Chicago · Pre-Seed–Series A
Investment thesis
Portal Innovations operates as a venture development platform for science-driven and life science entrepreneurs. It combines seed capital with fully equipped laboratory space and a supporting community, giving founders access to expertise as well as introductions to additional investors and partners. The firm aims to help ambitious innovators build their companies in their home regions rather than relocating, fostering thriving local innovation ecosystems. Walder Ventures serves as the founding sponsor, reflecting a shared focus on accelerating biomedical innovation and supporting life science founders.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
What they invest in
from 24 of 24 portfolio companiesBiotech ×21Medical Devices ×11Healthtech ×10Deep Tech ×7AI & Machine Learning ×6Digital Health ×4Longevity ×3Hardware ×1
HQs:United States×13
Investments · 24 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2024 · 12023 · 12022 · 35 dated
Arase Therapeutics develops first-in-class oncology therapeutics that target ADP-ribose Hydrolases, novel proteins in cancer stress pathways.
BiotechMedical Devices
Paul Chang(President, CEO / CSO and Lead Founder)W. Lee Kraus(Scientific Founder)Michael Taylor(Executive Chairman)
Co-investorsMission Biocapital
Cardiosense develops wearable sensing hardware and deep-learning algorithms that convert physiological signals into clinical insights for cardiovascular disease detection and management.
AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthMedical DevicesChicago, US
Amit K. Gupta(Executive Officer, Director)Omer Tolga Inan(Director)Andrew Michael Carek(Executive Officer)Omer Inan(Co-founder, Chief Scientific Officer)Andrew Carek(Co-founder, Chief Technical Officer)Amit Gupta(Co-founder, Advisor (former founding CEO))
Co-investorsBayMed Venture PartnersBroadview VenturesCross-Border Impact VenturesLaerdal Million Lives FundOSF VenturesHatteras Venture Partners
CiRC Biosciences develops cellular reprogramming therapies that convert fibroblasts directly into specific neurons and cell types lost in degenerative eye and brain diseases.
BiotechDeep TechMedical Devices
Co-investorsParagon Biosciences LLC
ClostraBio develops next-generation probiotics and a platform for delivering bacterial metabolites to support gut health, targeting inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and food allergy.
BiotechDigital HealthHealthtechChicago, US
Jeffrey Hubbell(Secretary)Cathryn Nagler(President)Brett Newswanger(Chief Operating Officer)
BoardJohn Flavin(Executive Chairman)
Co-investorsStone Mountain Ventures
CrossBridge Bio, launched in 2023, develops next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to address a range of cancer indications.
BiotechHealthtechHouston, US
Kyoji Tsuchikama(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)Michael Torres(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)
BoardWilliam F. McKeon(Director)Damir Illich(Director)Patrick James Crutcher(Director)
Co-investorsTMC Venture Fund
Dimension Bio is a biotechnology company that designs and manufactures regenerative therapeutics using its BioNidum™ platform to restore tissue function lost to disease, trauma, or aging.
BiotechHealthtechNew MaterialsChicago, US
Caralynn Nowinski Collens, M.D.(Co-founder & CEO)Ramille Shah, Ph.D.(Co-founder & CSO)Ramille Shah(Director)Caralynn Collens(Executive Officer, Director)
BoardRima Chakrabarti(Director)in
Co-investorsBetter Ventures Central LlcLofty VenturesPathway BioventuresSolas BioVenturesKdT Ventures
Grove Biopharma develops Bionic Biologics, a synthetic drug modality that combines biologic and synthetic design to create cell-permeable molecules targeting intracellular protein-protein interactions.
BiotechDeep TechChicago, US
Geoffrey Duyk(CEO)
Co-investorsDCVC (Data Collective)InVivium Capital
Inomagen Therapeutics develops a non-viral gene therapy delivered via a single-dose, minimally invasive procedure to target the underlying mechanisms of atrial fibrillation.
BiotechHealthtechMedical DevicesChicago, US
Rishi Arora(Founder)Gerard Abate(Chief Medical Officer)Eric Sandberg(Chief Business Officer)
BoardMarc Penn(Director)James R. Vogler(Director)
Iterion Therapeutics is an oncology drug developer working on tegavivint (BC2059), a small-molecule inhibitor of Transducin β-like Protein 1 (TBL1) that disrupts the TBL1–β-catenin transcription complex to block Wnt/β-catenin oncogenic signaling.
BiotechHealthtechMedical Devices
Rahul Aras(Chief Executive Officer)Ovid Trifan(Chief Medical Officer)Steve Horrigan(Chief Scientific Officer)
Co-investorsGreen Park & Golf VenturesLumira Ventures
March Bioscience is a cell therapy company assembling leading scientists and drug developers to advance cell therapy treatments.
BiotechMedical DevicesHouston, US
Sarah Hein(CEO, Co-Founder)inMaksim Mamonkin(Co-Founder, Chair Scientific Advisory Board)Malcolm Brenner(Co-founder)
BoardThomas Luby(Director)inPeter Olagunju(Director)inJoseph Petrosino(Director)
Co-investorsMission Biocapital4BIO CapitalCancer FundModi VenturesTMC Venture FundFitz Gate Ventures+1 more
Moonlight Therapeutics develops therapies for food allergy, including a proprietary skin stamp that delivers antigen to the skin's immune cells to protect patients from anaphylactic reactions.
BiotechDigital HealthMedical Devices
Co-investorsAllerfund Ventures, Llc
NovaScan develops MarginScan, a compact device combining spectral bioimpedance and AI/ML to detect and localize cancer at the margins of surgical excisions in seconds, for use by surgeons in cancer procedures.
AI & Machine LearningHealthtechMedical Devices
Co-investorsDipalo VenturesGreen Park & Golf Ventures
Pelagos Pharma is a therapeutics developer working on "exercise mimetics," drug candidates designed to activate the metabolic, mitochondrial, and structure-function pathways associated with the benefits of aerobic exercise.
BiotechHealthtechLongevity
ReAx is a chemoproteomics drug discovery company using its discovery platform to develop first-in-class and best-in-class therapies for challenging protein targets.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep Tech
Co-investorsOMX Ventures
Rhaeos develops FlowSense, a noninvasive wireless wearable skin patch that monitors fluid flow in the body, initially targeting hydrocephalus patients who depend on implantable shunts for cerebrospinal fluid management.
HardwareHealthtechMedical DevicesEvanston, US
Dr. Chad WebbJohn A. Rogers(Executive Officer, Director)Roozbeh Ghaffari(Director)Anna Lisa Somera(Executive Officer)Chad Seaver(Director)R. Chad Webb(Executive Officer, Director)
Co-investorsCreative VenturesLateral Capital
RNAV8 Bio develops a toolkit for engineering mRNA therapeutics, optimizing non-coding sequences to improve expression and efficacy of mRNA-based treatments.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechLaguna Niguel, US
Devan ShahMichelle Lynn Hall
Co-investorsBioBritElmehøj VenturesService Provider Capital
Syntax Bio develops a discovery platform that accelerates stem cell-derived therapies by using its proprietary Cellgorithm technology to control and direct cell differentiation.
BiotechDeep TechMedical Devices
Co-investorsAstellas Venture Management LLCDCVC (Data Collective)Illumina Ventures
Syntis Bio develops oral therapies that use the biology of the small intestine to treat conditions ranging from rare genetic disorders to common diseases.
BiotechDeep TechDigital HealthHealthtechBoston, US
Rahul Dhanda(Executive Officer, Director)Carlo Giovanni Traverso(Director)Robert Langer(Director)
BoardTeymour Boutros-Ghali(Director)TEYMOUR BOUTROS-GHALI(Director)Martin Madaus(Director)
Co-investorsBill & Melinda Gates FoundationBold Capital PartnersCerity Partners VenturesSafar Partners
Transcera is a biotech company developing a new class of therapeutics that use lipid trafficking pathways to direct extracellular proteins into lysosomes for degradation, aimed at treating chronic diseases.
BiotechDeep TechBoston, US
Wayne Lencer(Co-Founder & SAB Chair)Hunter Goble(Co-Founder & CEO)Justin Wolfe(Co-Founder & CSO)
Co-investorsTau VenturesKdT Ventures
Vincere develops therapeutics for age-related diseases such as Parkinson's and kidney disease, using a computational platform that combines human genetics, cellular network models, and in-silico biology to identify drug targets like USP30 for mitochondrial repair.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechLongevity
Co-investorsBeiersdorf Innovation FundBeresford VenturesquadraScope Venture Fund
Vivtex is a drug development company applying computational science and pre-clinical research to advance new medicines.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechDeep TechMedical DevicesCambridge, US
GIOVANNI TRAVERSO(Director)THOMAS VON ERLACH(Executive Officer, Director)Thomas von Erlach(CEO & Co-founder)JAMES WINSCHEL(Executive Officer, Director)JUAN LOPEZ(Executive Officer)ROBERT LANGER(Director)
Walder Ventures is a mission-driven investment vehicle established by Joseph and Elizabeth Walder to support programs and organizations benefiting the Chicago region, with a focus on life sciences and sustainability.
BiotechImpact & Social GoodChicago, US
Joseph Walder(Co-founder)Elizabeth Walder(Co-founder & President)
Zylem develops therapeutics for cancer, ocular, and cardiovascular disease, along with anti-aging treatments aimed at mitochondrial restoration, based on a portfolio of metabolic redox modulators (MRMs).
BiotechLongevity
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesNovaScan · proactiveinvestors.com · Aug 20, 2026
Syntax · bizjournals.com · Jun 23, 2026
Syntis Bio · clinicaltrialsarena.com · Mar 4, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Portal Innovations made?
- Portal Innovations has 24 tracked investments, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does Portal Innovations invest at?
- Portal Innovations invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A stages.
- What sectors does Portal Innovations focus on?
- Portal Innovations focuses on Biotech, Deep Tech, Digital Health, Healthtech, Medical Devices.
- Where is Portal Innovations located?
- Portal Innovations is headquartered in Chicago, US.
- Who does Portal Innovations co-invest with?
- Portal Innovations most often shares deals with DCVC (Data Collective), Green Park & Golf Ventures, Mission Biocapital, among 34 tracked co-investors.
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