Wilbe Research
Investment Thesis
Wilbe is a venture platform built specifically for scientists and engineers turning frontier research into companies from "day zero." Founded in 2020 by Ale Maiano and Devika Thapar out of frustration with scientists being limited by the legacy mindset of academia, industry, and government, Wilbe combines a free training and community platform (1,700+ scientists), a weekly "Build Week" cohort program, and an investment arm (Wilbe Capital) that writes the first check into scientist-led ventures, often before a company or even a pitch deck exists. The firm's stated mission is to help scientists "test and launch ventures at speed, maximizing success in the real world," with no formal application process — founders start when ready.
Sector Focus
Wilbe is sector-agnostic within deep science and engineering, backing scientist-founders across biotech and life sciences (Expression Edits, Infinitopes, U-Ploid, Siftr Bio, Hijack Bio, Neurovia, Cyclana Bio, Netholabs, Alceus Bio, Keryx, Forecast Bio), energy (Proxima Fusion, Pavakah Energy), materials and hardware (Milvus Advanced, Apoha), robotics and automation (Elvio Robotics), and aerospace and resilient communications (Icarus). The common thread is a scientist or engineer founder commercializing genuinely novel research rather than applying existing technology to a new market.
Stage Focus
Wilbe invests exclusively at the earliest possible stage — "day zero," before most funds will engage. It positions itself as the first institutional capital into a company, with pre-emption rights to continue investing through pre-seed.
Check Size
Wilbe writes first checks of $100K-$700K. The "Inception" product is up to $200K on a SAFE with pre-emption rights to invest further at pre-seed; the "Direct" product is up to $700K directly into a pre-seed round.
Lead Tendency
Wilbe positions itself as the first investor to commit ("We are the first to come onboard and build with you"), consistent with a lead or anchor role at inception, though rounds are typically small SAFEs rather than priced, led rounds in the traditional sense.
Recent Activity
Wilbe closed Fund 1 ($7.5M, 2022 vintage) with 19 investments, now fully deployed and reporting a 3.6x MOIC and $3.25B in combined portfolio value — tracking as a top-decile fund per Carta's Q1 2026 VC benchmark. Fund 2 ($20M, 2025 vintage) is actively deploying at a pace of roughly two scientist-founder teams per month against a target of 35 investments. Portfolio companies have had a strong 2025-2026: Proxima Fusion raised a €130M Series A in June 2025 and a €411M round (at a €2.4B valuation) in July 2026 with Google and XTX Markets; Apoha emerged from stealth with $36M in Series A funding in June 2026; Milvus Advanced closed a seed round around December 2025; and ExpressionEdits announced a partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim in early 2025.
Portfolio Highlights
Notable portfolio companies include Proxima Fusion (stellarator fusion, now one of the best-funded fusion companies in the world), Apoha (neuromorphic "wave-form" AI sensing, emerged from stealth in 2026), Milvus Advanced (defense and aerospace nanoalloy materials), U-Ploid Biotechnologies (fertility biotech, showing an 84% reduction in age-related egg chromosomal errors), Cyclana Bio (women's health and longevity biotech, founded by former Altos Labs scientists), and ExpressionEdits (AI-driven protein and intron engineering for gene therapy, partnered with Boehringer Ingelheim). 90% of Wilbe portfolio companies have gone on to raise follow-on capital.
Team
- Ale Maiano — CEO & Founding Partner. Background in public policy and corporate law; later led operations at several deep-tech ventures. Hosts the weekly Build Weeks.
- Devika Thapar — COO & Founding Partner. Commercialized frontier technologies as a new-product lead at IBM Watson and previously in tech transfer at Yale.
- Jesse Zondervan, PhD — Head of Venture Systems & Operations. Ex-Oxford, builds Wilbe's internal venture infrastructure and operations.
- Alex Söderman — Finance Director. A decade of experience scaling finance functions inside fast-growing startups.
Decision Process
Investment decisions run through the founding partnership (Ale Maiano and Devika Thapar), following the structured Build Week diligence process; the firm advertises a decision in as little as 7 days from Build Week completion.
Founder Preferences
Wilbe backs scientists and engineers — often PhDs or postdocs — commercializing their own novel research, with no requirement for existing foundational IP or a pre-formed company. The average tech-transfer ownership secured across the portfolio is 2.5%, indicating many founders come directly out of academic labs.
Geographic Focus
Wilbe invests across the US and Europe, with Build Weeks and community hubs in both regions, a London-based core team, and a quarterly founder residency program in San Francisco for warm intros, hiring, and launch support once funded.