Vertex Ventures HC (VVHC), a women-led global healthcare investment firm, is excited to announce the launch of its third and largest fund of $200 million. Fund III will be deployed to support and empower groundbreaking life sciences and medical technology companies aiming to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes.
“As technology continues to reshape industries and science continues to advance, VVHC recognizes the tremendous potential of companies that hold promise for transforming healthcare and driving societal impact,” said Lori Hu, Managing Director, San Francisco. “As one of the few women-led funds in the healthcare sector, we are proud of our track record of success in supporting visionary entrepreneurs from company formation through exit.”
VVHC is anchored by a science-first, diversified investment strategy and is led by Managing Directors Lori Hu and Christine Brennan. Individually and together, they possess deep combined investing and operational experience, having led numerous investments in companies that have exited through mergers and acquisitions (M&A) or initial public offerings (IPO). With a focus on the long term, VVHC has an emphasis on improving diversity at the Board and C-suite and to develop teams that are well positioned for success.
“With our third fund, we will continue to fuel the growth and advancement of medicines by providing capital, strategic guidance, and invaluable expertise to companies developing cutting-edge solutions and to weather the ups and downs of market cycles,” said Christine Brennan, PhD, Managing Director, Boston.
VVHC Fund III will seek investment opportunities in early-stage companies that demonstrate disruptive technologies, breakthrough research, and a clear path towards developing new medicines for patients. VVHC’s extensive network of industry experts, entrepreneurs, and researchers will play a pivotal role in supporting portfolio companies, providing access to valuable resources, strategic partnerships, and mentorship.
Fund III will be led by Lori Hu, a founding team member of VVHC, and Christine Brennan, PhD, who joined VVHC in 2022 following roles at MRL Ventures Fund and Novartis Venture Fund. David Van Meter joined this year as a Venture Partner and brings significant operating experience in medical technologies as the former CEO of Ivantis, which was acquired by Alcon. In addition, industry veterans George Golumbeski, PhD, and Faheem Hasnain continue as Venture Advisors, lending decades of deep operational and business development expertise.
Since its founding in 2014, VVHC has $550M assets under management and invested in more than 25 portfolio companies to bring transformative therapies and healthcare technologies to patients, including nearly 20 clinical-stage assets and three products cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). With a strong international investment network and links to Asia, VVHC offers unique benefits to its portfolio companies including connections for business development, manufacturing, clinical collaboration, and fundraising opportunities.