Hot Investor Mandate: Global Investment Management Firm Seeks to Invest Up to $10M in First-In-Class and Best-In-Class Therapeutics, Devices, and Diagnostics 

6 May

An investment management firm is led by partners who have been co-founders / founding executives of successfully exited healthtech companies, with expertise spanning various fields of life sciences. The firm is an active investor in life sciences & healthcare, and is open to all stages of development. Typical investment size is $1-2M for early stage companies, though the size can go up to over $10M in later-stage companies. The firm is open to global opportunities. 
 
The firm invests broadly across therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health, with stronger interests in the first 3 sectors listed. The firm seeks first-in-class / best-in-class technologies that address unmet medical need. In terms of indication, oncology is less of a priority, but is still considered. The firm is open to reviewing both pre-clinical and clinical stage technologies. 
 
The firm seeks to work with companies backed by a committed management team. The firm can act as either a lead/co-lead or co-investor. The firm is capable of getting other family offices involved in forming a syndicate on a deal-by-deal basis. 

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

Hot Investor Mandate: Pharma Company Seeks In-Licensing and Co-Development Opportunities With Antibody-Based Therapeutics Across the Globe

29 Apr

A US subsidiary of a mid-sized pharma company in Asia has a robust pipeline of antibody-based and small molecule therapeutics. The firm is currently seeking strategic partnerships involving next-gen technology platforms and novel targets and molecules in the fields of oncology, autoimmune, metabolic, cardiovascular, and other disease areas with unmet medical needs. As one of the leaders in the field of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), there is particular interest in partnering with early-stage biotechs that are developing first-in-class antibodies. 
 
The firm is primarily interested in licensing or co-developing antibody-based therapeutics, including those with novel targets, structures/designs, conjugation chemistries, and linker-payload strategies. 
 
The firm has no specific requirements for the company and management team. 

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

Hot Investor Mandate: Family Office-Backed VC Firm Invests in Therapeutics, Diagnostics, and Digital Health Companies, Open to Global Opportunities

29 Apr

An investment firm backed by a prominent family office currently manages a fund that is focused exclusively on life sciences & healthcare. The firm is focused on investing early-stage companies and open to global opportunities. 
 
The firm seeks to invest in therapeutics, diagnostics, and digital health companies and has no particular preference on specific types of technologies or disease area/indication. The firm prefers to see strong pre-clinical data, and is open to both pre-clinical and clinical projects. The firm does not invest in medical device companies at this time. In addition, the firm invests in other venture capital firms.  
 
The firm seeks to support companies with innovative technology, and is open to working with both first-time and experienced management teams. The firm can act as either lead or co-investor.

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

Hot Investor Mandate: USA-Based Seed Fund Invests in AI-Driven Healthcare Technologies Including Diagnostics, Digital Health, Life Science Tools

29 Apr

A seed fund based in the US focuses on applied AI technologies and invests in three verticals: Digital Health, Enterprise, and Automation. The firm invests $ 500K – $1.5M in seed-stage companies based in the US with capital reserved for follow-ons. 
 
Within healthcare, the firm invests in companies that are primarily software-based. In addition to digital health companies, the firm will co Calibri (Body) nsider diagnostics and R&D services companies, such as smart lab monitoring, genomics-based diagnostics, or AI-driven drug discovery. 
 
The firm will invest only in companies whose primary base of operations is in the US and Canada, and with those focused on the US/Canadian market. While the firm may take a board or observer seat after investing, they do not require it for all of their investments. 

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

Hot Investor Mandate: Asia-Based Investment Firm Seeks Seed to Pre-Series A Opportunities Broadly Across All Life Science and Healthcare Sectors 

29 Apr

A venture studio and investment firm based in Asia currently manages a portfolio with half of the companies from their country of origin, and the half from across the globe (mostly USA, but some in Europe and Asia). The firm invests primarily in Seed to Pre-Series A rounds and focuses on life science and healthcare investments, with typical check sizes around $1-2M. The firm actively seeks global opportunities. 
 
The firm is agnostic towards sectors and indication areas. The firm has invested across all life science sectors, with a diverse portfolio in therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health. As an early-stage focused investor, the firm welcomes projects that are as early as idea or conception stage, and is open to pre-clinical stage companies.  

Previously, the firm had a focus on oncology, infectious disease, cardiovascular disease, and CNS. Regarding diagnostics, the firm had an additional focus on -omics and AI-based diagnostics, as well as infectious disease point-of-care diagnostics. For digital health, the firm is interested in precision medicine drug discovery, wearable sensors, digital therapeutics, home healthcare, and hospital tools. 
 
Though the firm does not have specific areas of interest and has broad interests in life sciences, the firm prioritizes areas with truly unmet need where there has not been enough advancements in delivering a therapeutic solution, and looks for novel technologies that have the potential to address a wide market. To date, the firm has not led investment rounds, but is open to co-leading in the future.  

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

Learn Why Innovators Pitch at RESI Boston This June

29 Apr

Connect with top investors and hear how pitching at RESI Boston can move your company forward.

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

Each RESI conference, the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC) allows life science entrepreneurs to present their technologies to a panel of active investors and strategic partners. Companies pitch live to an audience of relevant investors, receive direct feedback, and make meaningful connections critical to their next stage of growth.

The Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC) continues to demonstrate its impact as a key catalyst for fundraising and visibility. Success stories continue to emerge: at RESI JPM 2024, Convergence Medical, who won second place at the IPC and subsequently closed a $5 million Series A funding round led by Avicella Capital, a member of LSN’s Global Partnering Network.

Meet Some of Our Past Investor Judges
The Innovator’s Pitch Challenge is defined by the quality of its judging panel. Each session features active investors and strategic partners who bring deep expertise in early-stage life investment. Past IPC judges have included representatives from:

Brent-Ahrens
Brent Ahrens
Canaan Partners 		Jeroen-Blokhuis
Jeroen Blokhuis
General Inception  		Chris-Church
Christopher Church
AstraZeneca
Tom-Gibbs
Tom Gibbs
Debiopharm Innovation Fund 		Chris-Haskell
Christopher Haskell, Ph.D.
Johnson & Johnson Innovation		 Claire-Leurent
Claire Leurent
AbbVie Ventures 
Fiona-Mack
Fiona Mack
Bayer 		 Jeffrey-Moore
Jeffrey Moore
MP Healthcare Venture Management 		 Stephanie-Rusinkiewicz
Stephanie Rusinkiewicz
Medtronic
Joachim-Scholpp
Joachim Scholpp
Boehringer Ingelheim		 Christopher-Tan
Christopher Tan
Merck		 Tad-Weems
Tad Weems
Agilent Technologies 

These seasoned judges provide live, interactive feedback, offering startups not just visibility but a chance to start lasting conversations with global early-stage investors.

Hear From Past IPC Winners
Past IPC participants have shared how the experience helped move their ventures forward:

Diana Caldwell, CEO and Co-Founder of Amplified Sciences, shared,
“Participating in the IPC was a pivotal moment for our company. The opportunity to present our technology to a room full of engaged investors and receive immediate feedback was invaluable. It not only validated our approach but also opened doors to partnerships we had not anticipated.”

John Qiao, Founder and CEO of RadioClash, said,
“RESI’s Innovator’s Pitch Challenge provided a rare chance to engage directly with investors in a dynamic setting. The interactive feedback helped sharpen our fundraising strategy, and the conference environment led to meaningful follow-up meetings.”

Michael Yu, Founder and CEO of EYWA Biotech, noted,
“The IPC experience was energizing and highly beneficial. It forced us to hone our pitch to its essentials, and the conversations we had during and after the event helped expand our investor network in ways that continue to pay off.”

Beyond the pitch session, IPC participants receive a dedicated exhibit space in the RESI Exhibition Hall, full access to one-on-one partnering, and the chance to win complimentary registration to a future RESI conference.

If you are an early-stage entrepreneur working in therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, or digital health, the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge at RESI Boston is your opportunity to stand out.

Apply today to pitch at RESI Boston, taking place June 16, 2025, and move your fundraising forward. Space in the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge is limited, and competition for spots is high. Now is the time to apply and secure your chance to be part of RESI Boston this June.

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Seed Funding Hits Lows, Investor Pull Back, Sentiment Down — But Opportunities Remain for the Savvy

29 Apr

Sougato-DasAmid one of the toughest biotech markets in years, seed funding for young companies has fallen to its lowest level in a decade. According to Atlas Venture’s Bruce Booth, only about 55 biotech startups in the U.S. raised initial funding in the first quarter of 2025 — a nearly 70% drop compared to the peak in early 2021.

“It is getting tougher. When there’s no IPO market, there’s no B rounds, and then there’s no A rounds, and there’s no seed rounds. It all trickles down,” said Søren Møller, managing partner of seed investments at Novo Holdings. Søren also conveyed that due to the market confusion caused by tariffs and the shifting positions thereof, his $160B fund would slow investment until there is more certainty. With regards to IPOs, the CEO of the same fund advised that now is “probably” not a good time to IPO, unless you have to do so, due to the view on interest rates being unclear. Søren’s sentiments were echoed by both Roche and Merck & Co. on the deal-making front.

To add insult to injury, BioCentury’s biotech risk sentiment survey found “Biotech is reeling, fearful and furious about the fallout of tariffs, FDA and NIH policies.” BioCentury reported that the perfect storm, including market downturn, regulatory uncertainty, negative perception of scientific research, and the possible loss of the US as the leader in global biomedical innovation, could signal one of the worst times for the industry “in decades.”

But not everyone sees this contraction as a negative. As Booth wrote in his blog on biotech venture creation, “it’s a great time to start new biotech companies” precisely because of the scarcity. With fewer startups competing for capital, talent, and patients, the few companies that do form today could become tomorrow’s market leaders.

The “supply-demand” dynamics favor the brave: when new company creation slows, venture firms creating startups have a clearer runway. As Booth put it, “With scarce startup supply, when investor demand returns — which it will — founding and early equity holders will be rewarded.” He pointed to past examples like Alnylam (founded in 2002) and Nimbus (founded during the 2009 downturn) as proof that tough times can seed future giants.

Beyond the U.S., global funding opportunities could offer a lifeline for biotech founders. As domestic venture firms tighten their wallets, international investors — including Asian corporates, and Middle Eastern sovereign wealth groups — are increasingly active in scouting early-stage innovation. Seeking funding globally not only diversifies a startup’s investor base but also opens doors to broader partnership and commercialization strategies.

As Booth reminds early-stage entrepreneurs, “big doses of discipline are important medicine” — with startups needing to sharpen plans, tighten budgets, and be open to strategic partnerships. But for those who endure, today’s brutal market could create the “emerging stars of the 2030s.” At Life Science Nation, we’ve tracked hundreds of companies that have attended RESI, used our investor database, and attended our entrepreneurial education courses, and know one thing for sure: It is ultimately a numbers game. The more investors you meet, the higher your chances of getting funded or additional funding are. That’s why the RESI conferences feature hundreds of investors funding pre-seed to B rounds – to help life science companies in times like these fast-track their fundraise.

Sources:

  • Biotech seed rounds sink to lowest level in years as industry slump drags on by Kyle LaHucik, Endpoints News
  • Biotech Venture Creation: The Benefits of Scarcity by Bruce Booth, LifeSciVC blog
  • Biotech sees a new, hard era ahead, survey finds: BioCentury’s Risk Sentiment survey, BioCentury
  • Novo Holdings dials back investment as Trump stymies economic forecasters, Bloomberg, as reported by Fierce Biotech

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