SciFounders Research
Investment Thesis
SciFounders invests in technically exceptional founders working on world-changing biotechnology and deep science technologies. Founded by serial biotech entrepreneurs who previously built billion-dollar companies, SciFounders focuses on backing scientists and technical founders from idea stage through Series A. The fund is built on the philosophy that the best biotech companies come from deeply technical founders with direct research expertise, not MBA-trained managers. They explicitly target early-career scientists who have never written a business plan but possess exceptional technical capabilities and visionary thinking.
Stage Focus
SciFounders operates as a fellowship-based fund that provides both capital and hands-on mentorship to early-stage founders:
- Pre-seed: Initial validation phase with up to $1M through their Fellowship program
- Seed: $400K-$1M for companies with initial traction
- Series A: Selective participation in later rounds for portfolio companies
The fund differentiates itself by being founder-friendly: they take no IP rights from fellowship recipients and provide commitment to long-term partnership rather than fixed-cohort acceleration program approaches.
Check Size
- Fellowship program: Up to $1 million per founder/team
- Typical pre-seed: $400K-$500K
- Seed round participation: $1M+ (investor capacity)
- Series A follow-ons: Significant allocation from fund reserves
The fund structure suggests check sizes in the $400K-$2M range for direct investments, with flexibility for larger amounts in follow-on rounds.
Lead Tendency
SciFounders leads or co-leads investments in their portfolio. They position themselves as active partners rather than passive investors, bringing founder expertise and scientific rigor to investment decisions.
Recent Activity
The fund has been actively deploying capital with significant dry powder remaining:
Recent Investments (2025-2026):
- Luminate Medical (surgical technology - combination therapies)
- Current Surgical (micro-invasive, software-enabled surgery)
- Engage Bio (genetic medicine with redosable genetic therapies)
- Xterna Bio (cell-type-specific targeting using nature's barcodes)
- Fletcher Bio (precision therapeutics for immune therapy)
- Deliver Bio (in vivo cell editing)
- Velorum TX (heme biology therapeutics)
- Earth AI (high-performance exploration for rare earth mineral deposits)
- Trace Bio (fluorescent-guided surgery)
- Harbor Site (genome engineering with full gene insertions)
- Sculpta Bio (protein reshaping in the brain for untreatable conditions)
- Moab Therapeutics (minibinders inspired by nature)
- Preventive Bio (disease prevention before birth - recent $30M funding)
Fund Status: Second fund ($35M) is in active deployment phase as of 2025. Fund I ($6M from 2021) has completed deployment.
Portfolio Quality
Notable Exits/Achievements:
- Mammoth Biosciences (co-founder company): $1B valuation, $100M+ Regeneron deal
- Conception (co-founder company): $100M+ raised
Portfolio Focus: Highly concentrated in therapeutic innovations including cancer therapeutics, gene editing, genetic medicine, surgical technology, molecular engineering, and materials science.
Team
Matt Krisiloff - Co-Founder, Partner CEO of Conception, former Director of Y Combinator Research, founding member of OpenAI. Built $100M+ company. Advisor to 150+ startups.
Lucas Harrington - Co-Founder, Partner Co-founder/CSO of Mammoth Biosciences (CRISPR company). PhD Biochemistry from UC Berkeley (Nobel Laureate Jennifer Doudna). $1B company with $100M+ licensing deals.
Alexander Schubert - Co-Founder, Partner PhD Molecular Biology from University of Cambridge. Former R&D at Genentech. Bridges academic and commercial biotech.
Decision Process
Partnership model with all three managing partners involved in technical due diligence. High rigor science-based evaluation.
Warm Introduction
Not strictly required. Fellowship program accepts worldwide applications with direct email ([email protected]) as primary contact.
Typical Involvement
- Fellowship stage: Non-controlling investment (no IP rights)
- Board seat: Selective based on check size and stage
- Mentorship: Hands-on involvement is core differentiation
- Follow-on support: Reserved fund capital for follow-ons
- Operational: Access to founder network and biotech expertise
Geographic Focus
Headquartered in San Francisco, California. Fellowship open to worldwide founders but fund activity concentrated in US biotech hubs.
Founder Preferences
Targets: Technical founders with PhDs, scientists, early-career researchers without business experience, visionary technologists working on world-changing science.
Avoids: Business-school founders, non-technical teams, trend-followers.
Decision Timeline
- Fellowship applications: Rolling basis with likely 2-4 week cycle
- Investment decisions: 1-2 months for new investments
- Follow-ons: Faster for portfolio companies
Competitive Advantages
- Founder expertise (all partners built $100M+ biotech)
- Technical diligence with PhDs
- Founder-friendly terms (no IP dilution)
- Hands-on mentorship differentiation
- Selective approach (13 companies)
- Reserved capital for follow-ons
- Long-term commitment vs fixed exit windows
SciFounders represents a new model for deep-tech biotech investment: founder-led, technically rigorous, and committed to long-term partnership with exceptional scientists.