Palo Alto, CA, April 4, 2017 - Data Collective (DCVC), a venture capital fund investing in entrepreneurs applying deep tech to transform giant industries, today announced it is partnering with Dr. John Cumbers to launch a pre-seed and seed venture capital fund, the DCVC SynBioBeta Fund, to invest in synthetic biology startups. Synthetic biology has wide-ranging applications in agriculture, consumer, healthcare, environment, chemicals, and materials.“The synthetic biology industry, driven by advances in computational biology and related tool chains, now resembles the Silicon Valley semiconductor business right at its sharp takeoff in the 80s and 90s,” said Matt Ocko, co-Managing Partner, DCVC. “John has been running the premier network for the synthetic biology industry, sees new companies and technologies before most people do, and understands where the technologies are headed. We’re excited to have him bringing in new investments.”Cumbers, originally from the UK, is a former NASA scientist and holds a Ph.D in cell biology, molecular biology, and biochemistry. He founded SynBioBeta in 2012 to bring early-stage technology developers, entrepreneurs, and investors together to explore the then-nascent technologies of synthetic biology. Cumbers will continue to support the industry through his efforts at SynBioBeta and his forthcoming book What’s Your Bio Strategy?, which illustrates the disruptive impact that synthetic biology is having on a number of industries.“Data Collective has been making some great investment decisions over the last few years to back disruptive industry leaders,” said John Cumbers. “I’m excited to help the team make early-stage synthetic biology investments and look forward to backing passionate entrepreneurs driven to make biology easier to engineer.”Zachary Bogue, co-Managing Partner of DCVC added, “As DCVC has observed through our significant portfolio of applied AI investments, and likewise in synthetic biology, each advance by one generation of startups fuels exponential progress in the next one. We’re delighted to have John help us and our entrepreneurs navigate this immense opportunity.”
SynBioBeta is the leading community of entrepreneurs, investors, policy makers and enthusiasts devoted to the responsible growth of the synthetic biology field. They host international synthetic biology conferences and events that bring the entire community together several times each year, giving anyone the opportunity to meet with the bright minds building and shaping the bio economy. SynBioBeta also offers a highly specialized weekly industry e-digest, news blog and educational courses in addition to providing companies in the industry with opportunities for advertising, exhibition and sponsorships for promotion.
Data Collective (DCVC) and its principals have backed brilliant people using deep tech to change global-scale industries for over twenty years, helping create tens of billions of dollars of wealth for these entrepreneurs while also making the world a markedly better place. DCVC brings to bear a unique model that unites a team of experienced venture capitalists with more than 50 technology executives and experts (CTOs, CIOs, Chief Scientists, Principal Engineers, Professors at Stanford and Berkeley) with significant tenures at top 100 technology companies and research institutions worldwide. DCVC focuses on seed, Series A, and then the growth stage companies in its own portfolio. Learn more at www.dcvc.com and follow us on Twitter at @dcvc.Media Contacts:For DCVCpress@DCVC.comFor SynBioBetaKarl SchmiedermessagingLAB646.515.3392karl@messaginglab.comFor startups interested in the new fund: synbiofund@dcvc.com
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