Hot AI Mandate: Singapore-based VC with Strong Interest in Platform Technologies Leveraging AI/ML

1 Jun

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 its fifth fund, Fund V, 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. 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 resi@lifesciencenation.com.

Hot Mandates: US-Based Family Office

1 Jun

The family office provides strategic and operational support for the founding individual’s investment initiatives and entrepreneurial endeavors. The firm has a history of successful investments in well-known companies. The firm invests from seed to pre-IPO companies worldwide.

The fund is agnostic across life science sectors, including platforms, therapeutics, devices and tools, and services and including discovery, early stage preclinical and clinical-stage opportunities, though open to commercial-stage or adjacent discovery/development technologies.

The firm seeks companies with founders who have a clear vision, highly differentiated technology, and desire to build a durable business.

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

Hot Mandates: Venture Arm of Insurance Company

1 Jun

The venture firm is based in the US, managing a corporate venture fund for a major insurance company. The firm looks to invest in companies of strategic interest to its insurance company LP while seeking strong financial returns. With the fund, the firm is looking to make investments ranging from $1 – $20 million over the lifetime of the investment in stages ranging anywhere from seed to buyout. The firm is actively reviewing new opportunities and will consider companies located around the globe. The firm also manages other funds that seek to invest in food and agriculture companies and insurtech companies, respectively.

Within the healthcare space, the fund looks to invest in sectors of Healthcare IT, Services, Diagnostics, and Devices.

The firm is looking for companies with experienced management teams and prefers working with complete teams although they also have experience and are willing to work with incomplete management teams as well. The firm is looking for privately held companies and is open to either lead or co-invest in rounds. The firm generally looks to take a board seat following an investment.

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 Vision Care Company

1 Jun

The company is a health-focused vision care company committed to cultivating the eye health start-up ecosystem. The firm has five business units in ophthalmic innovation, eyewear, lenses, insurance, and practice management. With nearly 90 million members and 30,000 eye care professionals in network, the company’s reach is unprecedented. The firm is looking to invest or partner with companies from seed to revenue stage, investing as early as POC through commercially available products. The firm is interested in technologies from all sectors that are related to eye health (including ocular surface disease, myopia, and glaucoma), or diagnostics or treatments for eye problems caused by other diseases, such as diabetes or neurological diseases. The company will consider seed through late stage investing and partnerships with companies in the US and abroad.

The company will consider all companies associated with vision, ophthalmology, and vision care. This includes all sectors, and could range from new therapeutics to treat glaucoma to digital health technologies to improve vision insurance. VSP Global will also consider technologies treating vision problems that are secondary effects of other indications, such as diabetes.

The firm can lead or co-invest. In addition, the firm will use their network for help with product rollout, if relevant.

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

Digital RESI June Innovator’s Pitch Challenge Finalists

27 May

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

claire

With the next Digital Redefining Early Stage Investments (RESI) conference taking place in less than two weeks, Life Science Nation (LSN) is pleased to announce the fifty companies presenting in the Digital RESI June’s Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC).

The IPC’s unique format and approach to connecting startups to investors has made it a popular feature at Digital RESI, and the team has received a record number of applications from startups across the globe. These sessions are not only helpful for companies trying to increase their exposure in the life sciences community, but also for investors who are actively looking at early-stage innovations. Many have found IPC sessions a fun and productive way to engage with one another.

The ten sessions are divided based on sector and types of technologies, with each session featuring five companies and a panel of investor judges for live engagement and a Q&A segment. If you’re interested in seeing a live pitch session and connecting with investors who are a fit for your product and stage of development, there’s still time to register for Digital RESI June. Select a logo to learn more about each finalist company:

Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #1 (Oncology)
Tuesday, June 8, 11:00AM – 12:00PM EDT
 

Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #2 (Medical Devices)
Tuesday, June 8, 1:00PM – 2:00PM EDT
 

Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #3 (Digital Health)
Tuesday, June 8, 3:00PM – 4:00PM EDT
 

Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #4 (Diagnostics)
Tuesday, June 8, 5:00PM – 6:00PM EDT
 

Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #5 (Therapeutics)
Wednesday, June 9, 12:00PM – 1:00PM EDT
 

Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #6 (Novel Drug Delivery)
Wednesday, June 9, 3:00PM – 4:00PM EDT
 

Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #7 (Medical Devices & Diagnostics)
Wednesday, June 9 5:00PM – 6:00PM EDT
 

Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #8 (Therapeutics & Diagnostics)
Thursday, June 10, 12:00PM – 1:00PM EDT
 

Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #9 (Advanced Therapies)
Thursday, June 10, 3:00PM – 4:00PM EDT
 

Innovator’s Pitch Challenge #10 (Therapeutics)
Thursday, June 10, 4:00PM – 5:00PM EDT

How to Optimize and Expedite Regulatory Approval with Amarex

27 May

By Elizabeth Murphy, Manager of Business Development, LSN

Amarex Clinical Research is part of the Digital Redefining Early Stage Investments (RESI) June Service Provider Showcase, and will be hosting a live workshop on Tuesday, June 8 at 12:30 PM EDT. Join President and CEO, Dr. Kazem Kazempour for the workshop, Approaches to Expediting U.S. FDA Submissions/Trial Initiations & Acceptance of Foreign Data by the U.S. FDA. Register for RESI June today and sign up to join this workshop and take advantage of Digital RESI June’s lineup of insightful investor panels and the premier match-based partnering system. 

Approaches to Expediting U.S. FDA Submissions/Trial Initiations & Acceptance of Foreign Data by the U.S. FDA

Dr. Kazem Kazempour, President & CEO, Amarex Clinical Research, LLC

Sponsors who submit investigational new drug (IND) or investigational device exemption (IDE) applications to the U.S. FDA receive many benefits for their clinical products. These include fast turn-around time from submission to trial approval, the ability to submit in parallel to regulatory agencies outside of the U.S., guidance from the FDA at no cost, access to accelerated approval pathways when applicable, and preparation for approval in other countries. Taking advantage of all available FDA approval pathways is a key factor in successfully expediting clinical product development. Once the FDA deems an IND/IDE as safe to proceed, effective clinical trial strategies that take advantage of all regulatory pathways are paramount to reducing time to market approval. Adaptive trial designs and parallel processes are major components to consider at the trial design and conduct stages. Non-U.S. generated clinical data is accepted by the U.S. FDA, but with provisions, and allows for starting trials in the U.S. at a later stage in the process. Acceptance criteria exist to help sponsors use clinical data from outside the U.S. and knowledge of practical issues, e.g., regulatory, logistical, scientific, and administrative, are essential.

A Match Made at RESI: Part II

27 May

By Rory McCann, Marketing Manager & Conference Producer, LSN

Antoine Prestat and Michele Marzola met at Digital RESI March and spent the past several months building up a strategic partnership that will help launch French biotech, PEP-Therapy into clinical trials this summer.

In Part II of our two-part interview about Michele and Antoine’s strategic partnership, we discuss how PEP-Therapy stood out at RESI, and how Antoine worked with investors for a strong Series A raise.

Check out Part I of our interview and if you’re looking to get in front of qualified investors at Digital RESI June, there’s still time to sign up!

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