About the Sponsors

Sofinnova Ventures

Founded in 1974, Sofinnova Ventures is a San Francisco Bay-Area based, internationally investing venture capital firm with over $1 billion under management. Specializing in corporate spin-outs, the firm finances seed and early-stage companies developing pharmaceuticals and specialty pharmaceuticals. Sofinnova Ventures’ mission is to create value by providing entrepreneurs with the resources, experience and networks necessary to turn their ideas into profitable businesses. The firm has offices in San Francisco, Menlo Park and San Diego, California.

Alta Partners

Alta Partners is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm focused on life sciences investing. Founded in 1996, the firm has raised over $2 billion in capital through eight venture fund programs. Alta invests in life sciences companies across the development continuum, from company formation to later-stage opportunities, and has funded more than 130 companies in the sector to date.

Domain Associates

Founded in 1985, Domain Associates, L.L.C. is a venture capital firm with an exclusive focus on life sciences. Domain’s three major investment segments are pharmaceuticals, specialty pharmaceuticals, and medical devices, while additional areas of interest include biomaterials, bioinstrumentation, and diagnostics. With $2 billion of capital under management, Domain is headquartered in Princeton, NJ with a second office in San Diego, CA.

FinTech Global Capital

FinTech Global Capital (FGC) is a Tokyo based venture capital firm founded in 2006 by a team of accomplished investment professionals with extensive industry background. FGC is dedicated to investing in technology companies both in life sciences and information technology with strong Asian angle. The FGC team has established deep relationships with Asian pharmaceutical and technology companies allowing them to identify unique technology spin-out opportunities. FGC augments its core expertise of investing in spin-outs with the diverse expertise of its team in finance, marketing, business development and entrepreneurial management.

Lazard

Lazard, one of the world's preeminent financial advisory and asset management firms, operates from 39 cities across 24 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Central and South America. With origins dating back to 1848, the firm provides advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and capital raising, as well as asset management services to corporations, partnerships, institutions, governments, and individuals.

Mitsui Ventures

Mitsui Ventures is a leading international venture capital firm with over $350 million under management, and offices in Palo Alto, New York, Tokyo, Beijing and Shanghai. The life science team has been investing in seed and early stage companies in the US and Japan with a special focus on spin-out or carve-out opportunities from the established institutions in Japan, with further developments taking place in the US or Europe. The current portfolio includes 15 life science companies, and many of them are based on the intellectual properties assigned or licensed by Japanese institutions.