas. The firm is looking for companies with assets in phase I and II of clinical trials that have at least some human proof of concept with either early human efficacy signs or very strong animal data coupled with human safety data. In the medical devices space the firm is opportunistic in term of device type but also requires some in human data to be evaluated for investment. In the past the firm has invested in devices for cardiology, obesity, medical imaging, and others. In the healthcare IT space the firm is most interested in subsectors of mobile health, patient monitoring and consumer based technologies, particularly in products that help make healthcare systems more efficient.

The firm is looking to invest in companies that are pre-revenue and located throughout the United States and Canada. The firm does not look to take an active role on the management team but does look to take a board seat.

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

A global private equity firm headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with additional offices in Hong Kong, New York, London, and Cairo is currently seeking new opportunities. The firm is backed by two family offices and employs a co-investment strategy. The firm currently has USD 330 million AUM and invests across a spectrum of private equity strategies including leading and/or participating in direct investments in the angel/seed, growth, and buyout stages. The firm typically invests up to USD 100K at the angel stage and USD 5-15 million for growth and buyout stages. The firm takes an active minority position without its growth strategy investments. The firm invests in companies based in the US, EU, and Middle East. The firm is actively seeking new investment opportunities.

In Healthcare, the firm is currently interested in HCIT companies and to a lesser degree medical technology. Devices such as wearable devices with a major software component are of interest. The firm does not generally invest in Class II and III devices. The firm may be interested in services or technology companies that are related to biotechnology.

The firm seeks a strong and entrepreneurial management team and typically requires board representation in its portfolio companies.

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

A family office founded by a successful medical device entrepreneur can make investments ranging from approximately $500,000 to $100 million into companies and due to its funding structure has no requirements for holding period or capital structure. The firm makes investments in the forms of equity, controlling interest, in-licensing, MBO/LBO, growth capital and is also willing to co-invest. The firm is looking for companies located around the globe and makes around 5-15 investments in a given year.

The firm is looking for companies in sectors of Biotech Therapeutics and Diagnostics, Medtech, Heathcare IT, R&D Services, and Biotech Other. The firm is willing to consider all indications including orphan diseases, though they have some additional interest/experience is areas of Women’s Health, GI, Oncology, Cardiovascular, and Personalized Medicine including Proteomics and Genomics. The firm is most interested in companies that are in Phase II or later, nearing commercialization where the firm is capable of utilizing its operating company to scale up the company’s sales, marketing and distribution. That being said the firm has made earlier stage investments in the past and is open to considering highly innovative and compelling early stage companies. The firm is also interested in companies developing consumables/reagents, service providers, food and nutraceuticals.

The firm looks to work with management teams with experience and grit and generally looks to take a board seat although it is not a requirement. The firm looks to leverage the use of its operating company to assist the company’s sales marketing and distribution efforts as well as providing assistance in operations management.

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

Allocation Information:

An investment holding company based in China specializes in equity investment, debt financing, and equity investment services. With capital commitment from both public and private investors, the firm currently has total assets under management of over RMB 1 billion (US$160.52 million). Since 2001, the firm has made equity investments in 189 seed-stage projects, 65 growth-stage projects, and 42 mature-stage projects. The firm focuses on pre-series A to series A investments of up to US$2 million; as well as on series B to pre-IPO investments of up to US$50 million. Allocations are made in equity and convertible notes. The firm seeks to invest in China-based companies or foreign businesses with China-based partners or seeking to enter the Chinese market.

Sectors & Subsectors of Interest:

The firm is interested in innovative technologies across various sectors including life sciences. Within life sciences, the firm is open to all technologies including small molecule therapeutics, biologics, medical devices, and diagnostics. The firm invests in all stages of development with a special interest in clinical-stage assets.

Company & Management Team Requirements:

The firm is looking for experienced management teams and typically syndicates with other investors and takes 20%-30% minority stake in a financing round. One of the firm’s subsidiaries operates on an incubator model that offers capital, mentorship, and business advisory services to investee companies.

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