Hot AI Mandate: US-based Family Office Interested In Medical Devices, Diagnostics & AI-related Digital Health 

7 Dec

A family office based in New York, NY is looking to invest in medical devices and diagnostics, but will also consider therapeutics and digital health. The firm prefers companies that have some proof of concept data, with some animal studies complete, and will invest through to clinical-stage companies. The firm generally co-invests in a syndicate, and will invest between $100-500K, depending on the stage of development of the company. The firm is currently interested in investing in companies located in North America.

The firm is focused primarily on medical devices and diagnostics, but will consider therapeutics, if they are first in class, and digital health, with a focus on AI-related technologies. The firm has focused on technologies related to oncology, diabetes and kidney diseases, but will consider other indications as well.

The firm is interested in companies with strong management teams. As the firm will generally co-invest, board representation is not usually required after investing.

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

Hot AI Mandate: Newly Established Europe-Based VC Interested In AI-Related Digital Technologies

7 Dec

A newly established venture capital firm founded in 2020 and is based in Barcelona, Spain. The firm is currently raising its first fund targeting €30M, and expects to close in mid to late 2021 and become fully operative. The firm is actively seeking investment opportunities and performing due diligence on companies they identify as a fit with the firm. The firm’s focus is in Seed to Series A financings and initial size of investment will be around €500K, and can invest up to €2.5M over the life of investment. The firm is open to USA-based opportunities but will focus on those based in Europe, Israel, and Spain where the firm is based.

The firm is exclusively interested in companies in the longevity space. In this regard, the firm is most interested in digital technologies including AI, robotics, data analytics, etc. Traditional therapeutics or devices do not fall within their investment priority, as the firm prefers to seek opportunities that leverage digital technologies to deliver novel therapeutic solutions (i.e. digital therapeutics). The firm is open to very early-stage, pre-revenue technologies and are open to university spin-offs/tech transfers.

The firm is backed by co-founders who have entrepreneurial backgrounds and can be a hands-on investor, assisting with company creation and other support as needed. When investing in companies that are not in geographical proximity to the firm, the firm prefers to co-invest alongside larger VC firms.

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

Hot Longevity Mandate: Japan-Based Pharma Company

7 Dec

The company was established as the pharmaceutical arm of a Japanese firm. The firm has a US licensing and clinical development office. The firm also has a Japan-based sales division. The pharma is seeking to form partnerships and in-licensing relationships regarding early stage assets in its key indication areas. These partnerships are highly flexible, and may involve the pharma contributing personnel, sharing studies and research tools, or providing research expense funding.

The pharma is interested in early-stage, first-in-class, orally active small molecule NCEs. The firm seeks assets in the following key areas: Metabolic / Cardiovascular Diseases (NASH, Heart failure (HFrEF, HFpEF, Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), Diabetic Retinopathy / Diabetic Macular Edema, Chronic Kidney Disease, Sarcopenia), Autoimmune Diseases (Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, IBD), CNS disorders (Alzheimer’s Disease, Schizophrenia). As well as drugs, the pharma is interested in drug targets in these disease areas. The firm is open to forming partnerships regarding very early stage assets, at or prior to the lead optimization phase. For in-licensing for the Japan market, the company is focused on renal diseases, dermatology and allergic diseases. The compay also invests in drug discovery technologies and research tools such as: technologies related to translational research using cell culture, isolated cellular organelles and related mechanisms; HTS technologies; protein structure analysis; chemical biology, chemical synthesis, and chemical libraries; biophysical tools; in silico technologies; biomarkers and bioinformatics screening, biomarker research, and compound libraries.

The company has no specific company or management team requirements.

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

Hot Longevity Mandate: US-Based VC

7 Dec

The firm is a Venture Capital company founded in 1996 and based in Menlo Park, California. The firm has raised 3 funds to date and is currently investing out of its 3rd that closed at $20M. The firm makes primarily equity investments ranging from $250,000 to $5 million over the lifetime of the investment, with $100K-$500K as an initial investment. The firm has closeting term relationships with several large Japanese medical technology corporations and also looks for ventures that they can introduce into the Japanese market. The firm prefers to invest in companies located in the West coast if the US, although they are also open to review opportunities in North America.

The firm is looking for seed and venture-stage medical and diagnostic device companies. In these areas, the firm is most interested in single use therapeutic devices. The preferred regulatory pathway is a 510(k) submission, but PMA applications are also considered. Sectors with the most interest would be interventional cardiovascular and neurovascular devices, less invasive surgical instrumentation, and point of care diagnostics. The firm remains open-minded to other types of devices and indications as well.

The firm looks for professionalism in a venture’s management team and is willing to work with firms that do not yet have a complete management team in place. The firm does not always look to take a board seat in portfolio companies, however they look to add value by developing corporate partnerships in Japan at the appropriate time.

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

Hot Longevity Mandate: West-Coast Based Venture Fund

7 Dec

The firm is a venture fund based in San Diego, California, founded in 2021. The firm has $750 AUM for their first fund and will invest from early to later stage companies. The firm is interested in therapeutics, companion diagnostics, precision medicine, tools and manufacturing services. The firm generally invests $10M or more, but may participate in earlier rounds, primarily as a fund of funds. The firm will invest globally, and prefers companies developing platform technologies or with multiple assets.

Within therapeutics, the firm is interested in small molecules, biologics and cell and gene therapies. Outside of therapeutics, the firm is interested in companion diagnostics, precision medicine, life science tools, and novel manufacturing technologies. Indications of interest include oncology/IO, neurodegeneration, autoimmune disorders, cardiometabolic disorders and rare diseases. The firm is willing to invest from pre-IND all the way to PIPEs.

The firm is willing to lead or co-invest, but is a very active investor, and will take at least one board seat after investment. As an individual investor, the firm prefers to invest at least $10M per company, but may invest in smaller rounds as an LP of another investment firm.

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

Digital RESI JPM Agenda

2 Dec

By Karen Deyo, Director of Investor Research, Israel BD, LSN

As many around the world prepare for a litany of winter holidays celebrated globally, the early-stage life science and healthcare world enthusiastically awaits the start of their own winter festival: JPM Week. Whether virtual, in-person, or hybrid, events associated with JPM Week are expected to fill up with buyers and sellers seeking connections and to make deals.

At Digital RESI JPM, attendees can expect an agenda packed with investor panel discussions, insightful tales from the road from successful entrepreneurs, pitch sessions, educational workshops, and more – all designed to help the early-stage entrepreneur understand their audience and make the connections that best match their product and stage of development. Check out the Digital RESI JPM agenda below and sign up by December 17 to save $200!

Tuesday (1/11) Wednesday (1/12) Thursday (1/13)
10AM EST Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #1 Family Offices Panel Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #8
Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #5
11AM EST Medical Devices Investor Panel Defining and Funding Age-Tech Innovations Panel Diagnostics Investor Panel
12PM EST Workshop (TBD) Workshop (TBD) Workshop (TBD)
1PM EST Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #2 Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #6 Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #9
2PM EST The Regulatory Pathway for AI in Healthcare Panel Digital Health Investor Panel Emerging Products and Technologies for Aging at Home Panel
3PM EST Big Pharma Panel The Early Stage Pivot Panel Corporate VC Panel
Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #3 Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #10
4PM EST Tales from the Road: Age-Tech Innovators on their Fundraising Journey Tales from the Road: Biotech and MedTech Innovators on their Fundraising Journey Tales from the Road: AI Innovators on their Fundraising Journey
5PM EST Longevity Investors Share Their Investment Thesis Longevity Entrepreneurs Discuss Their New Products Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #11
Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #4 Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #7

Digital RESI November IPC Winners

2 Dec

By Claire Jeong, Chief Conference Officer, Vice President of Investor Research, Asia BD, LSN

claire

Last month, Life Science Nation wrapped up its final Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC) of the year. While the team is busy preparing for our next one at JPM Week, January 11-13, we would be remiss not to announce and celebrate the winners of the Digital RESI November IPC!

1st Place
Sana Health
2nd Place
Braingrade
3rd Place
MOWOOT

Apply for IPC with Icon

Learn more about our winners and how they are shaping the early-stage ecosystem with their technology. Winners are chosen by the votes of our attendees who can access their dedicated landing pages and pitch materials, as well as participate in the live Q&A session. If you’re interested in joining the next IPC, applications are open until December 17. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, so send yours in today!

FDA Breakthrough device designation for fibromyalgia (class II), Sana is an audiovisual neuormodulation device that gives anxiety relief on demand, giving it applications across pain, mental health and long covid. We have recently completed a pivotal study in Fibromyalgia with Duke, which will be submitted to the FDA as a Denovo in the next month. We also have a pivotal study underway in Neuropathic pain at Mount Sinai, and two more pivotals in Anxiety and PTSD due to start in Q1. We recently were awarded a DoD grant for PTSD. We are on market under a 513g Designation as a wellness device, allowing for speedy clinical trials and adoption. Future areas – depression, lower back pain and long covid. The user puts on the device, and pulses of light and sound induce deep relaxation or sleep within 16 minutes.

Braingrade is developing a brain co-processor, the next-generation brain-machine interface to enhance human cognition. As it?s first indication, the company is targeting Alzheimer?s Disease (AD). The Braingrade memory implant is a fully implantable (invisible, under the skin) deep brain stimulator. The device is capable of detecting abnormal neural activity across multiple brain regions and applying AI-optimized, patterned, electrical stimulation to rectify affected memory circuit oscillations and restore healthy brain activity. It does this through novel probes that use a new material allowing more electrodes at a smaller scale. Braingrade is comprised of a team of experts in all facets of neuro-engineering, with a proven track record of collectively developing and commercialising neuromodulation devices and includes executives and founders of Neuralink, Paradromics & Blackrock as well as DARPA Scientists.

MOWOOT is a growth stage medical device company treating intestinal transit disorders with a novel, purely physical, non-drug, non-invasive solution.