While many companies are contributing to the battle against the pandemic, Deep Tech startups are trying to overcome scientific challenges to help with prevention, testing or treatment in novel and scalable ways.
This live event organized by SOSV brings together investors who have backed dozens of relevant startups, to get a sense of:
- The variety of solutions being developed,
- Their potential outcomes,
- The broader role and opportunities of deep tech investment.
SPEAKERS
- Seth Bannon, Founding Partner, Fifty Years
- Jun Axup, PhD, Chief Science Officer & Partner, IndieBio / SOSV
- Alex Morgan, MD PhD, Partner, Khosla Ventures
MODERATORS
- Julie Wolf, PhD, Communications Director, IndieBio / SOSV
- Benjamin Joffe, Partner, SOSV
COVID-19 PORTFOLIO
- Fifty Years: www.fifty.vc/covid
- SOSV: www.sosv.com/covid-startups/
- Khosla Ventures: www.khoslaventures.com/khosla-ventures-entrepreneurs-are-responding-with-amazing-diversity-to-covid-19-solutions-for-societys-needs
6. Investing
At Scale
#2 Most Active Global Seed Fund in 2019
Crunchbase, 2020.01
150 Startups / Year
$100k-$250k
Looking Glass Factory
3D Holographic Display
Follow-on
Up to $1.5m / round
Flow Neuroscience
Depression Treatment
Memphis Meats
Cultured meat
Investing
At The Edge
• Early stage deep tech fund
• $700m AUM, 1000 startups
• 150 startups/year
• Leading accelerator programs
Life Sciences (Indiebio)
Hardware (HAX)
Food (Food-X)
Asia cross-border
(Chinaccelerator & MOX)
Simbe Robotics
Shelf auditing and analytics
Deep Tech
Early Stage
$277m
Fund size
$700m+
AUM
15. Nanofiber Mask
Verdex
• More breathable new material
that blocks the virus (diameter
~120nm).
• Effective from 100nm
(vs. 300nm+ for N95)
16. • Hands can lead to contamination
via face touching.
• Keen uses ML to recognize
specific movements and raise
awareness.
Reduce Face Touching
Keen Smart Bracelet
17. • Avidbots created autonomous
cleaning and polishing robots
that can include disinfectants.
• They have been deployed globally
in airports, hospitals, etc.
Floor Disinfection
Avidbots
18. • TV and movie productions will
need regular disinfection to
#OpenSafely
• On-site dry cleaning robot.
Press / dry / disinfect in < 5min
• Robots will save Hollywood!
Clothing Disinfection
Presso
23. • Smart helmets* with IR sensors
and AI-based face recognition.
• Range of 5m, alert if >37.3C.
• 2 minutes to scan 100 people
Smart Helmet
For Fever Scanning
* Made by Kuang-Chi
Used in Chengdu & Shenzhen.
24.
25.
26.
27. • Tracks temperature, sleep,
activity and HRV.
• Early tests show the AI model
can currently predict a case 24h
in advance 90% of the time.
Smart Ring for Pre-
Symptom Detection
Oura Health
31. Manufacturing
Capacity Building
“If anything kills over 10 million people
in the next few decades, it’s more likely to be
an infectious virus, rather than a war. […]
We’re not ready for the next epidemic.”
Bill Gates, TED 2015
• The Coalition for Epidemic
Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)
invested in 8 vaccine programs.
• The Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation is spending billions to
build factories for the 7 most
promising vaccine candidates.
32. • Repurposing existing drugs could
have a faster GTM.
• Pharma and startups are racing.
New Drugs
vs. Old Drugs
David Ho
Columbia University, USA
33.
34. • Mods of BIPAP / CPAP machines.
• Open Source project by UC
Berkeley engineers, ER doctors
and critical care pulmonologists.
• Could free up some ventilators.
From Sleep Apnea
To Ventilators?
Source: VentilatorSOS.com
35. • Higher safety and comfort
• Protects the environment
from an infected patient.
Single Patient Isolation
& Transport System
EpiShuttle
36. Emotions Monitor
Sentio Solutions
• Feel bracelet is an Emotion
Sensor and Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy (CBT)
• Quantify a person’s emotional
state, and deliver 24/7 emotional
health support.
41. 3
Societal Impact Financial Returns
Totemic
VC India Impact
ck12
Breakthrough
Energy
Khosla Impact
Giving Pledge
Aadhar Bridge
42. Khosla Ventures’ Portfolio
Response to COVID-19
“Khosla Ventures’ entrepreneurs are responding with amazing
diversity to COVID-19 solutions for society’s needs!”
https://medium.com/@vkhosla/khosla-ventures-entrepreneurs-are-responding-with-amazing-diversity-to-covid-19-solutions-for-47a4c8d447ac
43. Unique silicon photonics diagnostics technology, FDA approved
Can deliver results in < 15 minutes, wide range of analytes
COVID-19 serology testing developed: IgG & IgM, 12 unique
antigens
Capacity ~250K/patients a month, ramping up to 7.5M/month by
fall
Working in collaboration with Collective Health on their Collective
Go back to work program
5
44. Proprietary nanoparticle technology for
pathogen detection using mobile phone
Demonstrated in clinical trial for Chlamydia
Significant advantages in sensitivity and
specificity over colorimetric lateral flow, with
better quantification
Developing point of care IgG & IgM serology
testing
6
45. Coronavirus protease inhibitor chemistry
7
Pardes Bio
Uri Lopatin, MD
YC Biotech Partner
Prior Co-Founder/CMO of Assembly Biosciences
(Hep B virus therapeutics)
Lee Arnold, PhD
Prior CSO of Assembly Biosciences
46. Tissue and organoid engineering company
Creates 3D scaffolds to support tissue architecture
Tumor xenograft vascularization/micro-environment
Large vessels, kidney nephrons, liver lobules, lung lobes
Ex vivo lymph nodes to produce therapeutic antibodies
May 19, 2020: Announced 300 different human antibodies against S1 or
S2 spike protein from 960 Externalized Human Immune System lymph
nodes
8
PRELLIS BIOLOGICS
47. 9
Distribution of care models changing
Mental/behavioral health
through telemedicine,
available 24-7
Personalized care for every
member
Prescription writing for
antidepressants up 86%
Transcranial electric
stimulation for anxiety and
depression at home
CE Mark approval for sale in
Europe/UK
59. Biotech is stronger than ever but many unknowns …
- Earlier stage investors should be more active
- Impact vs returns? Both?
- Are pandemics an ongoing investable thesis?
- Technology impact on society, politics, equality
- Reminder to keep evolving, staying nimble
25M
12.5M