Since our founding in 2002, Arboretum has become a leader in early healthcare investing by fostering a culture rooted in respect and integrity. We attribute our success to the fundamental values that drive our culture.
Approach
Entrepreneurial Spirit, Midwest Grit
A disciplined healthcare venture capital strategy driven by an unrelenting work ethic to achieve success for our entrepreneurs and investors
What do we look for?
- Innovations that deliver meaningful improvements to patient outcomes and reduce health system costs
- Groundbreaking opportunities in our sectors of focus: medical devices, life sciences tools & diagnostics, tech-enabled care delivery, and pharma adjacencies
- Founders and CEOs with domain expertise who embrace capital efficiency and seek collaborative investment partners rather than passive financiers
- Investments that span development and commercial stage but focus on Series A and B opportunities
- Under-ventured opportunities, as it relates to geographies, teams, and sectors
What do we commit to you?
- Active and involved healthcare investors who operate with integrity, approachability, and transparency
- A team of passionate healthcare and venture capital experts diverse in demographic and experience
- A track record of success and experience navigating the ups and downs of early-stage company building
- Access to a world-class advisory board to leverage C-level experience, expertise, and leadership in healthcare
A commitment to teamwork
-
True to the mission
Invest in great people with great ideas and a passion for improving healthcare quality, access, and affordability
-
People first
Lead selflessly and act as supportive partners to our entire team and stakeholders
-
Honesty wins
Act with integrity and make the hard decision when we know it is the right decision
-
Continuous improvement
Strive to be at the forefront of healthcare industry trends through research, education, and partner-building
-
Community-focused
Use our talent, time, and resources to give back to the healthcare ecosystem and local communities
The impact
Community requires teamwork, and at Arboretum, we believe the best teams are diverse in culture, gender, thought, and experience. At our firm and within our portfolio companies, our goals are to be healthcare investors who:
- Build and foster a supportive and diverse corporate culture
- Prioritize diversity among senior management and fellow board members
- Assist our institutional investors in extending their internal diversity and inclusion initiatives
Portfolio Spotlight
Trailblazers can achieve the impossible when others only imagine it
With more than 20 successful years under our belt and a nationally recognized reputation, we’ve proven that achieving healthcare venture capital success right here in the Midwest is possible.
Where it started?
Strata Oncology provides next-generation genomic sequencing for advanced cancer patients, with the mission to help clinicians match the “right therapy to the right patient” sooner through pharma trials. Arboretum co-led the Series A financing in 2015.
Where it is today?
In addition to its trial partnerships, Strata Oncology is now commercially available for use in clinical labs. This expansion of their business model allowed the team to successfully close a $90M Series C financing led by Wellington Management in 2021.
Where it started?
Pear Therapeutics is a leading company in the emerging space of Prescription Digital Therapeutics (PDTs) to treat behavioral health and other brain-related diseases. Arboretum co-led the Series A investment in 2016 and in 2020, the company became the first PDT to receive multiple approvals from the FDA for its treatment software.
Where it is today?
In December 2021, Pear Therapeutics completed a SPAC transaction that raised $175 million and currently trades under the symbol (NAS:PEAR).
