Participated · Series A · May 2023

NeuExcell Therapeutics has developed an in‑situ neural regeneration platform that uses AAV and expression of neural transcription factors to convert endogenous astrocytes directly into long‑lasting, functional neurons for neural repair. Its pipeline targets major indications including stroke, glioma, Huntington’s disease, ALS, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and ophthalmic diseases. The technology originated from Prof. Chen Gong’s team and the company reports scientific validation including reproduction of in‑situ transdifferentiation results by Spark Therapeutics. The executive team includes industry veterans from Novartis, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sanofi and Spark with substantial drug‑development experience. NeuExcell maintains subsidiaries in both the United States and China and aims to advance its programs toward clinical development. Financially, the company recently closed a Pre‑A+ financing of over RMB100 million and has an existing collaboration and development agreement with Spark Therapeutics valued at $190 million for Huntington’s disease. NeuExcell Therapeutics develops neural repair technology based on astrocyte-to-neuron conversion in vivo by introducing neural transcription factors via AAV-based gene therapy. Its pipeline targets major neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system injuries, including stroke, Huntington’s disease, ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and glioma. The company is led by Board Chair Peter Tombros and co-founder and chief scientific advisor Professor Gong Chen, whose scientific work underpins the platform. NeuExcell is based in State College, Pa., and Shanghai, China. With the closing of its recent financing, the company plans to use proceeds to continue and expand its development efforts. The financing also resulted in board additions, reflecting investor involvement in governance.

Led · Equity · Jan 2016

Mubi is a streaming platform that co-produced Jim Jarmusch’s new film "Father Mother Sister Brother," which premiered at the Venice Film Festival. The company recently secured a $100 million funding round led by Sequoia Capital. That financing prompted public backlash from numerous filmmakers, who signed an open letter criticizing Mubi for accepting Sequoia’s funds because of the firm’s backing of Israeli defense tech startup Kela. Signatories argued Sequoia’s involvement ties Mubi’s financial growth to the genocide in Gaza. Mubi’s founder and CEO responded that "any suggestion that our work is connected to funding the war is simply untrue." Director Jim Jarmusch said he was "disappointed and disconcerted" by the funding but noted his relationship with Mubi predates the deal and that they were "fantastic to work with" on his film. Mubi operates a global curated streaming service that features a rolling library of 30 films, with one new title added each day and removed after 30 days. The service focuses on auteur and international movies and sends a daily "movie of the day" email to subscribers. Mubi is available in roughly 200 countries and positions itself as an alternative to mainstream streaming giants. The company plans to launch a China-specific service, Mubi China, in the coming months via a joint venture with Huanxi Media. The China JV will use the same 30-movie rolling model, with Huanxi taking majority control of the local operation. To support the expansion and the broader business, Huanxi is investing in both the joint venture and a direct equity stake in Mubi. MUBI is a global curated film streaming service that handpicks one film every day and makes each title available for 30 days. The service concentrates on classic, art‑house, foreign and independent films and uses a simple interface with no search or large catalogs. Pricing is $4.99/€4.99/£2.99 per month and the platform supports offline mobile viewing. MUBI has had over 5.5 million downloads and is available in 43 territories across web, iOS, Android, PlayStation, Samsung Smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV and other connected devices. The company recently launched on PlayStation 4 (having been on PS3) and is a launch partner for Amazon Fire TV in the UK and Germany. MUBI says it is about to close its first Studio deal to broaden its appeal and positions itself to complement giants like Netflix and Amazon by focusing on curation and simplicity rather than scale. Offices are listed in London, San Francisco, Munich, Mexico City and Istanbul. Mubi is a subscription video-on-demand platform founded in 2007 by Efe Cakarel that curates films from classics to contemporary festival winners. The service is available across web, iPhone, iPad, Samsung and Sony TVs and PlayStation 3 and is deployed in 12 countries. Pricing averages 2.99 GBP / 4.99 EUR / 4.99 USD per month and the company reports 7 million registered users. Mubi has offices in London, Istanbul and Munich and employs 50 people; it is based in Palo Alto, CA. The company intends to use the $7.5M Series D proceeds to expand its film service and planned an Android launch in the first quarter of 2014. Investors in the round include Floreat, MMC Ventures, White Star Capital and a group of existing angel backers and film industry investors. MUBI is an online cinema platform that provides an online space for cinema enthusiasts to discover and engage with films. The site recently crossed one million registered users, reflecting notable user growth. The company says it has hit a significant growth curve and is strengthening its balance sheet. MUBI raised $2.4 million from angel investors to support expansion. The round is intended to grow the team and shore up finances. The financing includes participation from existing backers named in the article.