Led · Equity · Jan 2026

NeuroSigma is a Los Angeles–based bioelectronics firm focused on neuromodulation therapies for central nervous system disorders. Its flagship product, the Monarch external Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (eTNS) System, was the first wearable medical device to receive FDA clearance as a non-pharmacological treatment for pediatric ADHD. Following a pilot commercialization program completed in November 2025, the company plans to launch a second-generation Monarch device with a simplified user interface in the first quarter of 2026. To meet anticipated market demand, NeuroSigma is establishing a high-volume, cost-efficient manufacturing line in collaboration with Singapore-based Armstrong Asia. The project is supported by an approximately $1 million investment led by Pasadena-based Checkmate Capital, enabling scalable production and global distribution. Management cites favorable conditions in external neurostimulation and CNS therapeutics as growth drivers for the product. The article did not disclose current revenue, user numbers, or other operating metrics.

Led · Preferred · Sep 2022

Precision Livestock Technologies (PLT) develops a software-and-hardware monitoring platform that uses artificial intelligence and machine vision to improve livestock feeding, performance tracking, logistics and health operations at cattle feedlots. The platform supplies decision support for key drivers of feedlot profitability, helps identify sick animals more quickly, and reduces reliance on scarce skilled labor. PLT reports pilot and commercial-stage deployments that are generating meaningful financial results and high customer satisfaction. With proceeds from the financing, the company plans to expand platform performance and capabilities and accelerate market penetration across North America. PLT also intends to explore opportunities in South America and the Asia‑Pacific region. The company has engaged Checkmate Capital Group as a strategic and international advisor to support those initiatives. Precision Livestock Technologies develops a machine-vision platform—combined with AI, nutrition and animal‑behavior insights—to provide decision support for cattle feedlots. Its system aims to optimize the key drivers of feedlot profitability while increasing quality, reducing labor shortages, and identifying sick animals. The company positions itself at the convergence of machine vision, artificial intelligence, nutrition, animal behavior and health to integrate actionable intelligence into livestock operations. Precision Livestock plans to use the recent financing to develop commercial pilots, establish detailed customer delivery, and continue software product development. The company is focused initially on deployments at cattle feedlots and on building machine learning–powered recommendations for feeders. The platform targets efficiency gains across a large and under-served livestock sector to help meet growing global protein demand.

Led · Convertible Note · May 2021

MAIA Biotechnology is developing THIO (6‑thio‑2ʼ‑deoxyguanosine), a telomere‑targeting agent intended to kill telomerase‑positive cancer cells. The company is positioning THIO as a potential second‑or‑later‑line treatment for patients with non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have progressed after checkpoint inhibitors. MAIA plans to initiate a Phase 2 trial (THIO‑101) testing low doses of THIO administered before the PD‑1 inhibitor cemiplimab to assess whether THIO can enhance and prolong immune responses. The THIO‑101 study will evaluate safety, mechanistic activity, and immune activation across four dose levels, with each arm enrolling up to 41 evaluable patients and efficacy assessed by ORR, DoR, PFS and OS. The company says proceeds will advance its programs and support initiation of THIO‑101. MAIA reported a cash position of over $11 million and no long‑term debt on its balance sheet. MAIA Biotechnology is a targeted therapy, immuno-oncology company focused on developing potential first-in-class drugs with novel mechanisms, with a lead program called THIO. THIO (6-thio-dG) is a small-molecule telomere-targeting agent believed to selectively target telomerase-positive cancer cells and is described by the company as the only cancer telomere-targeting agent currently in development. Preclinical data reported by MAIA showed THIO is incorporated into tumor cell telomeres, compromises telomere structure leading to rapid tumor cell death, and that low doses followed by anti-PD-L1/PD-1 therapy eliminated advanced tumors in models and produced cancer cell-specific immune memory. THIO is investigational and has not been approved for any use by regulatory authorities. MAIA plans to initiate a Phase 2 trial (THIO-101) this year to test administration of THIO prior to the checkpoint inhibitor cemiplimab in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who previously did not respond or progressed after first-line checkpoint inhibitor therapy. The THIO-101 trial will test four THIO dose levels in separate arms, enroll up to 41 evaluable patients per arm, and evaluate safety, mechanistic immune activation, and efficacy endpoints including ORR, DoR, PFS and OS. To support these plans, MAIA completed an additional $6.2 million equity offering at $8 per share. MAIA Biotechnology is focused on developing first-in-class targeted immuno-oncology drugs. Its lead candidate is THIO (6-thio-dG), a first-in-class small-molecule telomere-targeting agent that selectively kills telomerase-positive cancer cells and is investigational. The company also has two compound families in pre-clinical evaluation for prostate and breast cancer targeting the androgen receptor and FKBP52 co-chaperone. MAIA recently raised $8.0 million in a convertible note financing to advance its targeted immuno-oncology programs. Proceeds will support initiation of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial (THIO-101) evaluating low-dose THIO followed by Libtayo in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The company expects to begin the THIO-101 trial later this year.

Participated · Series A · May 2021

Elucid's core product, PlaqueIQ, is an AI-powered computed tomography angiography (CTA) analysis software that objectively quantifies and characterizes arterial plaque and is FDA-cleared. The software simulates histology and is validated against tens of thousands of tissue annotations by pathologists. Elucid is pursuing an additional indication for non-invasive fractional flow reserve measurement (FFRCT) uniquely derived from its PlaqueIQ technology. The plaque analysis software is commercially available in the U.S., UK, EU, and South Korea. The company has been ramping commercial efforts, expanding clinical research and development, and has significantly bolstered its leadership team. Financially, Elucid announced an $80 million Series C and has raised $121 million in total funding since inception. Elucid builds interpretable, validated AI software that non-invasively quantifies atherosclerotic plaque characteristics compared to histopathology, including lipid rich necrotic core. Its machine-learning algorithms characterize tissue types in the artery wall and power applications that derive FFRct, estimate risk of heart attack/stroke, and produce expression-prediction outputs to inform therapeutic selection. The platform enables physicians to diagnose causes of chest pain and detect early-stage heart disease not visible with alternative methods. The software is FDA-cleared and CE-marked and is commercially available in the U.S., Europe, and South Korea. Led by CEO Blake Richards, the company intends to use new funding to accelerate growth and further development efforts. No revenue or user metrics were reported in the article. Elucid develops interpretable, validated AI software (ElucidVivo) to help physicians detect cardiovascular disease and optimize treatment decisions. ElucidVivo is the first FDA-cleared and CE-marked non-invasive software to quantify atherosclerotic plaque characteristics versus histopathology, including lipid-rich necrotic core, and is commercially available in the U.S. and Europe. The company has published studies on deriving fractional flow reserve (FFRct) from vasodilative vessel-wall capacity and on estimating coding and non-coding RNA transcripts (“Virtual Transcriptomics”). Management says the technology aims to reduce invasive procedures, improve diagnostic power, and enable precision medicine for cardiac and neurovascular patients. Recent hires include Jason Bottiglieri as Chief Commercial Officer and Murali Ayyapillai as Vice President of Engineering to support commercialization and product development. The company plans to continue advancing and commercializing its platform to improve outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

Led · Seed · Apr 2020

Monarch Biosciences develops products built on its proprietary thin-film nitinol (TFN) biomaterial, led by CEO Leon Ekchian, Ph.D. Its lead product, the Titan Flow Diverter™, is designed to provide rapid occlusion of cerebral aneurysms versus current neurovascular products. A second pipeline product, the Engineered Lymph Node™ (ELN), is a TFN-based device for local delivery of cell therapies to treat solid tumors. The company has thirteen issued U.S. patents and has exclusively licensed a portfolio of TFN-related patents from UCLA and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Monarch completed preclinical animal and human simulator testing in preparation for first-in-human trials expected later this year. Financially, Monarch closed a seed financing of more than $1M and has supplemented that seed funding with several million dollars of NIH funding to advance its lead program.