14 Notable Life Science Venture Capital Firms

For founders in the Life Science space, preparing to raise capital means knowing which investors to approach. Finding a partner who understands the specifics of biotechnology, medtech, or digital health is a critical step in any successful fundraise.

To help you connect with the right people, our team has curated this guide to the top Life Science venture capital firms. It’s a straightforward overview designed to help you quickly identify relevant investors for your startup.

Actively raising? You can now access non-dilutive funding options like venture debt and credit lines through Rho Capital. Rho also provides access to business banking, corporate cards, and bill pay—built for startup teams moving fast.

Key Takeaways

• For a Life Science startup, securing venture funding means gaining the capital for lengthy research and development and partnering with investors who understand the field.
• Leading venture firms active in the Life Science sector include RA Capital Management, SV Health Investors, DCVC Bio, and Fifty Years, which are notable backers of many growing companies.
• Whether you are actively raising or have just closed a round, Rho helps you manage your new capital with integrated tools for business banking, corporate cards, and bill pay.

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

Whether your company is just starting out or getting ready for an exit, knowing who to approach is crucial. We've created this overview to show which Life Science VC firms invest at each stage.

Pre-seed and Seed VC Firms in Life Science

Pre-seed and seed funding are the earliest forms of capital, intended to help you turn an initial idea into a viable product and gain early traction. For founders at this stage, biotech venture capital firms like Breakout Ventures, Fifty Years, and Tachyon Ventures specialize in backing scientist-entrepreneurs from the very beginning.

Early Stage VC Firms in Life Science

Early-stage funding, typically Series A and B, is for companies with a proven concept and initial market validation, aimed at scaling operations and product development. Some of the top healthcare venture capital firms focusing on this phase include DCVC Bio, Genoa Ventures, and 5AM Ventures.

Late Stage VC Firms in Life Science

Late-stage rounds support established companies preparing for an exit, such as an acquisition or an initial public offering (IPO), by financing growth and market expansion. Prominent life sciences venture capital firms with deep experience in this area include RA Capital Management, SV Health Investors, and MPM Capital.

Many VC firms invest across multiple startup funding stages. If you're looking to supplement your equity round, Rho Capital can connect you to non-dilutive funding options like venture debt to extend your runway without giving up more equity.

To help you identify the right investors, we've compiled an overview of leading VC firms in the Life Science space. Below, you'll find information on their preferred investment stages, geographic focus, and specific areas of expertise that set them apart.

1. RA Capital Management

RA Capital Management is an investment advisor focused on the life sciences and drug development sectors. They support companies from their earliest stages through to public offerings and beyond.

The firm is known for backing major industry players, including the mRNA vaccine developer Moderna. Their broad investment range, from seed to post-IPO, shows a commitment to supporting companies throughout their entire growth cycle.

This firm is a strong potential partner for founders in biotech and medtech who need an investor with deep scientific expertise and the capital to support long-term development. Once you secure funding, Rho can help you manage your new capital with integrated banking, cards, and AP.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture, Post-IPO, Private Equity
• Industries of focus: Biotechnology, Life Science, Medical, Drug Development
• Geographical presence: Boston, MA
• 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 venture capital firm that invests in the biotechnology and healthcare industries. They have a long track record of backing companies that are working to solve significant medical challenges.

The firm supports companies across their entire lifecycle, from seed funding through to post-IPO stages. Their portfolio includes notable exits like the telehealth platform Amwell and the insulin-pump developer Insulet Corporation.

This firm is a good fit for founders in biotech or medtech seeking a partner for the long haul, with the ability to provide continuous support as your company grows. Once you secure that funding, Rho’s integrated platform helps you manage and deploy it with tools for banking, corporate cards, and automated payments.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture, Post-IPO, Private Equity, Debt
• Industries of focus: Biotechnology, Health Care, Life Science, Medical Device
• Geographical presence: Boston, MA
• 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 venture capital fund that invests in early-stage life science companies driven by deep-tech approaches. They focus on businesses where complex computational and engineering challenges are central to the mission.

The firm backs companies with ambitious scientific goals, such as AbCellera, which developed a COVID-19 antibody treatment in just 90 days. This signals a clear preference for founders tackling fundamental problems in biology and agriculture through technology.

This firm is a strong match for founders with a deep-tech background who are applying engineering principles to life sciences. If you're looking to supplement your equity round, Rho Capital can connect you to non-dilutive funding options like venture debt to extend your runway.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: AgTech, Biotechnology, Life Science
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, CA
• Founded: 2018
• Notable portfolio companies: AbCellera, BioPhero, MycoWorks
• Portfolio size: 59 investments

You can refer to their website here.

4. Fifty Years

Fifty Years is an early-stage venture fund that backs entrepreneurs building companies to solve the world's biggest problems. They focus on supporting founders who are driven by a clear mission to create positive global impact.

The firm's portfolio shows a clear preference for ambitious, deep-tech solutions, with investments in companies like Opentrons, which makes open-source lab robots, and the high-profile digital identity project Worldcoin. This signals their commitment to backing founders tackling fundamental challenges.

This firm is a great match for early-stage founders with a strong sense of purpose and a vision for solving major societal issues. Once you secure funding from a mission-aligned partner, Rho’s integrated platform helps you manage and deploy it with tools for banking, corporate cards, and automated payments.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Impact Investing, Life Science
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, CA
• Founded: 2015
• Notable portfolio companies: Opentrons, Worldcoin, Substack, Invitae
• Portfolio size: 150 investments

You can refer to their website here.

5. Breakout Ventures

Breakout Ventures is an early-stage fund that supports scientist-entrepreneurs working to bring their research from the lab to the market. They focus on backing companies built on tangible scientific breakthroughs.

The firm shows a clear preference for deep-tech companies tackling major challenges in health and sustainability. Their portfolio includes companies like Cytovale, which developed a rapid sepsis test, and Twelve, which converts CO₂ into sustainable fuel.

This firm is an excellent match for founders with deep scientific expertise who are building companies based on core technological innovations. Once you secure your seed round, Rho’s integrated platform can help you manage your new capital with tools for banking, corporate cards, and bill pay.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Life Science, Advanced Materials, Energy
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, CA
• Founded: 2016
• Notable portfolio companies: Twelve, Ecovative Design, Cytovale, Immusoft
• Portfolio size: 35 investments

You can refer to their website here.

6. Anzu Partners

Anzu Partners is an investment firm that backs technology companies in the industrial and life science sectors. They focus on businesses built around significant scientific and engineering innovations.

The firm supports companies with tangible breakthroughs, from Banyan Biomarkers' FDA-approved blood test for brain injuries to the open-source electronics platform Arduino. Their track record includes guiding companies to public listings, showing their ability to support ventures through their entire lifecycle.

This firm is a solid choice for founders whose companies are rooted in deep industrial or life science technology. Once you secure funding, Rho’s integrated platform helps you manage and deploy it with tools for banking, corporate cards, and automated payments.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture, Post-IPO, Private Equity, Debt
• Industries of focus: Biotechnology, Industrial, Life Science
• Geographical presence: Washington, DC
• Founded: 2014
• Notable portfolio companies: Banyan Biomarkers, Arduino, Pivotal Systems
• Portfolio size: 73 investments

You can refer to their website here.

7. 5AM Ventures

5AM Ventures is a venture capital firm that finances life science companies, with a focus on seed and early-stage investments. They aim to build businesses that can address significant medical needs.

The firm has a strong track record of guiding companies to successful exits, including IPOs and acquisitions by major pharmaceutical players. Their portfolio shows a clear preference for therapeutics, from gene therapy to drug development, signaling deep industry expertise.

This firm is a strong match for founders developing novel therapeutics who need a partner with a proven history of taking companies public. Once you secure funding, Rho’s integrated platform helps you manage and deploy it with tools for banking, corporate cards, and automated payments.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture, Post-IPO, Private Equity
• Industries of focus: Biotechnology, Life Science
• Geographical presence: Menlo Park, CA
• Founded: 2002
• Notable portfolio companies: Achaogen, Audentes (Astellas Gene Therapies), Crinetics Pharmaceuticals
• Portfolio size: 198 investments

You can refer to their website here.

8. Genoa Ventures

Genoa Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies at the intersection of biology and technology. They focus on providing capital to businesses developing innovations in the life sciences.

The firm has a history of backing companies to successful outcomes, including the IPO of Caribou Biosciences and the acquisition of Zymergen. This demonstrates their ability to support founders from the initial stages through to major exits.

Genoa Ventures is a good match for founders with a strong scientific background who are building technology-driven life science companies. Once you secure funding, Rho’s integrated platform helps you manage and deploy it with tools for banking, corporate cards, and automated payments.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Genetics, Health Diagnostics, Life Science
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, CA
• 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 provides funding to life science startups. They support companies from their earliest stages through to later rounds of financing.

The firm has a strong record of guiding companies to successful exits, including the IPOs of the antibody-therapeutics company Immunome and the neurodegeneration drug developer Annovis Bio. This history demonstrates their experience in helping life science startups achieve major public market or acquisition milestones.

This firm is a good match for founders in biotechnology who are building a company with the goal of an IPO or acquisition. Once you secure funding, Rho’s integrated platform helps you manage and deploy it with tools for banking, corporate cards, and automated payments.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Biotechnology, Life Science
• Geographical presence: Philadelphia, PA
• Founded: 2003
• Notable portfolio companies: Immunome, Annovis Bio, Relmada Therapeutics
• Portfolio size: Over 190 investments

You can refer to their website here.

10. Tachyon Ventures

Tachyon Ventures is a venture capital firm that backs early-stage life science companies working on new developments in medicine and bioengineering. They focus on providing seed and early-stage capital to support founders from the beginning.

The firm has a history of backing companies to significant outcomes, including the CRISPR platform Mammoth Biosciences, which reached a valuation over $1 billion. Their portfolio also features several successful exits, such as the acquisition of DTx Pharma by Novartis.

This firm is a strong fit for founders in biotech with ambitious, science-driven ideas who are looking for an investor with a record of guiding companies to major exits. If you're looking to supplement your equity round, Rho Capital can connect you to non-dilutive funding options to extend your runway.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Biotechnology, Life Science
• Geographical presence: Los Angeles, CA
• Founded: 2017
• Notable portfolio companies: Mammoth Biosciences, DTx Pharma, Totient
• Portfolio size: 20 investments

You can refer to their website here.

11. MPM Capital

MPM Capital is a biotechnology investment firm that funds companies developing therapeutic technologies, with a specific focus on oncology. They support businesses across their entire lifecycle, from initial seed rounds to post-IPO stages.

The firm has a strong record of guiding companies to successful public offerings, including Dyne Therapeutics and Cullinan Oncology. This history points to their deep experience in navigating the path from clinical trials to commercial success.

This firm is a strong match for founders in therapeutics who are building a company with the goal of an IPO or major acquisition. Once you secure funding, Rho’s integrated platform helps you manage and deploy it with tools for banking, corporate cards, and automated payments.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture, Private Equity
• Industries of focus: Biotechnology, Health Care, Life Science, Oncology
• Geographical presence: Boston, MA
• Founded: 1996
• Notable portfolio companies: Dyne Therapeutics, Entrada Therapeutics, Adaptimmune Therapeutics, Cullinan Oncology
• Portfolio size: Over 300 investments

You can refer to their website here.

12. LifeSci Venture Partners

LifeSci Venture Partners is an investment firm that provides capital to early and late-stage life science and healthcare companies. They focus on supporting businesses from their initial growth phases through to later stages of development.

The firm has a strong record of guiding companies to the public markets, with portfolio companies like Erasca and Caribou Biosciences completing successful IPOs. This signals their expertise in helping founders navigate the path from a private company to a public one.

This firm is a great match for founders in therapeutics, gene-editing, or healthcare technology who are building a company with an IPO in mind. Once you secure funding, Rho’s integrated platform helps you manage and deploy it with tools for banking, corporate cards, and automated payments.

• Investment stages: Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Health Care, Life Science
• Geographical presence: New York, NY
• Founded: 2017
• Notable portfolio companies: Erasca, Caribou Biosciences, Centessa Pharmaceuticals, Augmedix
• Portfolio size: 39 investments

You can refer to their website here.

13. Casdin Capital

Casdin Capital is a research-driven investment firm that concentrates on the life sciences and healthcare industry. They apply a fundamental approach to identify and back companies across the industry.

The firm has a history of backing high-profile companies, with key investments in consumer genetics pioneer 23andMe and DNA sequencing firm Oxford Nanopore. This focus on innovative, data-driven businesses signals a preference for founders at the intersection of technology and biology.

This firm is a strong choice for founders in areas like genomics, diagnostics, and AI-powered drug discovery who need a long-term partner. Once you secure funding, Rho’s integrated platform helps you manage and deploy it with tools for banking, corporate cards, and automated payments.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture, Post-IPO, Debt
• Industries of focus: Life Science, Biotechnology, Financial Services
• Geographical presence: New York, NY
• Founded: 2012
• Notable portfolio companies: 23andMe, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Lyra Health
• Portfolio size: Over 230 investments

You can refer to their website here.

14. SAV (Scale Asia Ventures)

SAV, or Scale Asia Ventures, is a venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley that supports technology entrepreneurs with global ambitions. They primarily invest in companies at the seed and early stages across several technology sectors.

The firm has a strong record of guiding companies to successful acquisitions by major technology firms like Hugging Face and CrowdStrike. This focus on strategic exits suggests they are skilled at identifying startups with valuable, integrable technology.

SAV is a good fit for early-stage founders in enterprise software, fintech, or life sciences who are building a company for a strategic exit. Once you secure that seed funding, Rho’s integrated platform can help you manage your new capital with tools for banking, corporate cards, and bill pay.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage Venture
• Industries of focus: Enterprise Software, FinTech, Life Science
• Geographical presence: Palo Alto, CA
• Founded: 2021
• Notable portfolio companies: Argilla (acquired by Hugging Face), Cloudvector (acquired by Imperva), Reposify (acquired by CrowdStrike)
• Portfolio size: 61 investments

You can refer to their website here.

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

This overview of Life Science investors reveals a robust and well-balanced field. For founders, this means there are firms ready to support companies at nearly every point of development. Many investors on this list provide capital from the earliest seed rounds through to public offerings, offering stability for growing businesses.

While investment activity is concentrated in biotech hubs like Boston and the Bay Area, the presence of firms in other major cities shows that opportunities are widespread. The key is to identify investors whose stage and scientific focus align with your company's goals.

After you secure funding, managing it well is critical. At Rho, our integrated platform provides the banking, corporate cards, and payment tools you need to deploy your capital efficiently, so you can concentrate on the science.

Raise Confidently with Rho

Having a focused list of relevant investors is invaluable when your time and energy are limited during a fundraise. We created this guide to help you connect with the right partners for your Life Science company.

If you’re seeking funding, Rho Capital connects you to non-dilutive funding options like venture debt and credit lines through a fast, guided process. We help you access financing tailored to your business without chasing lenders.

Once your capital is secured, our integrated platform provides the tools you need to manage it well. Rho offers business banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay to help you deploy funds efficiently.

FAQs about Venture Capital Firms Focused on Life Science

Which US cities are hubs for life science venture capital firms?

Key hubs include Boston and the San Francisco Bay Area, where firms like RA Capital and DCVC Bio are based. Other cities like New York and San Diego also have a strong presence of investors focused on this sector.

How do I find early-stage healthcare venture capital firms?

To find early-stage partners, research firms that focus on Seed and Series A rounds. Review their portfolios to see if they have a history of backing companies in your specific area, such as therapeutics or medical devices.

Are there life sciences venture capital firms in Europe?

Yes, the life sciences investment community is global. The UK, Germany, and Switzerland are home to many specialized venture capital firms. Founders should research investors in their region who have a track record in their specific scientific field.

What is the difference between biotech and medtech VCs?

Biotech VCs often focus on therapeutics, drug discovery, and biological processes. Medtech VCs typically invest in medical devices, diagnostics, and health technology platforms that improve patient care and hospital workflows.

What do life science VC firms look for in a pitch?

Investors look for a strong scientific foundation, a large addressable market, and a clear regulatory pathway. They also want to see a founding team with the technical and business expertise to bring the product to market.

How can Rho help my startup during and after fundraising?

Our Rho Capital division connects you with non-dilutive funding options to extend your runway. After you raise, our integrated platform provides banking, cards, and AP tools to manage your capital effectively. Get started with Rho.