The private investment firm has significantly expanded its asset base since its founding in 2006, bolstered by investor confidence in its unique, and efficient, model for forming, funding and building new companies based on early-stage technologies in the life-sciences and technology sectors.
Allied Minds, Inc., the biggest investor in technologies developed at renowned U.S. university and federal government research labs, announced the completion of its largest-ever funding round as the company expands investments in a diverse portfolio of companies with market-creating products and services.
Allied Minds closed $100 million this month, bringing the Boston-based investment firm’s assets to about $500 million. Allied Minds has significantly increased its asset base size in just seven years as it licensed dozens of technologies from top universities including Harvard University, New York University and the University of California. Allied Minds also launched groundbreaking partnerships with some of the largest federal research institutions, including The Aerospace Corporation and Department of Defense research labs to create a new system for the transfer and commercialization of some of their leading innovations.
“Early-stage technology companies are largely ignored by traditional venture capital and private equity funds that tend to examine investments at later stages. We’re filling an important gap in the technology marketplace and investors are responding,” said Chris Silva, CEO of Allied Minds. “In particular, our historic initiative to commercialize early-stage, government-owned technologies strongly resonated with investors and we’re pleased to complete our fundraising activities so that we can continue to amplify our growth.”
Allied Minds invests at the point of invention at U.S. universities and federal research institutions, a strategy that carries relatively higher risk but yields potentially greater reward. Investors, as well as the labs under the U.S. Department of Defense that have partnered with the firm, are drawn to the efficient business model that Allied Minds developed to create companies from government innovations.
To date, Allied Minds has created more than 26 companies, including six in the past year. These companies include Spin Transfer Technologies, a leading developer of breakthrough MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory) technology, and RF Biocidics, a leading food safety company providing an environmentally friendly and chemical-free alternative for disinfection and disinfestation.
