SOFINNOVA-PARTNERS
13.12.2023 07:01:34 CET | Business Wire | Press release
Sofinnova Partners (“Sofinnova"), a leading European life sciences venture capital firm based in Paris, London, and Milan, announced today the launch of Biovelocita, an investment strategy dedicated entirely to the creation and acceleration of biotech startups in Europe.
Biovelocita’s newly formed team will provide a hands-on, robust framework for startups, combining direct management, financial backing, and access to Sofinnova’s extensive infrastructure and network. The strategy builds upon Sofinnova’s established track record of nurturing innovative ventures within the healthcare and sustainability sectors. It draws inspiration from the achievements of Italy’s first biotech accelerator, BiovelocITA, co-founded by Gabriella Camboni, Silvano Spinelli and Sofinnova Partners in 2015, which has significantly contributed to the growth of the Italian biotech ecosystem.
Graziano Seghezzi, Managing Partner of Sofinnova Partners, said: “With Sofinnova Biovelocita, we are doubling down on our commitment to innovation and company creation in the life sciences. To improve and expand our company-creation toolbox, we have brought together a group of experienced investors and entrepreneurs who have been collaborating with Sofinnova for over a decade, some nearly two decades. With this top-tier team, we look forward to strengthening one of Sofinnova’s strategic pillars: acceleration, which is already making rapid strides in the medical device space with Sofinnova MD Start, our in-house medtech accelerator.”
Key partners of this initiative include:
- Gabriella Camboni, Partner, pivotal in the conception of this strategy as a co-founder and CEO of BiovelocITA. She also co-founded two Sofinnova companies, EOS (Ethical Oncology Science), serving as its COO until its acquisition by Clovis Oncology in 2013, and Novuspharma, which was acquired by Cell Therapeutics, Inc. in 2003.
- Matthieu Coutet, Partner, brings nearly two decades of experience in venture capital and operations, including significant contributions to the launch of biotech startups such as TherAchon and Annapurna Therapeutics, and the founding of AdBio Partners.
- Alex Leech, Partner, an experienced biopharma company builder and a serial CEO, most recently serving as the founding CEO of Alchemab Therapeutics, which raised an $82m Series A investment round.
- Zhizhong (Joel) Yao, Partner, a former Principal in the Sofinnova Capital Strategy, and a Kauffman Fellow, instrumental in the launch of several biotech start-ups. Holds a Harvard PhD in Chemical Biology and Systems Biology and did post-doctoral research at the French National Institute of Agricultural Research.
Seghezzi concluded: “We know from our extensive experience that close cooperation between top management teams, world-class scientists, and dedicated financing, forges the path for biotech champions of tomorrow. With this new strategy, we are poised to catalyze transformative innovation in biotechnology.”
About Sofinnova Partners
Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital firm in life sciences, specializing in healthcare and sustainability. Based in Paris, London and Milan, the firm brings together a team of professionals from all over the world with strong scientific, medical and business expertise. Sofinnova Partners is a hands-on company builder across the entire value chain of life sciences investments, from seed to later-stage. The firm actively partners with ambitious entrepreneurs as a lead or cornerstone investor to develop transformative innovations that have the potential to positively impact our collective future.
Founded in 1972, Sofinnova Partners is a deeply established venture capital firm in Europe, with 50 years of experience backing over 500 companies and creating market leaders around the globe. Today, Sofinnova Partners has over €2.5 billion under management. For more information, please visit: sofinnovapartners.com.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231212907842/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Darktrace Selects Navan to Modernise Travel Program25.2.2026 10:00:00 CET | Press release
Navan (NASDAQ: NAVN), the global AI-powered business travel and expense platform, today announced it has been selected by Darktrace, a global leader in AI for cybersecurity, to upgrade its global travel program. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260225522665/en/ Darktrace Selects Navan to Modernise Travel Program “As Darktrace accelerates its expansion, in-person collaboration is critical,” said David Smith, Chief People Officer at Darktrace. “Navan’s inventory and user experience will ensure our teams and customers can easily connect, while we can maintain financial control.” As the UK-based cybersecurity company grows, Darktrace sought a partner to consolidate its travel operations, minimize administrative burden, and improve the booking experience for its workforce. Previously hampered by fragmented processes, Darktrace required a solution that would increase platform adoption and empower its employees to tra
AI: The New Insider Threat Facing Organizations25.2.2026 09:00:00 CET | Press release
Thales 2026 Data Threat Report Finds 70% of Organizations Rank AI as Top Data Security Risk As AI systems gain broader access to enterprise data across environments, organizations must treat data visibility and encryption as core security elements. AI-enabled deepfakes and misinformation are increasing the effectiveness of identity-based attacks. Today, credential theft is the leading attack technique against cloud infrastructure (67%). Nearly 60% of companies report deepfake-driven incidents, and 48% experience damage from AI-generated misinformation Investment in AI security is growing, with 30% of companies allocating dedicated budgets; however, 53% are still relying on existing security budget According to the Thales 2026 Data Threat Report, organizations across various markets including automotive, energy, finance and retail say the rapid pace of AI-driven transformation is now their biggest security challenge. Based on the report’s research, conducted by S&P Global 451 Research,
Zuper and Vonage Reimagine Network Connectivity for Skilled Trades with Quality on Demand25.2.2026 09:00:00 CET | Press release
Zuper to receive early access to Vonage Quality on Demand network API, for high-stakes field workflows - ensuring reliable network performance for live video, wearables, and inspections across industries like HVAC, electrical, general construction, roofing, manufacturing, and more Zuper, the AI operating system for the trades, and Vonage, part of Ericsson, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enter into a collaboration to integrate Vonage’s network APIs into the Zuper platform. The collaboration will provide Zuper with early access to Vonage network powered solutions, starting with Quality on Demand (QoD), where mobile network performance can be selectively applied to support critical field workflows, delivering improved latency, reliability, and connected experiences for mobile workforces. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260225852261/en/ QoD is the first advanced network API being integrat
Industrial Decarbonization: Calderion, WenCo and Terravent Invest in Graforce to Scale Plasma Pyrolysis Globally25.2.2026 08:07:00 CET | Press release
The investor consortium comprising the Paris-based Next Generation Fuels Industrial & Technological fund Calderion (Audacia), alongside infrastructure developer Terravent and WenCo Family Office, announces the closing of a strategic double-digit million-euro financing round for Berlin-based Graforce GmbH. The investment is dedicated to the industrial scale-up of Graforce’s proprietary plasma pyrolysis technology, addressing the growing global demand for cost-efficient low-carbon hydrogen, syngas, and carbon removal solutions that are compatible with existing industrial infrastructures. Disruptive alternative to conventional processes Graforce’s technology aims at replacing CO₂-intensive legacy routes such as steam reforming and classical gasification. By applying plasma to methane, biogas, flare gas, and landfill gas, the process converts these streams into their valuable molecular components instead of emitting them. The result is a high-efficiency production of clean hydrogen and syn
Mevion Medical Systems Announces CE Marking of the MEVION S250-FIT™ Proton Therapy System, Expanding Global Access to Compact Proton Therapy25.2.2026 08:00:00 CET | Press release
CE Marking enables marketing and clinical use of the world’s first and only LINAC vault-ready proton therapy system across the European Union Mevion Medical Systems, the global leader in compact proton therapy, today announced that the MEVION S250-FIT Proton Therapy System has successfully completed the conformity assessment process and has received CE Marking under Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (EU MDR). This regulatory milestone enables the marketing, sale, and clinical use of the MEVION S250-FIT system throughout the European Union, building on the system’s existing U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance granted in September 2025. The MEVION S250-FIT is the first and only proton therapy system designed to fit into a standard radiation therapy vault. By enabling cancer centers to use their existing infrastructure, the MEVION S250-FIT dramatically reduces the cost, complexity, and timeline traditionally associated with proton therapy adoption. This opens a new pathway for hospitals and cancer centers a
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom