14 Notable Life Science Venture Capital Firms

For founders in the life sciences, knowing which investors truly understand your field is critical when raising capital. Whether your company is in biotech, medtech, or digital health, connecting with the right partners can make all the difference.

To help you prepare, our team at Rho has put together this overview of top venture capital firms active in the life sciences. We've curated this list to help you quickly identify relevant investors for your fundraising.

Just raised, or about to? Set up your financial stack with Rho in minutes. We provide the business banking, corporate cards, and bill pay built for startup teams moving fast.

Which VC Firms in Life Science Are Right for Your Stage?

Whether your company is in its early days or preparing for an exit, knowing the right investors to talk to is key. To help, here’s a quick look at which life science VC firms invest at each stage.

Pre-seed and Seed VC Firms in Life Science

Pre-seed and seed funding is the earliest capital you'll raise, often used to validate your core science and build an initial team. For life science founders at this stage, firms like Breakout Ventures and Fifty Years specialize in backing bold scientific ideas from the start, while Tachyon Ventures also focuses on early-stage bioengineering ventures.

Early Stage VC Firms in Life Science

Early-stage funding, typically Series A and B, is for companies with initial data or a prototype and is used to fund clinical development and commercialization efforts. Some early-stage healthcare venture capital firms to consider include DCVC Bio, which invests in deep-tech approaches, and 5AM Ventures, which has a long track record of financing early-stage life sciences companies.

Late Stage VC Firms in Life Science

Late-stage capital is for established companies preparing for a major scaling event, such as an IPO or acquisition. Prominent late-stage investors in the biotechnology space include RA Capital Management and SV Health Investors, both known for guiding companies to public markets and strategic exits.

It's also worth noting that many life sciences venture capital firms invest across multiple stages, from seed to exit.

To help you find the right investors, here is our overview of top VC firms in the life sciences, with key details on their investment stages, geographic focus, and what distinguishes each firm for founders.

1. RA Capital Management

Based in Boston, RA Capital Management is an investment firm that has specialized in the life sciences and drug development sectors since its founding in 2001. They are known for their deep focus on companies working on novel therapeutics and medical technologies.

The firm is distinguished by its multi-stage investment strategy, backing companies from seed rounds all the way to post-IPO and private equity deals. Their portfolio includes major successes like Moderna, highlighting their ability to support companies through significant growth and to public markets.

RA Capital is a strong potential partner for founders in biotech or medtech who are seeking a long-term investor with scientific depth. Their capacity to fund across the entire company lifecycle makes them a good fit for teams with ambitious, long-range plans.

• Investment stages: Seed, venture, private equity, and post-IPO
• Industries of focus: Life science, biotechnology, medical, drug development
• Geographical presence: Boston, Massachusetts
• Founded: 2001
• Notable portfolio companies: Moderna, POINT Biopharma, Shockwave Medical
• Portfolio size: Over 450 investments

You can refer to their website here.

2. SV Health Investors

SV Health Investors is a Boston-based firm that has been investing in healthcare and biotechnology since 1993. They have a long history of backing companies across the life sciences spectrum, from medical devices to new therapies.

The firm supports companies at nearly every stage, from seed funding through to post-IPO and private equity deals. Their portfolio highlights major exits, including the IPO of telehealth platform Amwell and the acquisition of Achillion Pharmaceuticals.

This firm is a good fit if you are a founder in biotech or medtech seeking a partner for the long haul. Their ability to fund across growth stages makes them a valuable ally for companies with plans for significant scaling or a public offering.

• Investment stages: Seed to post-IPO, private equity, and debt
• Industries of focus: Biotechnology, health care, life science, medical devices
• Geographical presence: Boston, Massachusetts
• Founded: 1993
• Notable portfolio companies: American Well (Amwell), Insulet Corporation, Achillion Pharmaceuticals
• Portfolio size: Over 300 investments

You can refer to their website here.

3. DCVC Bio

DCVC Bio is a San Francisco-based fund that invests in early-stage life science companies built on deep-tech platforms. Since its start in 2018, the firm has focused on businesses where complex computational and engineering challenges are central to success.

The firm’s approach centers on applying deep-tech to biology, from agriculture to therapeutics. Their portfolio includes companies like AbCellera, which developed the first COVID-19 antibody treatment, and MycoWorks, which creates a sustainable leather alternative from mycelium.

DCVC Bio is a strong potential partner for founders with a background in engineering or computational science applied to life sciences. If your company's core advantage is a significant technical or scientific breakthrough, their team is well-equipped to understand your vision.

• Investment stages: Seed, early-stage, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: AgTech, Biotechnology, Life Science
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2018
• Notable portfolio companies: AbCellera, BioPhero, MycoWorks, Umoja Biopharma
• Portfolio size: 59 investments

You can refer to their website here.

4. Fifty Years

Based in San Francisco, Fifty Years is an early-stage venture fund that backs entrepreneurs working to solve the world's biggest problems. Since 2015, they have focused on supporting companies with ambitious, impact-driven missions.

The firm’s approach is centered on impact investing, backing companies that can deliver both strong financial returns and positive societal change. Their portfolio includes life science successes like genetic testing company Invitae and lab automation provider Opentrons.

Fifty Years is a great match for founders whose work is fundamentally mission-driven. If your company is tackling a major global challenge in an area like life sciences or deep tech, their team is structured to support your vision.

• Investment stages: Seed, early-stage, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Impact investing, life science
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2015
• Notable portfolio companies: Invitae, Opentrons, Substack, Worldcoin
• Portfolio size: 150 investments

You can refer to their website here.

5. Breakout Ventures

Breakout Ventures is a San Francisco-based fund that backs scientist-entrepreneurs at the earliest stages. Since 2016, they have focused on providing seed and early-stage capital to companies built on foundational scientific work.

The firm invests in businesses commercializing hard science, with a portfolio spanning life sciences, advanced materials, and energy. Their investments in companies like Cytovale, with its rapid FDA-cleared sepsis test, and Immusoft, which engineers cells into therapeutic "factories," highlight their commitment to deep-tech applications.

This firm is an excellent match for founders with a strong scientific background who are translating a research discovery into a commercial product. If your company is built around a core scientific innovation, their team is structured to understand and support your work.

• Investment stages: Seed and early-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Life science, advanced materials, energy
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2016
• Notable portfolio companies: Cytovale, Immusoft, Ecovative Design, Twelve
• Portfolio size: 35 investments

You can refer to their website here.

6. Anzu Partners

Anzu Partners is an investment firm based in Washington, D.C., that supports companies in industrial and life science technology. Since its founding in 2014, the firm has built a portfolio that bridges breakthroughs in biotechnology with innovations in manufacturing and hardware.

What’s distinct about Anzu is its investment strategy, which covers the full company lifecycle from seed and venture rounds to private equity and post-IPO support. Their portfolio highlights this dual focus, featuring companies like Banyan Biomarkers, which created the first FDA-approved blood test for mild traumatic brain injury, alongside the popular open-source electronics platform, Arduino.

Anzu Partners is a strong potential investor if your life science company has a significant industrial or hardware component. Founders seeking a long-term partner who can provide capital and guidance from early development through to a public listing or acquisition will find their approach particularly fitting.

• Investment stages: Seed to post-IPO, private equity, and debt
• Industries of focus: Biotechnology, industrial, life science
• Geographical presence: Washington, D.C.
• Founded: 2014
• Notable portfolio companies: Banyan Biomarkers, Arduino, Axsun Technologies
• Portfolio size: 73 investments

You can refer to their website here.

7. 5AM Ventures

Based in Menlo Park, 5AM Ventures has been financing early-stage life science companies since 2002. The firm focuses on building companies that can deliver new treatments and therapies.

The firm is known for its long-term commitment, supporting companies from seed funding through to public offerings and beyond. Their portfolio shows a strong track record of successful exits, including the IPO of Artiva Biotherapeutics and the acquisition of Audentes.

5AM Ventures is a good partner for founders in biotechnology who are developing novel therapeutics. If you are looking for an investor with deep experience in guiding companies toward major milestones like an IPO or acquisition, they are a strong fit.

• Investment stages: Seed, early-stage, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Biotechnology, life science
• Geographical presence: Menlo Park, California
• Founded: 2002
• Notable portfolio companies: Achaogen, Audentes, Artiva Biotherapeutics, Crinetics Pharmaceuticals
• Portfolio size: Over 190 investments

You can refer to their website here.

8. Genoa Ventures

Genoa Ventures is a San Francisco-based firm that invests in early-stage companies at the intersection of life sciences and technology. Since its founding in 2014, the firm has focused on businesses developing novel tools and platforms in areas like genomics, bioinformatics, and health diagnostics.

The firm has a strong record of guiding companies to successful exits, including the IPO of Caribou Biosciences and the acquisition of Zymergen. This demonstrates their ability to support companies with deep technical foundations through to significant commercial milestones.

Genoa Ventures is a great fit for founders building technology-driven life science companies, especially in instrumentation, diagnostics, or ag-biotech. If your work involves creating new tools or platforms for the industry, their focus is well-aligned.

• Investment stages: Seed, early-stage, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Life science, biotechnology, genetics, health diagnostics
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2014
• Notable portfolio companies: Caribou Biosciences, Zymergen, Mission Bio
• Portfolio size: 35 investments

You can refer to their website here.

9. BioAdvance

BioAdvance is a Pennsylvania-based venture capital firm that has been funding life science companies since its founding in 2003. The firm provides capital to startups across the biotechnology and broader life sciences sectors.

A key characteristic of the firm is its strong record of guiding portfolio companies toward successful exits. They have backed multiple companies through to an IPO, including the antibody-therapeutics developer Immunome, and also supported key acquisitions.

BioAdvance is a good match for founders in the life sciences who are building companies with the potential for a public offering or acquisition. Their experience supporting companies from seed to late stages makes them a solid partner for long-term growth.

• Investment stages: Seed, early-stage, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Life science, biotechnology
• Geographical presence: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Founded: 2003
• Notable portfolio companies: Immunome, Annovis Bio, Relmada Therapeutics, Halo Labs
• Portfolio size: Over 190 investments

You can refer to their website here.

10. Tachyon Ventures

Tachyon Ventures is a Los Angeles-based firm founded in 2017 that invests in early-stage companies in medicine, biotech, and bioengineering. They focus on providing foundational capital to ventures built on significant scientific advances.

The firm's portfolio highlights a focus on platform technologies, including CRISPR company Mammoth Biosciences, which reached unicorn status. Their track record also includes several successful exits, such as the acquisition of DTx Pharma by Novartis, signaling their ability to back high-growth companies.

Tachyon is a strong potential partner for founders at the seed or early stages whose companies are centered on a core bioengineering or biotech platform. If you are developing a foundational technology with broad applications, their experience is a good fit.

• Investment stages: Seed, early-stage, and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Biotechnology, life science, bioengineering
• Geographical presence: Los Angeles, California
• Founded: 2017
• Notable portfolio companies: Mammoth Biosciences, DTx Pharma, Totient, TARA Biosystems
• Portfolio size: 20 investments

You can refer to their website here.

11. MPM Capital

MPM Capital is a Boston-based biotechnology investment firm that has been funding companies developing new therapeutic technologies since 1996, with a particular emphasis on oncology.

The firm is distinguished by its multi-stage investment strategy, supporting companies from seed rounds through to private equity. Their portfolio shows a strong record of guiding companies to successful IPOs, including Dyne Therapeutics and Cullinan Oncology.

This firm is a strong match for founders focused on oncology or therapeutic development who are seeking a long-term partner with experience in taking companies public. Their ability to fund across the company lifecycle makes them a solid choice for teams with ambitious growth plans.

• Investment stages: Seed, early-stage, late-stage venture, and private equity
• Industries of focus: Biotechnology, health care, life science, oncology
• Geographical presence: Boston, Massachusetts
• Founded: 1996
• Notable portfolio companies: Dyne Therapeutics, Entrada Therapeutics, Cullinan Oncology, ElevateBio
• Portfolio size: Over 300 investments

You can refer to their website here.

12. LifeSci Venture Partners

LifeSci Venture Partners is a New York-based firm that provides early and late-stage capital to companies in the life sciences and healthcare sectors. Since its founding in 2017, the firm has focused on backing businesses with the potential for significant clinical or commercial impact.

The firm is notable for its track record of guiding portfolio companies to successful public listings, including the IPOs of oncology biotech Erasca and CRISPR company Caribou Biosciences. This focus on late-stage outcomes suggests a team experienced in navigating the path to an IPO or major exit.

This firm is a good fit for founders in life sciences or healthcare who are building companies with a clear trajectory toward the public markets. If you are seeking an investor with experience in late-stage financing and IPOs, their portfolio is a strong indicator of their capabilities.

• Investment stages: Early and late-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Health care, life science
• Geographical presence: New York, New York
• Founded: 2017
• Notable portfolio companies: Erasca, Caribou Biosciences, Centessa Pharmaceuticals, Biolinq
• Portfolio size: 39 investments
• Number of exits: 17

You can refer to their website here.

13. Casdin Capital

Casdin Capital is a New York-based investment firm founded in 2012, with a focus on the life sciences and healthcare industries. Their approach is grounded in fundamental research, allowing them to deeply analyze opportunities across the sector.

The firm invests across the entire company lifecycle, from seed funding to post-IPO rounds. Their portfolio features several high-profile companies that have reached public markets, with notable exits including consumer genetics pioneer 23andMe and AI-driven drug discovery firm Recursion Pharmaceuticals.

Casdin Capital is a good match for founders in biotechnology and life sciences who are looking for a long-term financial partner. Their ability to support companies through growth and to a public listing makes them a strong choice for teams with ambitious commercial goals.

• Investment stages: Seed to post-IPO, venture, and debt
• Industries of focus: Life science, biotechnology, financial services
• Geographical presence: New York, New York
• Founded: 2012
• Notable portfolio companies: 23andMe, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, BridgeBio Pharma, Lyra Health
• Portfolio size: Over 230 investments
• Number of exits: 82

You can refer to their website here.

14. SAV (Scale Asia Ventures)

SAV, also known as Scale Asia Ventures, is a Palo Alto-based firm that backs technology entrepreneurs with global ambitions. Founded in 2021, they focus on helping founders scale their businesses internationally.

The firm invests at the seed and early stages, with a focus on enterprise software, fintech, and life sciences. What's notable is their track record of successful exits to major tech companies, including the acquisitions of Argilla by Hugging Face and Reposify by CrowdStrike.

SAV is a good fit for early-stage founders in enterprise tech or life sciences who are building companies with strong acquisition potential. If your goal is to build a global business and find a strategic exit, their experience is highly relevant.

• Investment stages: Seed and early-stage venture
• Industries of focus: Enterprise Software, FinTech, Life Science
• Geographical presence: Palo Alto, California
• Founded year: 2021
• Notable portfolio companies: Argilla, Cloudvector, Promoted AI, Golden, Reposify
• Portfolio size: 61 investments
• Number of exits: 5

You can refer to their website here.

What This Tells Us About The VC Scene for Life Science Companies

This list shows that the funding environment for life science companies is both deep and varied. You'll find investors that specialize in every stage, from firms that provide initial seed capital to those that guide companies through an IPO. This balance means that no matter your company's current stage, there are potential partners equipped to support your specific needs.

Geographically, while there is a strong presence in established biotech centers like Boston and the San Francisco Bay Area, the field is not limited to these hubs. With active firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., you have access to capital across the country. This diversity gives you more flexibility as you build your company and plan your fundraising strategy.

Raise Confidently with Rho

Knowing which investors to approach is critical when your time and resources are focused on a fundraise. We created this list to help you connect with the right partners more efficiently.

When you've successfully raised capital, the next step is putting it to work. Rho can help you set up your financial stack in minutes.

Our platform provides the business banking, corporate cards, and bill pay you need to manage your funds. This lets you focus on growing your company, not on your finances.

FAQs about Venture Capital Firms Focused on Life Science

Which biotech venture capital firms are in Boston?

Boston is a primary hub for biotech investment. Firms like RA Capital Management, SV Health Investors, and MPM Capital are based there, offering capital and support for companies at all stages, from initial research to public market readiness.

Are there life sciences venture capital firms in the UK?

Yes, the UK and Europe have a strong and growing life science investment community. Many global VCs have offices there, alongside specialized local funds that focus on supporting European biotech, medtech, and digital health companies.

What do early-stage healthcare venture capital firms look for?

Early-stage investors want to see a strong scientific foundation, a clear market need, and a credible team. Having initial data, a working prototype, or a clear path to regulatory approval is often essential for securing funding.

How do digital health venture capital firms differ?

Digital health VCs focus on technology-first solutions like software, AI diagnostics, and telehealth. In addition to clinical validation, they prioritize scalable business models, data strategy, and strong evidence of user adoption or engagement.

How can I manage my funding after a successful raise?

Once you secure funding, managing it well is crucial. Our platform at Rho provides integrated banking, corporate cards, and expense management, helping you put your new capital to work efficiently and focus on growth.