Jonathan Tower

Our partner Eddie Eltoukhy has identified these opportunities in Biotech. Eddie has a PhD in bioengineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and over a decade experience as an operator. Reach out to him if you are working on these areas of biotech. Pear VC - Technology-Driven Therapeutic Platforms Companies developing therapeutic assets with a core product engine Proprietary tool, workflow, or samples leading to novel biological data sets Preference for omics platforms or high throughput screening / engineering workflows First-in-class or best-in-class drugs - Next-Generation Therapeutic Modalities Technologies to improve the efficacy, safety, access, or reach of next-gen modalities including the following: Genomic medicines (gene tx & gene editing) Cell therapies Targeted protein degraders Antibody-drug conjugates Radiopharma - Precision Medicine New technologies supporting the discovery of novel biomarkers and the generation of proprietary data sets for applications in: Disease screening Therapy selection Recurrence monitoring - Life Sciences + AI Software Platforms Software & AI-driven platforms to improve all aspects of life sciences R&D, including: Target discovery and validation Drug design and optimization Manufacturing Regulatory Clinical development

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Thanks for inviting me TEN Capital Network and Hall T. Martin to talk about some of my favorite topics - climate tech investing and how we are building an energy transition economy in New Mexico.

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As private markets welcome more investors to the space, the how becomes as important as the why. iCapital Chairman & CEO Lawrence Calcano came on the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast to break down the how and the why. How can investors gain access to private markets in ways that work for them? How can alternative asset managers better serve those investors? How can this all be done in a responsible, thoughtful way that sets up both investors and private markets for success in the long-term? What is the evolution of the different service models that enable GPs to unlock access to private markets for more LPs? Lawrence Calcano and I discussed these topics and more on the show. Thanks Lawrence for coming on the show to share your thoughtful perspectives on the industry and its continued evolution. Thanks to Ultimus Fund Solutions for sponsoring this episode of the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast. https://lnkd.in/eX7njq8b

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It was great to be back in Boston last week, reconnecting with returning Institute members and meeting new market and investment leaders! We are excited for the events and research areas we have coming up in the next few months! #ocio #investmentsolutions #investmentmanagement #investmentconsulting

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Many VC fund managers are considering placement agents (PAs) to help secure commitments for the first time. Selecting the right PA and setting up a productive working relationship requires careful consideration. In my latest blog post, I explore essential tips for evaluating and working with PAs, including what to look for in their network, how to structure contracts, and best practices for effective collaboration. If you're navigating the use of placement agents, this guide offers practical insights to increase your fundraising success and avoid common pitfalls- full write up linked below. https://lnkd.in/ey-UcnSG Questions? DM me! #VentureCapital #Fundraising #PlacementAgents #InvestorRelations

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NY Climate Tech Founders! 1) YES PLEASE save the date to join us at #techweek (6/3!), and 2) YES PLEASE share your top NY resources to complete our NY INSIDER GUIDE, in collab with NYCEDC!

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Reflecting on the enriching discussions at the recent PEWIN - Private Equity Women Investor Network CIO Roundtable in Boston. It was a joy to hear from panelists Letitia Johnson (Amherst College), Deb Shufrin (Colby College), Abigail Wattley (Williams College), and moderator Sarah Samuels, CFA, CAIA (NEPC, LLC). Some of my key takeaways: From the CIO perspective, alignment with the board is paramount. Portfolios experience ebbs and flows, emphasizing the necessity of a board committed to long-term strategies. Data underscores the repercussions of misalignment—allocators often undermine value by prematurely exiting positions for liquidity needs or reacting impulsively to market fluctuations. Across the board, CIOs prioritize firms that can articulate their competitive edge, foster sustainable organizations with top-tier talent, culture, and succession planning, and demonstrate agility in evolving markets. A robust LP base providing long-term support and institutional guidance is also crucial. Success isn't about funding billionaires—it's about supporting determined individuals committed to sustained success. Privates demand more than short-term commitment—they require a relentless desire to succeed over time. For a deeper dive into the role of CIO, I highly recommend The Counting House by Gary Sernovitz. #CIOInsights #PEWINRoundtable #InvestmentStrategies

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Last week, I had the pleasure of moderating a discussion on navigating FOAK in climate tech at the Greentown Labs Summit in Boston (which had >600 people!!). Here’s a quick rundown of what was shared by Katherine St. James of Spring Lane Capital, Paris Smalls, PhD of Eden GeoPower, and Hannah Friedman of Planeteer Capital: 🌱 What is the definition of FOAK? We discussed how the term can be controversial - it's almost too general because it doesn't identify what kind of "First" FOAK refers to - first team project? First geography? First of a technology in a sector? First time for the integration of a system? It's also too specific because it has the word "first" in it, which can be anathema to later stage / project finance investors. 💰 Partnerships for Funding FOAK Projects We discussed how important it is to build a blended capital stack & use off-balance sheet capital for a project so you're not using the most expensive equity dollars to fund an infrastructure project with low-ish IRR. We also talked through being creative about using corporate partners to provide in-kind services or ink some agreement (at least an LOI) to attract this funding. 🏛 Role of Government We talked about how government capital is seen by investors & how it can be catalytic for FOAK. Government capital can provide validation that a startup has passed a rigorous diligence process by a third party - and incentives like grants or credits can help improve returns for the first project- but it's important to be doing this in conjunction with getting customer validation and to be able to present line of sight to competitive economics without concessionary capital. 👥 Advice for FOAK startups The panelists offered some very specific pieces of advice for startups going through FOAK: how to get creative with things like revenue sharing agreements or convertible notes, getting smart with project development early on (like with DeveloperU), being careful about using FOAK too liberally with certain investor groups, getting the right commercialization / FOAK talent in and around you early Huge thanks to the panelists and the team at Greentown Labs (Jill Kirkpatrick, Julia Travaglini, Aisling Carlson, etc you rocked it!!) for hosting this discussion on bridging the FOAK gap. Also immensely enjoyed the rest of the agenda. Check out the full recap & videos here: https://lnkd.in/d9ApYe9Y #ClimateTech #FOAK #ClimateFinance #ProjectDevelopment #GreenTech #CleanEnergy

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Divestment requirements have a very real cost. This reduces the ability of endowments and foundations to support their mission driven enterprises. As the list of divestment demands grow, at what point do the consequences outweigh the perceived benefits? Hiding at the end of this article is the below quote: Golden admitted the divestment had undermined Princo’s returns, saying the endowment “would have been better off” otherwise. But he pointed to a bigger concern: the pressure to “keep adding things to divest from”. “Fossil fuels are necessarily part of getting to where the overall economy needs to be [and] it would be impossible for the world to not use fossil fuels tomorrow,” he said. “Divestment is a pretty weak tool to change the economy.” https://lnkd.in/g3SeC8rg #energy #investing #vc

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In this episode of "The Future of the Bioeconomy," AV Associate Drew Wandzilak and CEO and co-founder of Hyfe Michelle Ruiz discuss the economy's shift from traditional systems to more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. Watch now! https://buff.ly/3JZ5gQI

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8,500 MWh will be the largest grid storage project by energy capacity in the country

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In this episode of "The Future of the Bioeconomy," AV Associate Drew Wandzilak and CEO and co-founder of Hyfe Michelle Ruiz discuss the economy's shift from traditional systems to more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. Watch now! https://buff.ly/3JZ5gQI

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With everything that Shahzad M. Khan and I have going on at Devonshire Partners, I have not had as much time to source great new guests for the Compounders podcast. So I figured, why not use my wonderful network of LinkedIn contacts and followers to find some new people to have on the show? As many of you know, we essentially do three types of interviews: with investment professionals, private company CEOs, and public company CEOs. I am going to lay out some basic criteria, with examples, for each category but am open even if people don't fit exactly within these boxes: Investment professionals: -Any equity or fixed income manager running more than $25mm. (See my great interviews with Scott B Colson, CFA, CAIA and Greg Dean, CFA.) -Investors who recently launched their own firm after a long career working for other firms. (For example, my recent interview with James Edwards, CFA, CPA) -Equity investors who focus on microcap (Like my interviews with Mathieu Martin, CFA and Whit Huguley, CFA) -Lower middle market and middle market PE firms (See my interview with Brandon Halcott) -We have never had a VC investor on and I would love to have one on (Yes, Alex Rubalcava I am talking to you) -Anyone who runs a fund or firm focused on real estate development or acquisitions (Don't miss my interview with Evan Curtis) -People running strategies involving esoteric asset classes (Even though he invests in equities, I consider Thomas Bachrach someone who makes very esoteric investments). Public company CEOs: -Any CEO of a profitable, non-commodity-based company that has a market cap above $50mm. (A good example was my recent interview with Carl H. of Corero Network Security) Private Company CEOs: -I am pretty open here. I just like talking to people who are building a business they think they compound, with a preference for a company that is doing something differentiated. (Maybe the best example of this is my conversation with Thomas Li of Daloopa) In reality, I have a lot of fun doing the interviews so please feel free to reach out if you want to be on the show or if someone you know could be a good fit. You can message me on LinkedIn or at [email protected]. You can find all of the 75+ episodes we have done here: https://lnkd.in/gr26rPan Thanks so much for the help!

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Sharing views of my Partner. "Within the climate change investment ecosystem, much of the capital has gone to two ends of the spectrum: venture capital and infrastructure. Those investments are obviously impactful, but more of a developmental, long-term approach to solving climate change. We try to focus on where we can make an impact today. That means looking for companies already reducing emissions or saving energy." Read more from Stuart Barkoff, co-founder and managing partner GEF Capital Partners https://lnkd.in/dX2CMs35

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Private capital can support the revitalization and reimagining of old infrastructure to make these growth-oriented assets more valuable from both an investment and impact perspective. Learn more with Head of Impact Investments David Helgerson: https://gag.gl/sfICNN

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Private capital can support the revitalization and reimagining of old infrastructure to make these growth-oriented assets more valuable from both an investment and impact perspective. Learn more with Head of Impact Investments David Helgerson: https://gag.gl/sfICNN

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Happy news from one of our Fund I portfolio companies (which willl hopefully make our investors happy, DPI baby!): https://lnkd.in/e5bPu5qx Personal Thoughts: - My great admiration for the Biocatch team, I've witnessed your achievements and ultimate interim payoff - Bold move from Permira, you got yourselves a strong asset - Constantly reading aggregated data from the VC industry, which is good, but also very misleading. Why? Because as in the economy, even in a bear market, the good and healthy companies will ultimately thrive. Don't rely on aggregated data only

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🗽🌳 Exciting News for NYC Tech Community! 🚀 Join us for an invigorating Venture Walk & Talk, proudly part of NY Tech Week! Scheduled for June 4th from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the scenic Maine Monument in Central Park, this unique event is hosted by Founders Committee Ventures. 🌟 Why Join Us? Imagine a relaxed stroll through the beautiful pathways of Central Park, where you can disconnect from the digital world and engage with NYC’s finest founders, angel investors, and venture capitalists. This is more than just a walk; it’s an opportunity to forge meaningful connections, share innovative ideas, and enjoy the great outdoors—all within the heart of Manhattan. ✨ Event Highlights: - Network with industry leaders and peers - Brainstorm new ideas in a refreshing setting - Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of Central Park Whether you’re looking to collaborate on new projects, explore potential investments, or simply enjoy a break from the office routine, the Venture Walk & Talk is the perfect occasion. 👉 Registration is open but spots are limited and approval is required. Don’t miss out on this chance to be part of something special during #TechWeek. Lace up your walking shoes, grab a coffee, and let’s make strides together in the tech ecosystem! 🔗 https://lu.ma/wj9o67iy See you there for a breath of fresh innovation! #NYTechWeek #TechNetworking #StartupLife #VentureCapital

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