Astellas Venture Management
Profile, fund size and portfolio
Astellas Venture Management is the corporate venture arm of Astellas Pharma Inc. (pharmaceuticals). It was founded in 2006 and is based in South San Francisco, United States. It invests from Seed to Series A in therapeutic programs and platform technologies for drug discovery, oncology, ophthalmology.
- Companies backedS3
- 21
Every figure links to its source
Snapshot
Data behind this graphic
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Stage range | Seed to Series A |
| Sectors | Therapeutic programs and platform, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Regenerative medicine |
| Geography | United States, United Kingdom and Japan |
| Offices | South San Francisco, California, United States |
Sources: S1 Astellas Venture Management: home; S3 Astellas Venture Management: portfolio.
Data behind this graphic
| Item | Companies | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Active | 21 | 58.3% |
| Exited | 15 | 41.7% |
Status as the firm tags it
Sources: S3 Astellas Venture Management: portfolio.
Where it invests and who leads it
Geography
- Headquarters
- South San Francisco, United States
- Offices
- South San Francisco, California, United States
Investment regionsS1S3
- United States, United Kingdom and Japan
LeadersS2
- Satoshi KonagaiInvestment LeadFind on LinkedInFirm page
- Tadayoshi HirataInvestment LeadFind on LinkedInFirm page
- Shinichi MiyakeInvestment LeadFind on LinkedInFirm page
- Hiroyuki UsudaInvestment Lead (joined 2026)Find on LinkedInFirm page
- Amy SkarrPresident (Board of Managers listing)Find on LinkedInFirm page
Key facts
| Fact | Value | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent company | Astellas Pharma Inc. | Single source | S1 |
| Parent industry | Pharmaceuticals | Single source | S1 |
| Founded | 2006 | Single source | S7 |
| Headquarters | South San Francisco, United States | Single source | S6 |
| Status | Active | Single source | S4 |
| Capital source | Parent company only | Single source | S1 |
| Companies backed | 21 | Single source | S3 |
| Stages | Seed, Series A | Single source | S1 |
For founders
| Item | What the firm says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stages | Seed, Series A | S1 |
| Beyond capital | Pharma View: information from pharmaceutical experience and liaison to Astellas Pharma for collaborations | S1 |
| AVM_web-sm@astellas.com | S2 |
Notable outcomes
IPOs and acquisitions of portfolio companies. Price shown only where published.
Recent rounds
Portfolio
The firm's portfolio page lists 36 companies: 21 active, 15 exited.S3
The firm also states 21 companies backed. The page list and the stated total measure different things.S3
| Tag | Companies | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Active | 21 | 58.3% |
| Exited | 15 | 41.7% |
Every company on the Astellas Venture Management list
36 companies, as listed on the firm's own website: 21 active, 15 exited.S3 Read the firm's list.
Active 21
- Avilar Therapeutics, Inc.
- Carbon Biosciences, Inc.
- Casma Therapeutics, Inc.
- Catamaran Bio, Inc.
- Cellular Intelligence, Inc.
- DEM BioPharma, Inc.
- Mogrify Limited
- NeoPhore Limited
- Orna Therapeutics Holdings, LLC
- Pallando Therapeutics, Inc.
- PhoreMost Limited
- ResNovas Therapeutics, Inc.
- Restore Vision, Inc.
- Shinobi Therapeutics, Inc.
- Sidewinder Therapeutics, Inc.
- Solu Therapeutics, Inc.
- Stealth mode Company (Invested in 2022 Feb)
- Syntax Bio, Inc.
- Toregem BioPharma Co., Ltd
- Turn Biotechnologies, Inc.
- Weaver Biosciences, Inc.
Exited 15
- Bicycle Therapeutics Ltd
- Cleave Biosciences, Inc
- CODA Biotherapeutics, Inc
- Crescendo Biologics Ltd
- eFFECTOR Therapeutics, Inc
- F2G Ltd
- Heartseed Inc
- Oncorus, Inc
- PanOptica, Inc
- Redona Therapeutics, Inc
- Tizona Therapeutics, Inc
- Trieza Therapeutics, Inc
- Trishula Terapeutics, Inc
- TScan Therapeutics, Inc
- Viamet Pharmaceuticals, Inc
History
- Astellas Pharma establishes Astellas Venture Management LLC (then headquartered in Los Altos, CA) to manage the former Yamanouchi and Fujisawa venture business plus a new Astellas Venture Fund.S7
- William Watt joins AVM as President on 1 June (older staging team page).S5
- Hiroyuki Usuda joins AVM as Investment Lead.S2
Where sources disagree
- Leaders: Amy Skarr (President), Matt Vogt, Veronika Hughes-Bednar listed as Board of Managers (live team page) (S2) vs William Watt, President since 2022-06-01; Hiromichi Kimura, Investment Director (older staging copy) (S5). Live page no longer lists Watt or Kimura; whether they left is not stated.S2S5
Official pages
Read the firm's own pages for current information.
Sources
- S1Astellas Venture Management: homeFirm
- S2Astellas Venture Management: teamFirm
- S3Astellas Venture Management: portfolioFirm
- S4Astellas Venture Management: newsFirm
- S5Astellas Venture Management: team (older staging copy)Firm
- S6Astellas Venture Management: contactFirm
- S7Astellas newsroom: Astellas Has Established Astellas Venture Management in the USParent company
Disclaimer and corrections
Not affiliated. This page is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Astellas Venture Management or any company named on it. Names and trademarks belong to their owners. Informational only. This is a public-source reference. It is not investment, legal or tax advice and not an offer or solicitation. Sources. Each figure names its source. Figures may have changed. Please read the firm's official pages, linked above. Corrections and takedown. To report an error or ask for a change or removal, use the correction form or email Richard@CorporateVentureCapital.com.
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