Nextech Invest Research
Investment Thesis
Nextech Invest is a Zurich-based venture firm focused on precision oncology. It describes its mission as "finding and fueling tomorrow's advances in precision medicine": identifying transformative cancer medicines and supporting emerging biotechnology companies worldwide through critical moments of scientific and clinical validation. The firm pairs investment rigor with a network of academic Science Partners, among them Charles Sawyers, William Kaelin, Benjamin Cravatt, Kevan Shokat, Alice Shaw and Paul Workman, who help vet science and company ideas. The stated focus is first and best-in-class targeted therapies regardless of drug modality, including small molecules, targeted protein degraders, antibody-drug conjugates, cell therapies and RNA approaches.
Stage Focus
Nextech invests across the venture life cycle in therapeutic companies, from company creation and Series A through crossover and later rounds, and it has backed companies through IPO. Recent activity includes an $85M Series C in Flare Therapeutics (June 2026) and a $50M Series B in Khartis Therapeutics (August 2026). The firm often returns for multiple rounds in the same company, as ORIC Pharmaceuticals' CEO notes about its "multiple rounds" of support.
Check Size
The firm does not publish a check size. The firm advises roughly $1.7B in regulatory assets (Form ADV, December 2025) and runs multiple funds, and it can lead nine-figure rounds alongside crossover and strategic investors. No numeric range is stated on its site, so none is recorded.
Lead Tendency
Both. Nextech co-led Flare Therapeutics' $85M Series C with Third Rock Ventures, and participated in Khartis Therapeutics' $50M Series B alongside Foresite Capital and Lilly Asia Ventures. Partners hold board seats at many portfolio companies, a sign of a hands-on lead or co-lead role.
Recent Activity
- June 2026: co-led the $85M Series C of Flare Therapeutics, a prostate cancer degrader company, with Third Rock Ventures.
- August 2026: participated in the $50M Series B of Khartis Therapeutics, which emerged from stealth with $95M in total funding for an oral thyroid eye disease therapy.
- Earlier tracked rounds include Atavistik Bio's Series B and Attovia Therapeutics and Parabilis Medicines.
- Fund status: actively deploying.
Portfolio Highlights
The portfolio page lists about 65 companies, including several public and exited oncology names: Revolution Medicines, Blueprint Medicines, Relay Therapeutics, Arvinas, Kymera Therapeutics, Mirati Therapeutics, Turning Point Therapeutics, IDEAYA Biosciences, Tango Therapeutics, ORIC Pharmaceuticals, Zymeworks, Vividion Therapeutics (acquired by Bayer), Peloton Therapeutics (acquired by Merck) and Ambrx Biopharma. Private and recent holdings include Tubulis, Circle Pharma, Alumis, Alpha-9 Oncology, MOMA Therapeutics, Exo Therapeutics, Zenith Therapeutics and Synnovation Therapeutics.
Team
- Thilo Schroeder, Ph.D., Managing Partner (Switzerland): at Nextech since 2012, board member of Revolution Medicines, Circle Pharma, Atavistik Bio, MOMA, Exo, Synnovation, Khartis and Zenith.
- Rocco Sgobbo, Managing Partner and COO: ex-AIG and Partners Group, joined 2016.
- Kanishka Pothula, Managing Partner (USA): joined 2023 from BVF Partners, heads public markets, board seats at Flare, Tango and Tubulis.
- Melissa McCracken, Ph.D., Partner (USA): joined 2019 from Third Rock Ventures, many early-stage board seats.
- Alexis Borisy, Chairman: founder of Foundation Medicine, Blueprint, Relay and EQRx, and former Third Rock partner.
- Principals and associates: Niresh Berinpanathan, Thomas Geninatti, Sarah Soo-Hoo, Remi Janicot, Rupert Proctor, Joanna Triscott.
- Alina Levchuk, Ph.D. is Head of Investor Relations.
Decision Process
Partnership model. Managing Partners and Partners source and sit on boards, supported by a bench of academic Science Partners who provide scientific diligence. Investment rigor is described as a core differentiator.
Founder Preferences
Scientific founders with differentiated, validated biology in oncology. Portfolio CEOs describe Nextech as a partner with deep oncology expertise and a long-term investment view, helping them from preclinical to clinical proof of concept.
Geographic Focus
Worldwide, with offices in Switzerland (Zurich) and the USA, mostly Boston and San Francisco. The portfolio is concentrated in US biotechs with a few European companies such as Tubulis (Germany), Silence Therapeutics (UK) and Autolus (UK).