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Civilization Ventures

North America, California, United States, San Francisco

Description

Civilization Ventures is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm established in 2017, dedicated to investing in groundbreaking innovations within the exponential health technology and biology sectors. The firm's core thesis revolves around identifying and supporting companies that leverage advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, genomics, and digital health solutions to address critical challenges in human health, longevity, and disease prevention. Their investment philosophy is deeply rooted in the belief that scientific and technological advancements are rapidly converging to create transformative opportunities in healthcare.

The firm primarily targets early-stage companies, focusing on Seed and Series A rounds, though they occasionally participate in later-stage investments as portfolio companies mature. Civilization Ventures aims to be a significant partner to its portfolio companies, often taking on lead or co-lead investor roles. Their typical initial check size ranges from $500,000 to $2,000,000, reflecting their commitment to providing foundational capital for nascent ventures with high growth potential. This strategic approach allows them to engage deeply with founders and contribute meaningfully to the development of novel solutions in areas like precision medicine, biotech, and longevity science.

Civilization Ventures has demonstrated a clear growth trajectory in its funding capabilities. The firm successfully closed its first fund, Civilization Ventures Fund I, with $30 million in committed capital. Building on this initial success and the performance of its early investments, the firm subsequently raised Civilization Ventures Fund II, which closed at $75 million. This substantial increase in capital underscores investor confidence in their specialized focus and investment strategy, enabling them to expand their portfolio and continue backing ambitious projects at the forefront of health innovation. Their long-term vision is to foster a portfolio of companies that not only achieve significant commercial success but also contribute to a healthier, longer human lifespan.

Investor Profile

Civilization Ventures has backed more than 59 startups, with 6 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 1 rounds, about 2% of its total and boasts 6 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Seed, Series A, Series B rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United States, United Kingdom, Slovakia (Slovak Republic).
  • Strong thematic focus on Biotechnology, Health Care, Medical.
  • Typical check size: $500K – $2M.

Stage Focus

  • Seed (36%)
  • Series A (34%)
  • Series B (10%)
  • Pre Seed (7%)
  • Series C (5%)
  • Series D (3%)
  • Series Unknown (2%)
  • Series E (2%)
  • Post Ipo Equity (2%)

Country Focus

  • United States (88%)
  • United Kingdom (8%)
  • Country not foundSlovakia (Slovak Republic) (2%)
  • Brazil (2%)

Industry Focus

  • Biotechnology
  • Health Care
  • Medical
  • Life Science
  • Therapeutics
  • Pharmaceutical
  • Health Diagnostics
  • Biopharma
  • Machine Learning
  • Genetics
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does Civilization Ventures frequently co-invest with?

HOF Capital
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 4
Playground Global
North America, California, United States, Palo Alto
Co-Investments: 5
Pear VC
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 5
Hummingbird Ventures
Europe, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Belgium, Watermael-boitsfort
Co-Investments: 5
Y Combinator
North America, California, United States, Mountain View
Co-Investments: 7
Artis Ventures (AV)
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 7
Sahsen Ventures
North America, Washington, United States, Seattle
Co-Investments: 5
Fifty Years
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 5
Foresite Capital
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 4
DCVC
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 4

Which angels does Civilization Ventures often collaborate with?

JB
North America, Massachusetts, United States, Cambridge
Shared Deals: 1
WH
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
QY
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
AD
Europe, Veneto, Italy, Verona
Shared Deals: 1
MA
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
Darian Shirazi
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
AW
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
AM
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
BK
North America, California, United States, Stanford
Shared Deals: 1
NB
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1

What are some of recent deals done by Civilization Ventures?

Antheia

Menlo Park, California, United States

Antheia uses synthetic biology to produce biosynthetic KSMs and APIs for essential medicines through engineered microbial fermentation.

BiotechnologyHealth CareManufacturingPharmaceutical
Series CJun 3, 2025
Amount Raised: $56,000,000
OxCan

Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

OxCan is a startup that uses machine learning and liquid biopsy for early lung cancer detection.

BiotechnologyHealth CareHealth Diagnostics
Series AJan 9, 2025
Amount Raised: $11,000,000
Integrated Biosciences

Redwood City, California, United States

Integrated Biosciences develops next-generation therapeutics.

BiopharmaBiotechnologyLife ScienceMachine LearningTherapeutics
SeedOct 3, 2024
Amount Raised: $17,200,000
SyntaxBio

Chicago, Illinois, United States

SyntaxBio develops genetic programming platform that can program cells without the need for consistent external intervention.

BiotechnologyMedicalProduct Research
SeedSep 17, 2024
Outpace Bio

Seattle, Washington, United States

Outpace Bio develops innovative cell therapies to enhance cancer treatment efficacy.

BiotechnologyHealth CareLife SciencePharmaceutical
Series BAug 1, 2024
Amount Raised: $144,000,000
Foresight Diagnostics

Denver, Colorado, United States

Foresight Diagnostics develops novel technology for detect cancers from a simple blood draw.

BiotechnologyHealth CarePharmaceutical
Series BJul 30, 2024
Amount Raised: $33,000,000
BillionToOne

Menlo Park, California, United States

BillionToOne is a precision diagnostics company that focuses on genetic testing for disease detection.

BiotechnologyGeneticsHealth DiagnosticsMedical
Series DJun 21, 2024
Amount Raised: $130,000,000
Aikium Inc.

Berkeley, California, United States

Deep Learning x Synthetic Biology for Novel Protein Therapeutics

BiopharmaLife ScienceMachine LearningTherapeutics
Pre SeedMay 22, 2024
Amount Raised: $600,000
Catena Biosciences

Berkeley, California, United States

Catena Biosciences is a biotechnology company that offers protein conjugation, building biologic structures, and medical research.

BiotechnologyLife Science
SeedMay 10, 2024
Amount Raised: $2,350,000
OverT Bio

New York, New York, United States

OverT Bio operates as a biotech company that provide cell therapy for cancers.

BiotechnologyTherapeutics
SeedMay 6, 2024
Amount Raised: $16,000,000