First Bight Ventures
Venture capitalActively deployingHouston · Seed–Series A · 18 people tracked
Investment thesis
First Bight invests in biomanufacturing companies that replace petroleum-based and extracted materials with nature-based alternatives across large industries including chemicals, manufacturing, agriculture, and automotive. The firm believes cost parity between bio-derived and fossil-fuel inputs has been achieved through AI/ML advances, while regulatory support, corporate sustainability mandates, consumer demand for safer ingredients, and supply chain resilience concerns create market conditions for bio-solutions to scale profitably.
Source: firm website, verified Jul 21, 2026.
Team · 18 people
from the firm's websiteVeronica founded First Bight to accelerate biomanufacturing innovation and has over 20 years of experience scaling innovative industrial processes. She has held advisory positions at VF Corporation and Capgemini, and prior roles at Tesla, Apple, Motorola, and McKinsey.
Jonathan Mercado is a Principal at First Bight and serves as a featured speaker and guest at major industry conferences including Health Supernova and Industrial Biotech Day.
Alan McCollough previously served as President and COO of Circuit City and advises First Bight on operational scaling.
Bo Zhao holds a PhD and leads commercialization initiatives at First Bight, supporting portfolio companies in scaling from pilot to commercial stage.
Brian Stertzer has founded and exited multiple financial technology companies and advises First Bight on finance and scaling.
Carrie Song is a global operator with $9 billion in P&L accountability and five executive roles building sector leaders, advising First Bight on scaling.
Collin McColl is a PhD-holding analyst supporting First Bight's investment analysis and biomanufacturing sector research.
Dave McClure is a super-angel investor with experience backing 10+ IPOs and 40+ unicorns, providing venture expertise to First Bight.
Doug Cameron is a metabolic-engineering pioneer who ran Cargill's biotech division and advises First Bight on biotechnology strategy.
Eric Woo has deployed $160 million into emerging VC managers and advises First Bight on venture capital strategy.
Gerry Garcia is a Lehman-trained deal-maker turned public-sector catalyst who advises First Bight on stakeholder engagement.
Jesse Friedlander has extensive global private investment management experience and advises First Bight on investment strategy.
Mario Maia led Novozymes' corporate venturing arm and advises First Bight on biotech corporate partnerships.
Matt Maloney managed a $12 billion book at SVB for 2,000+ clients and advises First Bight on financial strategy.
Sarvin Patel is a Cargill M&A veteran who scaled Curie as COO/CFO and advises First Bight on corporate partnerships and operations.
Scott Nudelman founded Vitrian, a turnkey biomanufacturing real estate company, and advises First Bight on infrastructure for biomanufacturing scale.
Scott Nyquist created McKinsey's Global Energy & Materials practice and advises First Bight on sector expertise.
Steve Brown brings three decades of experience in process-simulation software and advises First Bight on technical infrastructure.
What they invest in
from 8 of 14 portfolio companiesBiotech ×4Cleantech ×4Healthtech ×3Circular Economy ×2Energy ×2New Materials ×2Advanced Manufacturing ×1Climate Tech ×1
HQs:United States×2
Investments · 14 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathlu.ma is a platform for creating event pages, inviting attendees, and selling tickets for events.
Marketplaces
Algenesis Labs develops plant-based polyurethanes and chemical systems designed to replace petroleum-based polymers with biodegradable alternatives. The company serves manufacturers seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and eliminate microplastics from consumer products.
Circular EconomyCleantechNew Materials
Ark provides a customizable digital platform for venture capital and private equity firms to manage investor communications, performance reporting, and document sharing with their limited partners. The portal offers branded dashboards, secure data management, and streamlined quarterly reporting.
Enterprise SoftwareFintechSaaS
iMicrobes uses synthetic biology to develop cost-effective sustainable materials and replace conventional manufacturing processes. The company focuses on circular economy principles, converting waste streams into value through biotechnology.
BiotechCircular EconomyCleantechClimate TechHealthtechNew MaterialsSan Francisco, US
Derek Greenfield(Founder/CEO)inLiz Clarke(Founder/CTO)inNoah Helman(Founder/CSO)in
Persephone produces a synbiotic supplement combining probiotics and prebiotics for infants to address deficiencies in the infant gut microbiome and support digestive health, immunity, and development. The product is developed by microbiome scientists and pediatricians and is clinically validated for safety and effectiveness.
BiotechHealthtech
Stephanie Culler(CEO & Co-Founder)
Persephone Biosciences develops a synbiotic (probiotic and prebiotic combination) supplement for infants designed to replenish key beneficial gut bacteria. The product targets parents seeking to support their babies' digestive health, immune development, and overall microbiome health.
BiotechFemTechHealthtechSan Diego, US
Stephanie Culler(CEO & Co-Founder)inStephen Van Dien(Founder/CTO)in
VIA produces 3-Methylanisole (3-MA), a synthetic aromatic biofuel, through proprietary engineered yeast fermentation that converts starch, sugar, and cellulosic sugars into the aromatic compound. The company serves fuel manufacturers and chemical producers seeking scalable bio-based alternatives to petroleum-derived aromatics.
BiotechCleantechEnergy
Visolis engineers industrial-scale alternatives to traditional fuels and chemicals through biology and chemistry, producing MEV as a non-toxic, biodegradable drop-in replacement that can be manufactured in distributed facilities worldwide.
Advanced ManufacturingCleantechEnergy
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does First Bight Ventures invest at?
- First Bight Ventures invests at the Seed, Series A stages.
- What sectors does First Bight Ventures focus on?
- First Bight Ventures focuses on Biotech, Circular Economy, Cleantech, Climate Tech, New Materials.
- Where is First Bight Ventures located?
- First Bight Ventures is headquartered in Houston, US.
- Does First Bight Ventures lead rounds?
- Yes, First Bight Ventures leads investment rounds.
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