DEFTA Partners
Venture capitalSan Francisco · Seed–Series A · 5 people tracked
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Investment thesis
DEFTA Partners invests in early-stage technology companies with a focus on healthcare and information and communication technology (ICT). In healthcare, it backs advanced therapeutics, health ICT, and enabling technologies with a vision of helping people live healthily to the end of life. Its ICT thesis follows a 'pervasive ubiquitous communications' model spanning embedded devices, digital TV, and online security. The firm invests globally, having funded more than 100 companies across the U.S., U.K., Israel, Bangladesh, and Japan, and emphasizes hands-on support to help portfolio companies scale internationally, including sustainable growth initiatives in developing markets.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 5 people
from the firm's website & public directoriesWhat they invest in
from 9 of 16 portfolio companiesBiotech ×5Healthtech ×5Medical Devices ×5Digital Health ×3AI & Machine Learning ×2Deep Tech ×2Cloud Computing ×1Cybersecurity ×1
HQs:United States×6Switzerland×1United Kingdom×1
Investments · 16 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2025 · 12021 · 22020 · 12019 · 59 dated
Actuate Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing elraglusib, a small-molecule GSK-3β inhibitor designed to treat difficult-to-treat cancers including pancreatic, melanoma, lung, and pediatric cancers through intravenous injection and oral tablet formulations.
BiotechFort Worth, US
Daniel Schmitt(President & Chief Executive Officer)Paul Lytle(Executive Officer)inAndrew Mazar(Executive Officer)
BoardTodd Thomson(Director)inRoger Sawhney(Director)Jason Keyes(Director)
Co-investorsIllinois VenturesKairos Venture Investments, LlcBiosBios PartnersTech Coast Angels
HealthtechSt. Paul, US
Angeline Conley(Executive Officer, Director)Aaron Fletcher(Director)inDonald Santel(Director)Steve Seme(Executive Officer)
Co-investorsIrishAngelsSoutheast Minnesota Capital Fund
Actuate provides AI-based video analytics that turn existing IP cameras and NVRs into a security detection system, offering real-time alerts for threats such as intruders, loitering, guns, and crowds.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingCybersecurityGovTechSaaS
Sonny Tai(Co-Founder)inKen Francis(CEO)in
Co-investorsBling CapitalDorm RoomGray Line PartnersMetaPropMetaProp VenturesScribble Ventures+4 more
Aegle Therapeutics develops therapies using extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated from mesenchymal stem cells to deliver therapeutic biomolecules to diseased and damaged cells.
BiotechHealthtechMedical DevicesWoburn, US
Shelley A. Hartman(Co-founder & CEO)inEvangelos V. Badiavas(Founder & Chief Scientific Officer)Heidi Kempinski(Chief Operational Officer)inKathleen Murphy(Head of Clinical Operations)Robert Williamson, Jr.(Executive Officer, Director)Robert Ryan(Director)
Co-investorsNew World AngelsOcean Azul PartnersDeepWork Capital
AI-based ultrasound analysis technology using machine learning to deliver fast and accurate clinical indications.
Co-investorsAgate Medical Investments LPMindset VentureConnecticut InnovationsIsrael Innovation AuthorityOutlier VenturesPhilips Ventures+2 more
Immusoft develops a cell therapy platform called Immune System Programming (ISP) that engineers a patient's B cells into plasma cells that produce therapeutic proteins after being infused back into the patient.
BiotechDeep TechHealthtechSeattle, US
Matthew Scholz(Founder)inSean Ainsworth(Chief Executive Officer)inRobert Sikorski(Chief Medical Officer)Rob Hayes(Chief Scientific Officer)inScott McIvor(Chief Development Officer)Eric Garcia(Executive Officer)in
Co-investorsBioRock VenturesBoston Harbor AngelsBreakout VenturesEQx FundInvariantes FundMichigan Capital Network+6 more
InformAI develops AI-guided clinical solutions for oncology and diagnostic imaging to improve patient treatment outcomes.
AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthHealthtechMedical DevicesHouston, US
Co-investorsJoyance PartnersSocial StartsJP Morgan Chase
Two Pore Guys is a diagnostics company developing a handheld nanopore-based analyte sensor for point-of-care testing, with applications including liquid biopsy cancer detection.
BiotechDeep TechDigital HealthHardwareMedical DevicesSanta Cruz, US
Co-investorsKhosla Ventures
QuantuMDx develops point-of-care molecular diagnostics platforms and assays for detecting infectious diseases including sexually transmitted infections, antimicrobial resistance, respiratory viruses, and other pathogens.
Digital HealthHealthtechMedical DevicesNewcastle upon Tyne, GB
Elaine Warburton(Co-Founder and former CEO)
Co-investors3B Future Health FundAdjuvo
Co-investorsRethink Impact
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
Arris PharmaceuticalsBioEclipse TherapeuticsbracNetIsis PharmaceuticalsViagene
Exits · 2
1 IPOs · 1 acquisitions · showing 1Actuate TherapeuticsNASDAQ: ACTU
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesImmusoft · immusoft.com · Mar 30, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has DEFTA Partners made?
- DEFTA Partners has 16 tracked investments, 2 of which have exited, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does DEFTA Partners invest at?
- DEFTA Partners invests at the Seed, Series A stages.
- What sectors does DEFTA Partners focus on?
- DEFTA Partners focuses on Biotech, Cybersecurity, Data & Infrastructure, Deep Tech, Digital Health, Enterprise Software, Hardware, Healthtech, IoT, Medical Devices, SaaS.
- Where is DEFTA Partners located?
- DEFTA Partners is headquartered in San Francisco, US.
- Who does DEFTA Partners co-invest with?
- DEFTA Partners most often shares deals with 3B Future Health Fund, Adjuvo, IrishAngels, among 6 tracked co-investors.
Co-investors · 4
Rethink Impact is a venture capital firm that backs leaders using technology to address major global challenges, focused on mission-driven companies aiming to benefit all communities.
JPMorganChase is a global banking and financial services company serving customers, clients, and communities across more than 100 global markets.
Fusion Fund is an early-stage venture capital firm backing startups with technical or data advantages in healthcare, enterprise AI, and industrial technology.
Presight Capital is a venture capital firm that invests across stages in science- and technology-driven companies, including biotech, mental health therapeutics, fusion energy, robotics, and healthcare.
Firms observed investing alongside DEFTA Partners, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with DEFTA Partners's recorded portfolio.
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