This week’s family/private investment office deals

Family Capital’s Deal of the Week involves one of the few high profile China-based family offices investing in a US biotech group. More details here. 

Unspecified Rounds

Financiere Saint James, the Paris-based investment office of Michael Benabou, has invested in Colonies, a real estate group. Financiere Saint James was one of four investors committing $34 million to the Paris-based group.

F-Prime Capital, the Johnson family-backed venture group, has invested in B-One, a manufacturer of artificial joints.  F-Prime Capital was one of three investors committing $14 million to the New Jersey-based group. 

Seed

CAM Capital, the family office of hedge fund billionaire Bruce Kovner, has invested in  Primmune Therapeutics, which is developing cancer immunotherapies. CAM Capital along with three other investors seeded the Californian-based startup with $7 million.  

Quaker Capital Investments, a Pittsburgh-based investment office owned by Mark G. Schoeppner, together with  412 Venture Fund, which is owned by Evan J Sega, have invested in Gridwise, a rideshare platform. Together with four other investors, the two private investment groups committed $3.3 million to the Pittsburgh startup. 

Ospraie Ag Sciences, a venture group set up by hedge fund manager Dwight W. Anderson, has invested in Agragene, a sustainable agricultural technology company. Ospraie Ag Sciences seeded the Californian startup with $1.2 million. 

EQT Ventures, the Wallenberg family backed venture group, has invested in Sonantic, an artificial voice platform. EQT led the round, worth €2.3 million, for the UK-based group; three other investors participated in the round. 

Man Capital, the London-based family office of the Egyptian family, has invested in , a social media engagement and commerce platform company. Man together with four other investors seeded the Californian-based startup with $8 million. 

Series A

Innuvik Ventures, a venture group owned by Swiss multi-millionaire and travel entrepreneur Roland Zeller, has backed Viselio, a digital visa provider. Innuvik was one of four investors committing CHF3 million to the Swiss-based group. 

Goodwell Investments, a Dutch-based sustainable investment group set up by Wim van der Beek, has invested in WhereIsMyTransport, a tech platform that collects and provides access to public transport data from African cities. Goodwell was one of six investors committing $7.5 million to the UK-based group. 

Series B

Providence Investment Company, the family office of Hermann Hauser, a Cambridge, UK-based tech investor originally from Austria, has invested in evonetix, a UK biotech group seeking to develop and commercialise a new approach to the synthesis of DNA. Providence was one of eight investors committing $30 million to the biotech group. 

Frog Capital, a London-based investment group backed by the German Engelhorn family, has invested in SHE Software, a cyber-security platform. Frog led the round, with £7 million, for the Scotland-based group; one other investor participated in the round. 

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has invested in Immunocore, a biotech group involved in developing treatments for metastatic melanoma. The Foundation along with eight other investors committed $130 million to the UK-based group. 

F-Prime Capital, the Johnson family-backed venture group, has backed Xilio Therapeutics, which is developing cancer immunotherapies. F-Prime Capital was one of 10 investors committing $100.5 million to the Massachusetts-based group. 

Hollywood actor Will Smith, probably through his investment group The Smith Family Circle, has invested in Public.com, a brokerage that allows companies and individuals to buy public stock with any amount of money. Smith together with 11 other investors committed $15 million to the New York City-based group. 

Breyer Capital, venture investor Jim Breyer’s investment group, has invested in Suki, a voice-based digital assistant for doctors. Breyer was one of four investors committing $20 million to the Californian-based group. 

Series C 

EQT Ventures, the Wallenberg family backed venture group, has invested in Netlify, a platform that hosts static websites and apps. EQT led the round, worth $53 million, for the Californian-based group; three other investors participated.