Top 50 Biotechnology Startup Investors in Oceania in October 2024

Uniseed was established in October 2000 as a $20 million joint venture between the University of Melbourne (UM) and the University of Queensland (UQ). This proof of concept fund (Fund-1) operated with significant input and support from the commercialization offices of the two universities (UniQuest and Melbourne Ventures Limited), with staff ofthese organizations making up the majority of the Investment Committee and leading due diligence and management of most investment opportunities. Over 20 investments, typically of $250,000 - $500,000 were made from this fund.A new $40 million venture fund (Fund-2) ran from 2005-15, with the addition of a third leading university, the University of New South Wales, and a major private institutional investor, the Westscheme superannuation fund. The founding universities (UQ & UM) also committed further funds. Australian Super took over Westscheme's essets and commitments in July 2011.With the start of Fund-2, an independent management team was established, consisting of the CEO and three Investment Managers; one at each university catchment. The Investment Committee was restructured, with dedicated committees established for biotechnology or other technologies. The nominal investment limit was increased to $2.5 million to allow participation in follow-on funding rounds so as to preserve Uniseed's equity position.On 1 November 2015, Uniseed started its third and largest fund (Fund-3) with the addition of the University of Sydney and the CSIRO to the Universities of Queensland, Melbourne and NSW. This followed three high profile exits in the preceding 14 months (Fibrotech; Spinifex & Hatchtech). Each of the five partners committed $10 million over 10 years to the new fund (total fund $50 million).Uniseed’s partner research organisations spent nearly $4 billion on research, making up over 40% of the total research spend at 67 research organisations in Australia. Together, these organisations accounted for nearly 500 invention disclosures (34% of total) and 500 new registered IP rights filed (45% of total) over the same period(2013 National Survey of Research Commercialisation). Unlike private venture capital funds, Uniseed is dedicated to the needs of its research partners, and committed to servicing them consistently over the long term, irrespective of the short term conditions in external capital markets. It works in very close partnership with the research partner commercialisation companies and staff, providing a valuable adjunct to the capabilities these companies and staff provide. They in turn provide a best-practice commercialisation service tailored to their respective organisations. These companies are able to leverage to great effect the scale of operation and expertise of the Uniseed network.The fund is run with commercial discipline, ensuring independence and financial rigor in its investment decision-making processes. Success is measured by a balance of return on investment (including the flow of funds for research to further the commercialisation of intellectual property generated within the research partner catchments), the establishment of viable start-up companies, the generation of research income for research partners and the improvement of partner commercialisation processes.

Brandon Capital invests in the most promising biomedical opportunities that have the potential to improve the lives of patients.

Medical Research Commercialisation Fund (MRCF) provides dedicated, investment funding to support the commercialisation of early-stage medical research discoveries that originate from its member institutes. The collaborative nature of the MRCF seeks to foster best practice in the commercialisation of medical innovations.

Stoic VC is an early-stage venture fund backing founders at the forefront of University Innovation. We partner with Uniseed to accelerate the commercialisation of university research across the ANZ.

Icehouse Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm. We exist to back the world's bravest Kiwi founders, launching global companies from New Zealand.

OneVentures is one of Australia’s leading venture capital firms, with over $330M in funds under management. But they do more than invest. They take companies to that all important next stage, by actively shaping their future. They apply their years of international experience, operational and executional expertise to accelerate the growth of theirportfolio companies. A global growth focus drives their investment selection with their current portfolio including companies with truly innovative products tackling multi-billion-dollar problems, from needle-free vaccinations to virtual communications to adaptive e-learning.

We work with inventors who are building something hard from their unique expertise in science. These inventors are building the industries that will thrive for the decades to come. We have a unique working model to accelerate a company's pathway to scale.

Melbourne Angels was formed in Melbourne, Australia in early 2007. Melbourne Angels is the leading group of private investors in Victoria who actively invest in early stage and growth technology companies.The group has a strong and experienced core of members that generate deal flow, are experienced in evaluation of business propositions and actas mentors for the other members and the entrepreneurs. The members vary in age, gender, ethnicity, profession and type of experience. All members have experience of success at being entrepreneurial.This award winning group is consistently one of the most active startup investors in the country.

Connecting startup business owners with angel investors to raise capital . Access a network of expertise and investment opportunities.

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Finistere Ventures is an agricultural technology and life sciences venture capital investor. Founded in 2005, the company partners with other entrepreneurs and creative thinkers to build innovative companies that have the potential to transform modern agriculture, increase food security, improve nutrition, and enhance sustainability. Their appliedexperience as operators, and pioneering role in Ag Tech, is actively utilized to benefit its portfolio companies and Partners. Finistere has global access to the best new technologies from centers of Ag Tech excellence in the U.S., Australia, Israel, New Zealand, and Canada through its venture partner networks. Finistere’s locations in San Diego and Palo Alto, California keeps them connected to the centers of mainstream venture investment and the world’s leading innovation ecosystem.

Artesian Capital Management is an alternative investments management company, which was spun out of ANZ Banking Group's capital markets business in 2004, with backing from ANZ Private Equity. Artesian's founding partners, purchased ANZ's stake in 2005. The company has subsequently been fully owned by partners and staff. Since 2004,Artesian has managed specialised funds focused on credit arbitrage and relative-value strategies across global financial markets. In 2008, while continuing to manage credit relative value investment strategies from its New York, London and Singapore offices, Artesian began to make principal investments in seed/early-stage ventures from its offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Shanghai. In 2011, Artesian launched the first of its early stage venture capital funds and now manages AUD +255m. Artesian's VC strategy is to partner with best of breed accelerators, incubators, angel groups and university programs. In 2017, Artesian launched its China VC Fund with a USD 50m cornerstone investment industry super fund Hostplus. Artesian will soon launch a Southeast Asia VC Fund.

Investing in the deep science and technology that can propel humanity towards a radically better future.

K1W1 provides startups and businesses in New Zealand with early and later-stage venture investments.

Starfish Ventures is an Australian venture capital firm focused on information technology, life sciences, and clean technology companies.

Investing in scalable science and deep tech start-ups in Aotearoa NZ. We operate venture capital funds that invest in science and deep tech through a hands-on, active approach.

Yuuwa Capital is a $40M early-stage venture capital firm based in Perth, Western Australia. They are actively seeking outstanding investment opportunities where Yuuwa can provide both capital and expertise to help founders, management and early investors to turn good ideas into great companies.

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The Clean Energy Finance Corporation invests using a commercial approach to overcome market barriers and mobilize investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and low emissions technologies. They seek to catalyze and leverage private sector funding for the commercialization and deployment of clean energy technologies necessary for thetransition to a carbon-constrained economy.

Empath Ventures is a venture capital firm that mainly invests in psychedelic medicine companies. The firm specializes in the fields of investment financial services, finance, and venture capital. It was founded in 2021 and headquartered in Los Angeles California.

SOSV is a global, deep tech venture capital firm that operates the HAX and IndieBio startup development programs focused on human and planetary health. SOSV invests $500,000 in startups at their inception as they onboard either HAX or IndieBio for a 4-6 month period designed to accelerate the raise of their next institutional round. SOSV joins thelater rounds of HAX and IndieBio graduates. HAX, based in a 35,000 sq ft facility in Newark, NJ, is equipped with machine tools, 3D printers, chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering labs, as well as on-staff engineering and design experts. SOSV's IndieBio has locations in NYC and San Francisco, both of which offer extensive services and facilities to founders including on-site BSL-2 labs, well equipped lab benches and hoods, and advanced lab equipment, such as chromatography equipment.

Lowercarbon Capital backs kickass companies slashing CO2 emissions, sucking carbon out of the sky, and buying us time to unf**k the planet.

The BridgeLane Group is a privately-owned asset management firm specialising in the agricultural, real estate and innovation sectors. A significant global player in agriculture with a multi-decade record in large scale farming, the Group has a proud history in residential property development, comme

We're a global dairy nutrition company owned by 10,000 farmers and their families, united by a fundamental belief in the power of dairy to make a difference.

IP Group's core business is the creation of value for its shareholders and partners through the commercialisation of intellectual property originating from research intensive institutions. Their strength lies in managing this process from finding suitable intellectual property to commercialise to either helping develop businesses and createvalue out of them, or identifying and establishing appropriate commercial partnerships to do so. IP Group's extensive expertise in this area combined with its inside knowledge of both industry and finance have enabled the group to create a formidable track record of consistently delivering excellent results for their companies, for their partners and for their shareholders.

Rabobank emerged from several small agricultural cooperative banks, founded by Dutch farmers in the late nineteenth century. Food & Agriculture (F&A) is in our DNA, from which we built a unique position in the F&A sector as a key financier and international player, attributes which we leverage for the benefit of our stakeholders andportfolio companies. We recognise and understand the food security challenges lying ahead of us and how Innovation in F&A supply chains is key to the solution, which is why we are dedicated to committing capital to the space.

Callaghan Innovation is a stand-alone Crown Entity established on 1 February, 2013. Their role hasn’t previously existed in New Zealand.When they succeed, all New Zealanders will benefit from a stronger economy, higher value exports, more productive and sustainable resource use, more jobs and higher incomes.International evidence showsadvanced technology institutes like Callaghan Innovation have been successful at helping businesses build innovation capability that contributes to their growth and the broader economy.

Formed in late 2006, the Brisbane Angels Pty Ltd is a large group of private investors who actively invest in early stage technology companies, usually in South East Queensland, Australia. The members are typically active or semi-retired former senior business executives, who apart from financial input can provide much needed value adding toinvestee companies through hands-on management experience and high level business networks.

Possible Ventures backs ambitious teams building frontier technology to positively impact society. We invest globally in the early stages, actively supporting founders via our collective of global entrepreneurs.

Allan Moss acts an adviser to Anchorage’s Investment Committee. Currently Principal of Allan Moss Investments, a private investment company, Allan retired from the role of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Macquarie Group in May 2008. He was with Macquarie Group for 31 years and served as CEO from 1993 to his retirement in2008. He was also a non- executive director of CSR Ltd from 1996 to 2001.Allan graduated from Sydney University in Arts with a major in Economics and in Laws with Honours. He is also a graduate of Harvard University with a Masters Degree in Business Administration with High Distinction. Allan has received numerous industry awards and recognitions. He was twice named by Barron’s Magazine as one of the 30 most respected CEOs in the world (2006, 2007). He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2005.

Vectr is a venture firm based in Hong Kong. They combine investment, creation and growth to deliver game-changing impact to teams ready to tackle global issues, transform industries and improve the lives of millions.That combines capital, creation and partnership to deliver game-changing impact. We strive to be the ideal partner for founders thatare building transformation products and looking to expand their businesses into asia.

Folklore is a team of investors, founders, and builders committed to supporting Australian and New Zealand tech founders. We are a first cheque to forever investment firm, and we believe in the power of founder vision and the potential of teams, right from the start.

The George Institute for Global Health is an independent medical research institute that helps to improve the health of millions of people worldwide. With projects in more than 50 countries, it has raised over 500 million dollars for global health research since 1999, and it has been ranked among the top 10 research institutions in the world forscientific impact by the SCImago Institution Rankings World Report in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.The George Institute for Global Health’s work includes preventing heart disease in India, improving healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, closing healthcare gaps in China, making roads safer around the world, preventing the complications of diabetes, changing decades old thinking about intensive care, improving outcomes among stroke survivors, using mobile technology to make healthcare accessible worldwide, and developing tools to empower people to improve their own health.The George Institute for Global Health was founded in 1999 and is based in Sydney.

Medical Angels is the premier medical and health-specific angel investment syndicate, comprised of over 1,000 clinicians from across Australia.

The Global Health Investment Fund (GHIF) is a $108 million social impact investment fund designed to provide financing to advance the development of drugs, vaccines, diagnostics and other interventions against diseases that disproportionately burden low- and middle-income countries. GHIF supports late-stage innovations for public health challengessuch as malaria, pre-eclampsia, cholera, HIV and river blindness, with an emphasis on infectious diseases and maternal/infant health issues that cause significant morbidity and mortality in resource-limited settings. GHIF may also make investments that improve or expand access to existing products—such as developing pediatric formulations of approved therapeutics or improving the stability of widely-used global health vaccines.As an investment fund with a limited time-horizon, GHIF seeks opportunities that have a high probability of successful commercialization within two or three years. Products with “dual market” potential are of greatest interest; i.e., those that will have a clear impact on public health in developing countries but also have value in high-income countries. High-volume / low-margin products, such as essential vaccines, are also of significant interest.GHIF employs a range of investment structures including mezzanine debt, convertible debt, preferred equity and project financing with an average investment target of approximately $10 million per project. Each GHIF project must advance the Fund’s social impact objectives and demonstrate the ability to achieve commercial success.

Sydney Angels is a not-for-profit angel investment membership organisation. Since our establishment in 2008, they have stayed true to our mission of supporting the early-stage ecosystem by running processes and events that connect our investing members with promising early-stage companiesThey believe that encouraging smart investment in startupcompanies will benefit both our members’ portfolios and Australia’s emergent innovation economy.They see this as the ultimate win-win situation. Sydney Angels is led by an elected committee of ten volunteers who meet weekly. It is supported by an operations manager and alliance partners.

Backing a better tomorrow

Regal Funds Management was founded in 2004 by Andrew and Philip King. Regal utilises a long/short investment strategy and performs investment management and investment advisory services to a number of Australian Unit Trusts and Cayman Island Companies.

Thistledown Capital is a venture capital firm.

Lionheart Ventures is a global, seed-stage venture capital firm investing in companies that make humanity more resilient.

Marko retired as CEO of Morrison & Co in 2021 after 13 years of leading the business. He continues to provide guidance for investments in telecommunications and digital infrastructure. His 30 year career has been in the infrastructure and technology sectors in a variety of senior finance, operational and sales roles in the United States and NewZealand. Prior to joining Morrison & Co in 2008, Marko was CFO of Telecom NZ, responsible for corporate finance, M&A and group strategy. Marko is Chair of Vodafone New Zealand.

RIV Capital building a leading cannabis CPG platform focused on discovering, acquiring, and accelerating brands that align with our premium vision.

Serge has a depth of experience in technology startups that is difficult to rival. As CMO of M-Com, Serge led the growth of M-Com from a four person mobile commerce development company to the world's most successful provider of mobile banking and payment solutions (in both licensed and SaaS categories). He has since held executive levelpositions and Directorships, including as Chair on four boards, of many successful B2B SaaS companies. He is also an avid investor.

David Ross

A multi-stage investment fund focused on Consumer, Enterprise, Fintech, Frontier, Healthcare, & PropTech

SFV backs globally early-stage founders building leading Future of Food companies that are: #Cell-based #Plant-based #Recombinant

Outset, Empowering NZ's deep tech startups: investment, space, support. Join our community of innovators for global impact.

Paul Davidson joined private equity group, West Coast Capital in 2005 following a successful career in corporate law in the UK, the US and Commonwealth of Independent States. As an active partner in West Coast Capital as well as providing legal counsel, Paul focusses on deal sourcing and transacting.Since joining the group, Paul has successfulyled the acquisition and delisting from the LSE of the UK's largest garden centre business, Wyevale as well as a series of acquisitions and disposals.Prior to joining West Coast Capital headed the corporate team of UK lawyers, McGrigors.In late 1994 Paul was seconded to an oil and gas company called JKX whose focus was on the former Soviet Union, primarily in Ukraine, Georgia and the Russian Federation. JKX listed on the London Stock Exchange in mid 1995 and at that time Paul joined the company as its Legal Director on a full time basis. During his time as Legal Director, Paul gained wide commercial experience as the company concluded a number of transactions throughout the former Soviet Union.

Mike Wallas - Advisory Board @ Optifire Pty Ltd

UniSA Ventures is the technology commercialisation and investment management company of the University of South Australia (UniSA).