The Future ETF of Early-Stage Investments

By Rory McCann, Marketing Manager & Conference Producer, LSN

KYTO Technology & Life Science is not your typical investment firm. They have a unique model that focuses on the financial investment, mentorship and advising, as well as growth and success of early-stage life science technology and their founding teams. Tom Vogelsong is the Director of Deal Flow and he sat down to discuss what makes KYTO’s outlook and processes different, the unique value they add to their portfolio, and exciting developments in the works.

KYTO is a frequent attendee and valuable asset to the RESI community. Get to know Tom and the team at Digital RESI November 16-18. Partnering is open, but there’s still time to sign up and book meetings! Register today to jumpstart your fundraising.

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Hot Investor Mandate: China-Based Government Sponsored Firm Actively Looks For Class II and III Medical Devices With China Market Potential for Investment or In-Licensing

Founded in 2019, a China-based firm sponsored by the local municipal government manages 2 funds that associated with their local incubator: one USD fund of $100MM and one RMB fund of $1,000MM, and is open to global in-licensing opportunities.

The firm focuses on Class II and Class III medical devices at the development stage, especially prototype-ready projects. The firm pays special attention to companies that are developing projects related to stroke, cardiovascular disease, eye disease, and medical robots. Currently, the firm is not interested in the IVD sector.

The firm prefers companies with a Chinese angle and are open to discussing China rights.


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

Hot Investor Mandate: Venture Arm of Pharmaceutical Company Seeks Investment and In-Licensing Opportunities in Oncology, Autoimmune Disease, Inflammation, and More

A venture arm of a pharmaceutical company is looking to make investments around $3 million in companies in the life science space. The firm could make as many as 2-3 investment over the next year and is willing to allocate to companies located around the globe. Besides equity investment, the firm would consider local licensing opportunities.

The firm is currently looking for companies developing therapeutics and is open to small molecules, biologics, and cell/gene therapy. The team is more interested in companies working with single assets although they can consider platform technologies. Indications of interest include Oncology, Inflammation, Orphan diseases, Critical care, Ophthalmology and Autoimmune diseases. The firm tends to be agnostic though and in spite of these focuses, is willing to look at most projects. The team looks for companies that have at least reached in-vivo proof of concept with their lead asset.

The firm looking for privately held companies and prefers companies with experienced management teams in place. The team looks to act as a value-added investor through their strategic alignment with their parent company, and looks to take a seat on the company’s board on a case by case basis. The firm is willing to both lead and co-invest in financing rounds.

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

Hot Investor Mandate: USA-Based VC Firm Seeks New Investment Opportunities, With Strong Interest in Platform Technologies in All Indications

A venture capital firm based in the USA  has two funds under management and is currently investing out of its second fund. The firm seeks to make equity investments into life science companies from early to late stages. The typical investment size ranges from $2 million to $4 million. The firm plans to invest in 2-3 companies over the next 12 months and prefers to invest in companies based in US or Canada.

The firm is currently looking for new investment opportunities in life sciences.  The firm is primarily focused on clinical stage biotech opportunities, and will consider any indication area.  The firm prefers to invest in platform technologies rather than single asset companies.

The firm generally seeks to invest in private companies. The firm has no specific requirements for the company’s management team, and sometimes takes a board seat when investing.  For therapeutics, Excel looks for companies that are developing platform technologies but have a clear plan on moving the lead program forward.

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

Hot Investor Mandate: Firm With Strong Ties to Japanese Market Seeks to Invest in Companies in the Intersection of Life Sciences and Technology Addressing Unmet Medical Need

A professional firm provides management consulting and investment banking services in international corporate development to high technology companies.  The firm has been active in the healthcare sector for over 20 years working with Japanese clients that are looking for new business and/or technology opportunities both in medical device and pharmaceutical sectors. Currently, the firm does not manage its own VC funds but has access to funds prepared for direct investments or through CVCs by the firm’s clients in Japan. The firm is interested in companies from the seed stage through to late-stage venture rounds. The size of Investments varies by stage ranging from $0.5 Million to $3 Million. The firm is particularly interested in companies that have strong strategic fit with the Japanese market.

The firm’s primary focus is on the intersection between IT and Life Science, including POCT, telemedicine, among others.  Technologies involving sensors and materials science are also high focus areas.  For therapeutics, the firm generally does not invest in single-asset companies; therapeutic platform technologies that have the potential to create multiple ‘shots on goal’ are preferred.  The firm focuses on patients for whom there is high unmet need and no currently adequate treatments.  Rare diseases are of high interest.

The firm seeks management teams that exhibit knowledge of how to create a corporate value out of a strong technology.  The firm focuses on technologies that allow the firm’s clients to provide a value-add in joint R&D, manufacturing, or distribution.

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

Hot Longevity Mandate: Europe Based Venture Fund

The firm is a venture capital firm based in the Netherlands, which is entirely specialized in and focused on investing in early-stage oncology drug development companies. Through its Oncology Funds I and II, the firm has invested in 13 early stage companies, of which 6 were founded by the firm. The firm is no longer investing out of their Oncology Fund II and is in the process of closing their Oncology Fund III. For its third fund, the firm seeks to invest in an estimated 10 biotechnology start-ups in cancer treatment. Typical investments are made in equity and with an average ticket size of 10 million Euros over a period of 5 to 7 years. In addition, the seeks to invest 1-2 million Euros in promising academic cancer research projects over a period of 18 months with the aim to transition these projects to New Cos. The firm seeks a lead investor role in companies based in the Netherlands and Belgium, and a co-investor role in other regions. The firm prefers syndicated investments with like-minded investors with equal ticket sizes. The firm’s main focus is on European companies, although they will consider US opportunities.

The firm focuses on a wide spectrum of cancer treatment, including but not limited to small molecules, antibodies, gene therapy, cell therapy, and immunotherapy. The firm supports early-stage companies from incubator stage and preclinical through phase 1. The firm prefers to invest in companies that have underlying platform technologies.

The firm can support management teams by being operationally involved on an interim basis in companies based in the Netherlands, and will frequently set-up companies from scratch with the inventors. The firm can help refine the business plan, R&D plans and provide financial, IP, IT, legal, HR support. If needed, the firm will take up interim-management roles.

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

Hot Longevity Mandate: Midwest Based Corporate Venture Fund

The firm is a corporate venture firm located in Wisconsin. The firm is on its second fund of $150M, and has 4 area of focus: fintech, digital health, data analytics and insurtech. The firm has made 36 investments total and the average check size is around $1M in Seed or Series A rounds. The firm’s capital structure is typically SAFEs and priced rounds. The firm also has a second venture fund of $5M for Pre-seed and Seed rounds, and this fund is exclusively for companies located in Wisconsin. The firm invests across the US and Canada.

The firm’s main areas of focus are fintech, digital health, data analytics and insurtech. Since the firm is a branch of a legacy life insurance company, within the insurtech and fintech sectors, the firm focuses on the evolution of the consumer wallet and how they can develop new products in partnership with startups. Within the digital health sector, the firm focuses on data collection and items that can influence their underwriting models, electronic med records, wearables, remote monitoring devices, and the firm is looking more into implantables in the future. The firm isn’t interested in physician scaling tools, or any companies focused solely on hardware. The firm is open to pre-prototype companies.

The firm looks for diverse management teams, with 2 or 3 founders. The firm likes to see subject matter expertise, traction in product development or alpha/beta testing, and repeat founders are a plus, but not required. The firm also looks for a strong advisor team. The firm typically co-invests.

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