• YourChoice Therapeutics

  Led · Equity · Mar 2024

  YourChoice Therapeutics is a San Francisco biotech developing YCT-529, a hormone-free oral male contraceptive that inhibits retinoic acid signaling via RAR-alpha to prevent sperm production and release. YCT-529 entered first-in-human testing with a Phase 1a study that began in December 2023 and has fully enrolled 16 male volunteers. The trial is underway at Quotient Sciences in the UK (NCT06094283). NIH-funded preclinical studies reported ~99% effectiveness and 100% reversibility with no side effects in animal models. The candidate was developed in collaboration with medicinal chemist Dr. Gunda Georg. Financially, the company has received targeted support from Male Contraceptive Initiative, including a $500,000 investment to advance YCT-529 into and through early clinical testing. YourChoice Therapeutics is a startup launched by Berkeley researchers developing a unisex, non-hormonal contraceptive that targets sperm physiology. Its first product is planned as a vaginal contraceptive applied before intercourse, followed by oral contraceptives for both genders. The team discovered that the natural compound lupeol can block a sperm protein required for fertilization, and says its approach does not affect cell function or gene expression, avoiding hormone-related risks like blood clots or cancer. Founders Akash Bakshi and Nadja Mannowetz, along with co-founder/advisor Dr. Polina V. Lishko, aim to have a contraceptive ready to market by 2025 while building a team of chemists. The company has raised $400,000 in funding to date, plus a $150,000 check from Y Combinator, and will pitch at Y Combinator Demo Days. It is seeking $2 million in venture capital to continue research and product development and to expand its chemistry team, targeting a market TechCrunch cites as worth $37 billion by 2023.

• SNOW

  Led · Equity · Mar 2024

  SnowSeed, launched by PT. Gaudi Verse Indonesia in December 2023 and based in Jakarta, is an NFT investment/crowdfunding platform that issues Special NFT Offerings (SNO). Its SNO model aims to create an NFT-based basic income by distributing dividends to SNO holders proportional to stakes and by allowing investors to earn USDC interest and mine PDT coins from invested products. The platform has already issued healthcare-related NFTs and plans to launch real estate development investment products with major Indonesian corporations and state governments, as well as entertainment and art projects. SnowSeed targets stakes in Indonesian healthcare, finance, real estate, and entertainment sectors to generate returns for SNO holders. The company works with Indonesian enterprises including the Lippo Group and Siloam Hospitals, and reports significant international interest in upcoming products. SnowSeed recently secured a $5 million strategic investment and cites issuance and practical hospital usage of PDT coins as mechanisms to expand utility and value.

• NEXT Life Sciences

  Led · Grant · Feb 2024

  NEXT Life Sciences is developing Plan A™, a device-based, non-hormonal male contraceptive that places a biocompatible Vasalgel® hydrogel in the vas deferens to block sperm flow. Plan A™ is designed to provide up to 10 years of pregnancy prevention while remaining reversible via a dissolving procedure. NEXT acquired the worldwide license to Vasalgel® in 2022 and has since optimized the technology toward clinical development. The company plans to start clinical trials for Plan A™ in 2024 and intends to pursue FDA marketing authorization following trials. NEXT’s leadership includes experienced executives and clinicians from medical device and contraceptive fields. Financially, the company recently received a $400K grant from the Male Contraceptive Initiative and completed a prior fundraising round led by Bolt.com founder Ryan Breslow and The Family with participation from Transform VC and angel and early-stage venture investors. NEXT Life Sciences, based in Los Angeles, is a medical device company developing Plan A, a non-hormonal, long-acting, reversible on-demand male contraceptive. Plan A's design utilizes a hydrogel (Vasalgel®) that acts as a flexible filter to block sperm flow in the vas deferens. NEXT acquired the exclusive worldwide license for Vasalgel® in 2022 and aims to advance the technology through FDA authorization and to market. The company plans to start clinical trials for Plan A in 2024, followed by submission to the FDA. NEXT announced an oversubscribed $2.5M funding round led by The Family, bringing total seed funding to date to $4M. Ryan Breslow has joined as a strategic advisor, and NEXT says its executive team has prior leadership experience in medical device and contraceptive commercialization. NEXT Life Sciences is developing Plan A™, a reversible male contraceptive that uses Vasalgel®, a proprietary hydrogel the company acquired. The Plan A procedure is similar to a no‑scalpel vasectomy but inserts a hydrogel filter to block sperm flow rather than cutting the vas deferens. Preclinical studies showed rapid restoration of sperm flow after Vasalgel® was dissolved and flushed from the vas deferens. The company raised $1.55M in seed funding to support development and commercialization of Plan A. NEXT is led by CEO L.R. Fox and has assembled a Medical Advisory Board to guide contraceptive development, including Dr. Charles Carignan. The company aims to initiate clinical trials by the end of 2023.

• Eppin Pharma

  Led · Equity · Jan 2023

  Eppin Pharma is a pharmaceutical company focused on creating a short-term, non-hormonal male birth-control pill. Its lead candidate is a small organic compound that binds to the EPPIN protein on the surface of sperm, rendering the sperm unable to function while leaving sperm production unaffected. The treatment is designed to be fast-acting and reversible, offering men an alternative to condoms and vasectomies. The company is now preparing for first-in-human clinical trials and will use new funds to establish proof-of-concept for safety and feasibility. Male Contraceptive Initiative (MCI) previously provided Eppin Pharma with a grant in 2019 to advance the science. The latest investment deepens that partnership and underscores the potential to revolutionize family planning by giving men additional contraceptive options. No operating metrics such as revenue or user numbers have been disclosed in the article.

• Gett

  Participated · Equity · May 2019

  Gett provides an app-based platform that lets businesses order and manage ground transportation for employees, consolidating fragmented local services into a single corporate travel-management and expense-analysis SaaS. The company says it can save clients roughly 25–40% in travel costs and previously reported a network covering about 1,500 cities. In metros such as London and Moscow Gett operates directly; in markets without direct operations, including the U.S., it partners with third parties like Lyft. Over time Gett has shifted from consumer-facing ride-hailing to focus mainly on B2B corporate accounts and SaaS development. Management says the business is operationally profitable and is meeting its budget targets. The company plans to double down on its corporate ground-travel proposition and further develop its SaaS technology. Gett operates a B2B-focused on-demand ride-hailing service and corporate mobility SaaS, offering analytics, invoicing and ground-transport procurement to businesses. It serves roughly 15,000 corporate customers, including about one-third of the Fortune 500, and provides rides across some 1,500 cities via a mix of direct operations and third-party partnerships. Gett claims its services undercut other ground-transport options by roughly 25%. The company turned operationally profitable in December 2019, reached profitability in each of its core markets in June, and says it is on target to be cash-flow positive in 2021. Gett has shifted away from consumer growth toward corporate accounts and scales via partnerships such as a 2019 deal with Lyft while maintaining direct operations in key markets like London and Moscow. It plans to grow its corporate SaaS internationally and is considering a potential IPO as part of its expansion strategy. Gett operates a B2B-focused ride-hailing service and a corporate product called Get Business Solutions, targeting higher-end customers and companies. It runs in a limited footprint — Israel, the UK (including a service for London black cabs), Russia and New York (branded as Juno). The company emphasizes profitability discipline and projects operational profitability (EBITDA positive and breakeven) by the end of the year. As of Q4 2018, Get Business Solutions had 20,000 corporate customers, up 63% year-over-year. Gett positions itself as an alternative to larger competitors by prioritizing margin improvement alongside revenue growth and a pared-down growth strategy. The company’s New York arm, Juno, is described as contribution-margin positive and a solid number three in that market. Gett operates a ride-hailing service focused on core rides with an emphasis on business users and higher-quality service standards. The company is active in 120 cities globally, with New York, London and Moscow its biggest markets; New York and London together account for roughly half of its revenue. Gett reports a run rate of about $1 billion per year and says most revenue and profit come from its 13,000 large enterprise customers. The company enforces high driver standards (drivers must have a 4.8 rating or higher in New York) and has grown NYC largely without a marketing budget; it operates in New York as Juno after a ~$200M acquisition. Gett says the newly raised funds will bring it to profitability across all markets by Q1 of next year and allow it to focus on future milestones only after reaching profitability. Gett operates an on-demand ride service with operations in 100 cities and a strategic emphasis on business users rather than consumer rides. It partners with large corporates and established car firms, notably a strategic partnership with Volkswagen announced earlier this year. Gett delivers exclusive benefits to Sberbank customers and employees and its service is available in 57 Russian cities through that partnership. The company positions itself as a platform that brings together established car firms and ride providers instead of relying on 'anyone' becoming a driver. Gett trails far behind competitors like Uber in global footprint, revenues and funds raised, but is pursuing growth via corporate partnerships and bank financing. Financially, it has raised $622 million to date including the latest financing referenced in the article.

No current team members are available.