Novartis Venture Fund
UnclaimedAt a Glance
- Check Size
- $5M – $10M
- Stage
- Seed, Series A
- AUM
- $750M
- Sectors
- Biotech
- Founded
- 1996
- HQ
- Basel, Switzerland
About Novartis Venture Fund
The Novartis Venture Fund (NVF) is the venture investing arm of Swiss pharmaceutical group Novartis. Founded in 1996, it states that it was created to foster innovation, drive significant patient benefit and generate superior returns by nurturing and investing in innovative life science companies. NVF manages over USD 750 million in committed capital and more than 40 portfolio companies across North America and Europe, working from bases in Basel, Switzerland and Cambridge, Massachusetts.
NVF focuses on novel therapeutics and platforms that it believes will address unmet patient needs. Its stated sweet spot is investments of USD 5 to 10 million at seed and Series A, while remaining open to later-stage opportunities. The current portfolio is dominated by early drug developers, including protein degradation company Amphista Therapeutics, DNA damage response developer Artios Pharma, complement and fibrosis biotech Mediar Therapeutics, RNA splicing company SpliceBio, and immuno-oncology companies such as CatalYm and Anaveon, along with European startups such as Epsilogen and Tagworks Pharmaceuticals.
NVF has a long track record of exits. The fund says it has supported nearly 40 portfolio companies to access public markets since 1996, from early listings such as Theravance, Idenix and Sirtris to later IPOs including Bicycle Therapeutics (2019), Akouos and Forma Therapeutics (2020), TScan (2021) and Oculis (2023). It is overseen by a board chaired by Michael Hengartner that includes outside life science figures such as Fiona H. Marshall and Michael Gilman, a structure that sits the fund close to Novartis research while keeping a return mandate alongside its strategic one.
Investment Thesis
“NVF describes its purpose as innovation in life science investment and investing in the future health of patients worldwide. It backs novel therapeutics and platforms it believes will address unmet patient needs, and it pursues both patient benefit and superior financial returns rather than strategic fit alone. In practice the fund concentrates on company formation and early rounds, writing USD 5 to 10 million at seed and Series A, while staying open to later-stage deals when the science warrants. Its portfolio reflects a preference for modality and platform companies such as targeted protein degradation, RNA splicing modulation, bispecific and immune agonist antibodies and gene therapy, in both North America and Europe.”
Sector Focus
Investment Stage
Notable Portfolio Companies
Key Team (8)
Anja Koenig
Global Head of NVF
Florian Muellershausen
Managing Director
Marianne Uteng
Managing Director
Laura Brass
Managing Director
Bart Dzikowski
Managing Director, Head of Transactions & Legal
Mathias Frederiksen
Principal
Adam Cotton
Principal
Michael Hengartner
Chairman of the Board
Fund History
NVF was founded in 1996 and reports more than USD 750 million in committed capital from Novartis, with more than 40 active portfolio companies across North America and Europe. The fund is backed by its corporate parent rather than outside limited partners and is governed by its own board of directors. Over three decades it reports nearly 40 portfolio IPOs plus a separate record of trade sales listed on its mergers and acquisitions page. Individual fund vehicle sizes and annual deal pace are not published.
Frequently Asked Questions
What stage does Novartis Venture Fund invest at?
Novartis Venture Fund primarily invests at the Seed, Series A stages. This means they focus on companies that are building their initial product and finding product-market fit.
Where is Novartis Venture Fund located?
Novartis Venture Fund is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Many of their portfolio companies are also based in this region, though they invest across geographies.
What sectors does Novartis Venture Fund focus on?
Novartis Venture Fund focuses on investments in Biotech. Their portfolio reflects deep expertise and networks within these sectors.
What is Novartis Venture Fund's typical check size?
Novartis Venture Fund's typical investment check size ranges from $5M to $10M. Actual amounts may vary based on the stage, sector, and specific opportunity.
How much does Novartis Venture Fund have under management?
Novartis Venture Fund manages approximately $750M in assets under management (AUM) across their funds.
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