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Illumina

North America, California, United States, San Diego

Description

Illumina, Inc., a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, established Illumina Ventures in 2016 as an independent venture capital firm. While spun out from the parent company, Illumina Ventures maintains a strategic relationship, leveraging Illumina's deep expertise and network within the life sciences sector. This structure allows the venture arm to operate with the agility of a traditional VC while benefiting from the insights of a pioneering industry leader. The firm's primary objective is to invest in and nurture innovative companies that are advancing genomics and its applications across various fields.

Illumina Ventures is dedicated to supporting early-stage companies, typically investing in Seed, Series A, and Series B rounds. Their investment thesis centers on breakthroughs in genomics, precision medicine, life sciences tools, diagnostics, therapeutics, and digital health solutions. They seek out startups developing disruptive technologies and platforms that have the potential to significantly impact human health and scientific discovery. The firm's team comprises experienced investors and scientific experts, providing not only capital but also strategic guidance and access to a vast ecosystem of partners and resources.

The firm has demonstrated a robust commitment to its investment strategy, having successfully raised multiple funds, including a $300 million Fund II and a $260 million Fund III. These substantial capital pools enable Illumina Ventures to make meaningful initial investments, typically ranging from $1 million for Seed-stage companies up to $15 million for leading or co-leading Series A or B rounds. With a portfolio exceeding 60 companies, Illumina Ventures has established itself as a significant player in the genomics investment landscape, actively shaping the future of precision health by backing the next generation of life science innovators.

Investor Profile

Illumina has backed more than 21 startups, with 2 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 4 rounds, about 19% of its total and boasts 7 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Series A, Series Unknown, Seed rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United States, United Kingdom, Canada.
  • Strong thematic focus on Biotechnology, Health Care, Health Diagnostics.
  • Typical check size: $1M – $15M.

Stage Focus

  • Series A (19%)
  • Series Unknown (19%)
  • Seed (14%)
  • Series C (14%)
  • Pre Seed (10%)
  • Post Ipo Equity (5%)
  • Corporate Round (5%)
  • Series F (5%)
  • Series D (5%)
  • Series B (5%)

Country Focus

  • United States (67%)
  • United Kingdom (24%)
  • Canada (10%)

Industry Focus

  • Biotechnology
  • Health Care
  • Health Diagnostics
  • Genetics
  • Biopharma
  • Medical
  • Medical Device
  • Life Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Bioinformatics
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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 Illumina frequently co-invest with?

Lansdowne Partners
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 2
Sutter Hill Ventures
North America, California, United States, Palo Alto
Co-Investments: 4
Kleiner Perkins
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 2
Mayo Clinic
North America, Minnesota, United States, Rochester
Co-Investments: 3
Warburg Pincus
Europe, Madrid, Spain, Boadilla Del Monte
Co-Investments: 3
OS Fund
North America, Illinois, United States, Chicago
Co-Investments: 2
Invesco
North America, Georgia, United States, Atlanta
Co-Investments: 2
Viking Global Investors
North America, Connecticut, United States, Stamford
Co-Investments: 4
IP Group
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 2
ARCH Venture Partners
North America, Illinois, United States, Chicago
Co-Investments: 2

Which angels does Illumina often collaborate with?

Daniel Curran
North America, California, United States, Santa Monica
Shared Deals: 1
JP
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
BG
North America, Washington, United States, Seattle
Shared Deals: 1
Tan Thay
Asia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
Shared Deals: 1
AN
North America, Massachusetts, United States, Cambridge
Shared Deals: 1
NH
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1

What are some of recent deals done by Illumina?

Pillar Biosciences

Natick, Massachusetts, United States

Pillar Biosciences specializes in sequencing technology platform and proprietary data analysis toolkit.

BiotechnologyHealth CareHealth Diagnostics
Series UnknownMay 27, 2025
Amount Raised: $34,500,000
Truveta

Bellevue, Washington, United States

Truveta is a healthcare data platform that provides EHR data for scientific research.

AnalyticsData ManagementHealth Care
Series CJan 13, 2025
Amount Raised: $320,000,000
Cache

Foster City, California, United States

Cache is advancing personalized medicine and digital data storage by making storage and access to biomolecules widely accessible.

BiopharmaBiotechnologyInformation TechnologyPrecision Medicine
SeedMay 7, 2024
Mantra Bio

San Francisco, California, United States

Mantra Bio is the creator of REVEAL, an exosome engineering platform combining computational biology and lab automation.

BiotechnologyLife Science
Series AJan 4, 2023
Amount Raised: $9,000,000
Mable (Neurolytic Healthcare)

Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

Genomics based individualized care for people with neurological conditions.

Health CareMedicalNeuroscience
Pre SeedJul 27, 2022
SomaLogic

Boulder, Colorado, United States

SomaLogic is a protein biomarker discovery and clinical diagnostics company, offers SOMAmer technology to improve diagnostic products.

BiotechnologyHealth CareHealth DiagnosticsMedical Device
Post Ipo EquitySep 1, 2021
Amount Raised: $375,000,000
Concr

London, England, United Kingdom

Astrophysics technology for precision therapy through accurate modelling of biology

BiopharmaBiotechnologyMachine Learning
Pre SeedApr 1, 2021
Amount Raised: $691,491
Ginkgo Bioworks

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Ginkgo Bioworks is a developer of biological engineering products and custom microbes across multiple markets.

BiopharmaBiotechnologyChemical
Series FMay 28, 2020
Amount Raised: $70,000,000
Helix

San Mateo, California, United States

Helix is a population genomics company that is working to advance genomics research and integrate genomic data into clinical care.

Big DataBioinformaticsBiotechnologyBlockchainCryptocurrencyFinTechGeneticsHealth CarePersonal Health
Series BMar 1, 2018
Amount Raised: $200,000,000
Helixis

Carlsbad, California, United States

Helixis, Inc. is a company that develops low-cost molecular diagnostic products.

BiotechnologyHealth DiagnosticsMedical
Series UnknownMar 1, 2018
Amount Raised: $200,000,000