PharmStars Ventures

Building and funding the bridge between startups and pharma

What is PharmStars Ventures?

PharmStars Ventures is a unique venture fund that wraps around the PharmStars accelerator.
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Over the last 5 years, the PharmStars accelerator has become the premier pharma-digital health accelerator, leveraging its global reach and industry leading position to source, select, and accelerate 20+ startups annually.
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PharmStars Ventures invests in the PharmStars accelerator graduates.

PharmStars' Advantage

Established Reputation

Strong recognized brand within the startup ecosystem
Highly selective program with many startups referred by investors and other accelerators

Pharma Connections

Direct relationships with numerous leading, global pharma firms
Deep understanding of pharmas' unmet needs

Unique Model

Unique pharma/digital health focus
Established, validated mechanism for building startup value
Opportunity to develop and polish startup CEOs and teams

Investment Edge

High quality, quantity, and diverse deal flow
Exposure to global digital health startups
Exceptional due diligence: initial assessment followed by an intensive 10-week program
Ability to engage startups between funding rounds
Long-term, post-accelerator development through our “Graduate School” program

Experienced Team

PharmStars team: experienced, collaborative
Mentor Advisors: small, trained, experienced group of former pharma executives who work directly with startups (2+ hours/week)

Selecting and Growing Startups

The PharmStars accelerator has fine-tuned a standardized and methodical process of sourcing, developing, and accelerating the best global digital health startups.

Startup Identification

Startup Applications

Twice a year, hundreds of digital health startups from across the globe and healthcare ecosystem apply (40+ countries) to be a part of the PharmStars accelerator.

Startup Selection

PharmStars startups are selected through a competitive, standardized selection process. Incorporating detailed input from our pharma members, applications are reviewed by PharmStars’ staff and Mentor Advisors. Startups are assessed on numerous criteria including innovativeness, product maturity, and the potential for a strong pharma product-market fit.

Startup Development

Icon - person presenting in front of a screen

PharmaU Curriculum

During the 10 weeks of engaging virtual classes, startups learn about pharma's internal structure and functions, business models, regulatory environment, and industry drivers.

Unique Mentoring Program

PharmStars' staff and Mentor Advisors (former pharma executives) provide each startup with in-depth, individualized guidance to enhance their business model, presentation, and preparation to engage pharma clients.

Pharma Relations

Fireside Chats and Member Panels with PharmStars’ pharma members provide startups with unprecedented access to pharma innovation leaders. Startups are able to ask questions to understand pharma as a potential customer, and develop relationships in a friendly atmosphere.

Commercial Acceleration

Exclusive Startup Showcase

PharmStars culminates with a private Startup Showcase, where startups present to an audience of PharmStars' pharma members, investors, and media, followed by two days of private, one-on-one business meetings. Pharma stakeholders and domain experts often attend, speeding the partnership process.

Graduate School

Startups receive continued support and engagement after the accelerator through our Graduate School program. Grad School offers an ongoing series of workshops, discussion panels, and networking opportunities that help alumni stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the pharma industry and grow their businesses. PharmStars alumni are a strong community of like-minded digital health startups that learn and share their experience engaging pharma.

PharmStars Ventures has already begun building a global portfolio of transformative digital health companies

AI for pharma workflows

Disease measurement & diagnostics

Clinical data infrastructure & insights

General Partners

Experienced innovators, operators, and investors

Naomi Fried Ph.D. and Shrawan Patel M.D. are the General Partners. They bring:

Startup Expertise

Started, built, worked in, and worked alongside startups from inception stage through Series E and acquisition

Industry Expertise with Diverse Backgrounds

Deep experience in US, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Israel
Worked in all healthcare sectors: pharma, provider, and payer
Recognized thought-leaders in innovation and digital health
Worked on 20+ pharma-startup deals (partnerships, vendor relationships, acquisitions, etc.) on both sides

Demonstrated Track Record

Co-founded the PharmStars Accelerator and led 10 PharmStars cohorts: theme; due diligence; startup selection; curriculum and mentoring development; and long-term follow-up

PharmStars Ventures is an exempt reporting adviser (ERA). PharmStars Ventures webpage (referred to herein as the “Webpage”) is limited in nature and is not an offer to buy or sell securities, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities. The information contained in this Webpage is informational only, and is not investment, legal or tax advice. Hyperlinks on this Webpage are provided as a convenience only, and we disclaim any responsibility for the content, availability or accuracy of information on any other website linked hereto.