Eshelman Ventures, LLC
Venture capitalWilmington · Seed–Series A · 3 people tracked
Investment thesis
Eshelman Ventures is an investment company primarily focused on healthcare companies. Founded by Fred Eshelman, who previously built Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD) as CEO and Executive Chairman before its sale to private equity, the firm typically takes an active role in its portfolio companies, with its founder frequently serving on their boards.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 3 people
from the firm's website & public directoriesWhat they invest in
from 17 of 19 portfolio companiesBiotech ×14Healthtech ×6Deep Tech ×4Medical Devices ×3Fintech ×2Marketing Tech ×2AdTech ×1Advanced Manufacturing ×1
HQs:United States×13Canada×1
Who they back
founder profiles across 8 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×32 founders×33 founders×14+ founders×1
Investments · 19 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2026 · 12025 · 12016 · 12015 · 22014 · 16 dated
Hyperion DeFi is a U.S.
BiotechCrypto & Web3FintechHealthtechLaguna Hills, US
Michael Rowe(Executive Officer, Director)Hyunsu Jung(Chief Executive Officer)inBARRY BUTLER(Executive Officer)David(Chief Financial Officer)TSONTCHO IANCHULEV(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardCURT LABELLE(Executive Officer, Director)
Board seatFred Eshelman· per SEC Form D · $8M raise · filed Aug 2016
Co-investorsTullis
Dignify Therapeutics develops "on demand" drugs that trigger emptying of the bladder and/or bowel when a person chooses, aimed at restoring control of bowel and bladder function.
BiotechDigital HealthMedical DevicesResearch Triangle Park, US
Karl B Thor(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Edward C Burgard(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Karl ThorBenny Ward(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)
BoardDaniel J Ricca(Director, Promoter)
Board seatFred Eshelman· per SEC Form D
Co-investorsRA Capital
BiotechDurham, US
Thomas Laundon(Executive Officer)William Moore(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardRichard Kent(Director)Kristopher Wood(Director)S. Edward Torres(Director)Steven Weinstein(Director)
Board seatFred Eshelman· per SEC Form D · $28.1M raise · filed Apr 2015
BiotechCharlottesville, US
John C. Herr(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Edward J. Leary(Executive Officer, Promoter)Brian A. Pollok(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)
Board seatFred Eshelman· per SEC Form D · $3M raise · filed Feb 2015
Aruna Bio develops a proprietary neural exosome platform and a lead therapeutic neural cell-derived exosome, AB126, designed to cross the blood-brain barrier.
BiotechHealthtechAthens, US
Steven Stice(Chief Scientific Officer and Director)Harold W. Ingalls(Chief Financial Officer and Director)Tracey Stice(Chief Operating Officer and Secretary)
BoardJohn F. Mangan, Jr.(Director)C. William Griffin(Director)Russell C. Lindner(Director)
PartnerFred Eshelman· solo GP
Co-investorsEvolution VC PartnersGRA Venture
Breakthru operates a data platform with engagement tools designed to help brands connect with and build trust among young audiences.
Creator EconomyData & InfrastructureFintechMarketing TechSaaSLewes, US
Alex Miles(Founder & CEO)inGean Martinez(Co-Founder & CTO)
Co-investorsOld Line Capital PartnersTechstars37 Angels
Breakthru is a drug development company that applies medicinal chemistry expertise to accelerate the discovery of breakthrough medicines, emphasizing data-driven decision-making about compound viability.
BiotechDeep TechHealthtech
PartnerFred Eshelman· solo GP
Carbon provides 3D printing hardware, photopolymer resins, and computational design software that brands use to design, develop, and manufacture high-performance products.
Advanced ManufacturingHardwareNew MaterialsRedwood City, US
Joseph M. DeSimone(Executive Officer, Director)inJoseph DeSimone, PhD(Co-Founder & Board Member)inPhilip DeSimone(Co-founder & Office of the CEO)inSteve Nelson(Launch CEO & Co-founder)inEd Samulski, PhD(Advisor & Co-founder)inAlex Ermoshkin, PhD(Co-founder)in
PartnerFred Eshelman· solo GP
Co-investorsSequoia CapitalBMW i VenturesFounders Circle CapitalG2 Venture PartnersNext Legacy PartnersSilver Lake Partners
Cavalry Biosciences is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing medicines that leverage the body's inherent regenerative and repair mechanisms, particularly in areas of age-related disease and tissue regeneration.
BiotechDeep TechLongevityMedical Devices
Jan van Deursen, PhD(Co-founder, Advisor)inNathaniel (Ned) David, PhD(Co-founder, Chairman)in
PartnerFred Eshelman· solo GP
Co-investorsVenrockMission Biocapital
A biotech-focused investment firm that creates and backs companies in the future of medicine.
BiotechChattanooga, US
PartnerFred Eshelman· solo GP
Incyclix Bio develops precision cancer treatments targeting the CDK family of enzymes to restore cell cycle control in tumors, including CDK targets beyond CDK4/6 such as CDK2.
BiotechHealthtechDurham, US
Patrick Roberts(Executive Officer and member of the Board of Managers.)
BoardFredric N. Eshelman(Executive Officer and member of the Board of Managers.)Sid Subramony(Member of the Board of Managers.)Norman Sharpless(Member of the Board of Managers.)
PartnerFred Eshelman· solo GP
Co-investorsCape Fear BioCapitalHatteras Venture PartnersHatteras
Jupiter is a biotech company that discovers and develops new medicines across multiple therapeutic areas.
BiotechChapel Hill, US
Ned Sharpless(Co-founder & CEO)Leigh Delacy(Co-founder & Partner and COO)
PartnerFred Eshelman· solo GP
Co-investorsMission Biocapital3one4 CapitalBEENEXTHummingbird VenturesLB InvestmentPeak XV Partners+2 more
KOMO Biosciences develops genome engineering technology based on hyperactive large serine integrases to transform cell-based manufacturing of biologics and advanced therapies.
BiotechDeep Tech
Jennifer Manning(Founder & CEO)Thomas Page(Acting CTO)Matt Farabaugh(Acting CFO)Jesse B. Owens(Acting CSA)in
BoardRay Tabibiazar(Chairman of the Board)
PartnerFred Eshelman· solo GP
Co-investorsGenesis BioCapitalModi VenturesGENERAL INCEPTIONLDV Partners
Company working with governments, international agencies, and private partners to improve access to medicine across Sub-Saharan Africa, spanning product development, manufacturing, supply chains, and patient delivery.
PartnerFred Eshelman· solo GP
Paradigm Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company developing Zorblesia (SD-101), a proprietary topical whole-body therapy for treating the wounds, lesions, and infections associated with all subtypes of Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare genetic connective tissue disorder.
BiotechHealthtechMedical DevicesMt Pleasant, US
Robert Ryan(Dr.)
PartnerFred Eshelman· solo GP
Phoenix Molecular Designs (PhoenixMD) is a biotechnology company developing targeted breast cancer therapeutics, including PMD-026, a first-in-class RSK2 inhibitor in Phase 2 clinical trials paired with a companion diagnostic.
BiotechDeep TechHealthtech
Sandra Dunn(Founder)inSandra E. Dunn(Founder & Chief Executive Officer)Joseph Leveque(Chief Medical Officer)Aarthi Jayanthan(Chief Operating Officer & Chief Scientific Officer)Michael Liggett(Chief Financial Officer)Martin S. Olivo(Chief Development Officer)
PartnerFred Eshelman· solo GP
Co-investorsFlucas VenturesPallasite Ventures
BiotechScarsdale, US
Barry Kappel, Ph.D.(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardIsaac Blech(Director)Robert Ruffolo, Ph.D.(Director)David Scheinberg, Ph.D.(Director)
PartnerFred Eshelman· solo GP
Co-investorsConnectivity Ventures
Wilmington Design Company (WDC) is a full-service marketing agency offering custom website design and development, brand identity and logo design, SEO, paid advertising, and digital marketing strategy for small businesses.
AdTechMarketing TechWilmington, US
PartnerFred Eshelman· solo GP
Rows marked “SEC filing” are inferred from directors named on the company's SEC Form D — public regulatory data, not a portfolio list published by the firm.
Exits · 1
IPOs and acquisitions across the tracked portfolioHyperion DefiNASDAQ: HYPD
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesJupiter Bioventures · trysignalbase.com · Jun 30, 2026
Cavalry Biosciences · endpoints.news · Jun 8, 2026
Incyclix Bio · clinicaltrialvanguard.com · Apr 10, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Eshelman Ventures, LLC made?
- Eshelman Ventures, LLC has 15 tracked investments, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does Eshelman Ventures, LLC invest at?
- Eshelman Ventures, LLC invests at the Seed, Series A stages.
- What sectors does Eshelman Ventures, LLC focus on?
- Eshelman Ventures, LLC focuses on Biotech, Digital Health, Healthtech, Medical Devices.
- Where is Eshelman Ventures, LLC located?
- Eshelman Ventures, LLC is headquartered in Wilmington, US.
- Who does Eshelman Ventures, LLC co-invest with?
- Eshelman Ventures, LLC most often shares deals with Mission Biocapital, Founders Circle Capital, Sequoia Capital, among 18 tracked co-investors.
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