Bam! Rock Health investors up seed funding for startups to $100K shar.es/7JiW3
— Rock Health (@Rock_Health) August 28, 2012
The incentive to relocate to San Francisco to grow your life sciences startup just got a lot stronger.
Rock Health announced today that companies selected for the accelerator’s fourth class will receive $100,000 from four partners: Aberdare Ventures, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Mayo Clinic and Mohr Davidow Ventures. Previous classes — including the one that graduated last week in Boston — received $20,000.
In an interview with TechCrunch, Rock Health CEO Halle Tecco said that the increase in funding reflects the fact that healthcare startups often need more money to develop physical prototypes and get U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval.
When Investment Rhymes with Canada
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
Adding Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers as a partner is Rock Health’s other big news of the day. Kleiner Perkins has a life sciences investment team as well as a digital team, which is a perfect combination for the accelerator that has helped companies with a consumer focus as well as startups that are targeting hospitals. Kleiner Perkins has invested in Lifesquare, Pulmonx and TESARO Bio.
Kleiner Perkins partner Beth Seidenberg is one of the firm’s sponsors of the partnership. She previously worked at Amgen and has brought 10 innovative products to market and achieved more than 40 regulatory approvals including new treatments for AIDS, arthritis, asthma, cancer, psoriasis, cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological and renal disorders.
Applications for the next class close in three weeks, so get your elevator pitch ready.
