Calgary, AB – May 29, 2025 – The Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (CVCA) is pleased to announce the appointment of eight new directors to its Board of Directors. CVCA members are the investors behind the creation of thousands of jobs, the advancement of innovative technologies, and the strengthening of local...Read the Full Article
A first-of-its-kind collaboration in Canada between a philanthropic organization and a venture capital firm with a mission to invest in best-in-class cancer-focused companies. Toronto, ON – April 10, 2025 – The Terry Fox Foundation (“Terry Fox”) and Lumira Ventures (“Lumira”) have partnered to launch The Cancer Breakthrough Fund (the “Fund”). There is a growing recognition...Read the Full Article
Lumira Ventures, a leading North American life sciences investment firm dedicated to advancing healthcare innovation and enhancing patient outcomes, is pleased to announce the promotion of Suman Rao, Ph.D., to the role of Principal. This well-deserved promotion acknowledges her significant contributions to the firm's success and her steadfast commitment to fostering innovative...Read the Full Article
Lumira Ventures is proud to introduce the newest cohort joining our Venture Innovation Program (VIP) for the 2024-2025 term. The VIP program offers Ph.D., MBA, and MD students across Canada a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in life sciences venture capital and startups, nurturing the next generation of leaders, and contributing...Read the Full Article
COUR Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class, disease-modifying therapies designed to induce antigen-specific tolerance for autoimmune diseases, today announced it will present detailed safety and efficacy results from the Phase 2a study of CNP-104 in Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) via a late-breaking poster at The Liver Meeting® 2024, being hosted by...Read the Full Article
Lumira Ventures, a leading North American life sciences investment firm dedicated to supporting healthcare innovation and patient impact, is pleased to announce the promotion of Nikhil Thatte to the position of Partner. This promotion recognizes Nikhil's exceptional contributions to the firm and dedication to advancing innovative healthcare solutions. Nikhil joined Lumira Ventures...Read the Full Article
Looking to make your mark in the world of venture capital and life sciences innovation? Lumira Ventures is accepting applications for exceptional business students to join our team as a Summer Analyst. By working hand in hand with seasoned industry professionals from all dimensions of the life sciences ecosystem, you will gain...Read the Full Article
Life Sciences BC welcomes the companies and mentors participating in its 2024 Investor Readiness Program (IRP). Through a focused six-month program, small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) in British Columbia’s life sciences sector are paired with entrepreneurs-in-residence (EIRs) to become investor-ready. The industry expertise and acumen of the mentors provide the companies with...Read the Full Article
Looking to make a career in life sciences innovation? Our Venture Innovation Program (VIP) is accepting applications for exceptional students across Canada who want to gain exposure to life sciences venture capital and start-ups, and are committed to pushing the future of life sciences innovation forward. By working hand in hand with...Read the Full Article
Mélanie’s Way is a Canadian charity dedicated to granting personalized ‘wishes’ to send women battling cancer and their families on trips of a lifetime. The mission was inspired by Mélanie Chalmers who refused to be defined by the cancer that took her life. Mélanie had the courage to choose the exceptional, and...Read the Full Article
Throughout his more-than-30-year career, Peter van der Velden’s focus has not only been on investing, but also on making a lasting impact in healthcare. Although he initially contemplated becoming a doctor, he soon realized that he was more interested in the business side of healthcare innovation than he was in applied medicine. After completing...Read the Full Article
Today, February 28th, 2023, is Rare Disease Day. Celebrated internationally, the day is an opportunity to raise awareness and advocate for rare diseases as a human rights priority and work towards a more inclusive society. Over 300 million people globally are living with rare diseases: reflecting 3.5-5.9% of the total population. Additionally,...Read the Full Article
Looking to make a career in life sciences innovation? Our Venture Innovation Program (VIP) is accepting applications for exceptional students across Canada who want to gain exposure to life sciences venture capital and start-ups, and are committed to pushing the future of life sciences innovation forward. By working hand in hand with...Read the Full Article
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microbes (bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites) change over time and evolve mechanisms that protect them from the effects of antimicrobials. This process results in microbes no longer responding to medications, making the treatment of infections increasingly difficult or impossible, and in turn proliferating the risk of disease...Read the Full Article
In 2021, Lumira Ventures and Angelini Pharma launched the Angelini Lumira Biosciences Fund (ALBF) to invest in early-stage companies in Canada and U.S. markets that are developing pharmaceutical therapies for central nervous system disorders (CNS) and rare diseases. Through our collective knowledge, experience and passion, we are laser-focused on identifying transformative discoveries...Read the Full Article
Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 13th, 2022 at 3 pm ET, Lumira Ventures Principal, Nikhil Thatte will be presenting as the keynote speaker for the 2022 Atlantic Venture Forum (AVF). The AVF is the largest annual convergence of industry leaders, access to capital, and growing tech companies East of Montreal. Each year, the forum...Read the Full Article
The Venture Innovation Program is a 6-12 month program for Ph.D., MBA, and MD students across Canada who want to gain exposure to life sciences venture capital and start-ups, and are committed to pushing the future of life sciences innovation forward. By working hand in hand with seasoned industry professionals from all...Read the Full Article
Lumira Ventures is excited to present our 2022 Office Hours beginning this August! Every Wednesday from 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET, Associates Baye Galligan and Suman Rao will be available to chat with members of our community and answer any questions you may have about the life science VC / start-up space....Read the Full Article
Thursday, July 21st, 2022 at 1 pm ET, Lumira Ventures Principal, Nikhil Thatte hosts the Investor Reverse Pitch Presentation at the 2022 Life Science Future - Medtech Conference. Life Sciences Future – MedTech is an annual event focused on joining Pennsylvania’s medical device, diagnostics and digital health communities. Designed for all knowledge...Read the Full Article
TORONTO, Ontario, June 14, 2022 -- Lumira Ventures, a global healthcare venture capital firm, announced today that Partner Lu Han Ph.D. has relocated to the firm’s office in Vancouver, British Colombia. Dr. Han will expand upon Lumira Ventures’ success in the region backing innovative companies including Aurinia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AUPH), ESSA Pharma...Read the Full Article
Accomplished Biotechnology Industry Equity Analyst Will Support Firm’s Public Market Investment Initiatives TORONTO, Ontario, June 7, 2022 -- Lumira Ventures, a global healthcare venture capital firm, announced today the addition of David Novak to its investment team as a Venture Partner. Mr. Novak brings extensive capital markets, biotechnology industry, and clinical research...Read the Full Article
Lumira Ventures is an impactful investor and you will share our passion for innovation and being part of a team-building transformative companies. We are a venture capital organization investing capital on behalf of our investors to build best and/or first-in-class companies with the potential to change patient lives while delivering exceptional returns...Read the Full Article
This Thursday, May 26th, 2022, join Lumira Ventures Principal, Nikhil Thatte as he leads the Investing in Life Sciences from Health Tech to Therapeutics: Driving Impact and Producing Sizable Returns panel discussion. Nikhil along with four other leading US and Canadian healthcare investors (Paulina Hill, Sanofi Ventures; Cedric Bisson, Teralys Capital Inc;...Read the Full Article
On Wednesday, May 11th, 2022, Lumira Ventures Analyst, Alice Luo will represent Lumira during her company spotlight presentation for the Life Sciences Career Expo: Starting Your Career Journey. The event is a national, multi-day conference designed to bring students and postdoctoral fellows with educators, researchers, industry partners and government stakeholders. During the...Read the Full Article
Beginning May 2, 2022 until July 13, 2022, Lumira Ventures Associate, Suman Rao will act as a business mentor to one of the participating teams at the McGill Engine's Invention to Impact program. Through the duration of the program, Suman will offer strategic and tactical guidance to support researchers in translating their...Read the Full Article
Wednesday, April 6th, 2022, Lumira Ventures Principal, Nikhil Thatte speaks on a panel of industry leaders at the Open for Business Ontario: Life Sciences Innovation Series webinar. During the event, Nikhil provides insight into the industry from a venture capital perspective, as he shares his thoughts on the past, present, and future...Read the Full Article
The Venture Innovation Program is a 6-12 month program for Ph.D., MBA, and MD students across Canada who want to gain exposure to life sciences venture capital and start-ups, and are committed to pushing the future of life sciences innovation forward. By working hand in hand with seasoned industry professionals from all...Read the Full Article
Every year on March 8th, we observe International Women’s Day by honoring the social, political, economic, and cultural achievements of women globally. Additionally, the day marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. This year’s theme is - #BreakTheBias, seeking to reimage a gender-equal world, free from all bias, stereotypes, and...Read the Full Article
Today is Rare Disease Day and we at Lumira Ventures are proud of our ongoing commitment to supporting the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapeutic products with the potential to materially impact the lives of patients suffering from rare diseases. In partnership with Angelini Pharma, our Angelini Lumira Biosciences Fund (ALBF)...Read the Full Article
This Friday February 25th, Join Lumira Ventures Managing General Partner, Peter van der Velden for a live podcasting event hosted by McRock Capital. On this episode of McRock LIVE, Peter will be having a discussion with Chris Arsenault, Inovia Capital, on all things venture capital and their thoughts on the past, present...Read the Full Article
On Friday, February 4th, Lumira Ventures General Partner and Managing Director, Peter van der Velden will be presenting as a keynote speaker and panelist judge for FACIT's 9th annual Falcons' Fortunes Pitch Competition. A day showcasing six entrepreneurs working in the oncology space as they pitch their Made-in-Ontario innovations to a panel...Read the Full Article
TORONTO, January 6, 2022 - Lumira Ventures, a leading North American healthcare venture capital firm, today announced the promotion of Dr. Lu Han, Ph.D., to Partner and the appointments of Dr. Suman Rao, Ph.D. as an Associate and Dr. Ai Li (Alice) Luo, Ph.D. as an Analyst. This expansion of the Lumira...Read the Full Article
Join Lumira Ventures, Associate, Suman Rao for the 2021 Venture Summit Virtual Connect. The summit brings together leading innovators and investors across various fields including life science / healthcare to connect and network virtually. Suman has been invited to provide coaching and serve as an investor judge for the life science /...Read the Full Article
As a seasoned veteran in the Canadian health ecosystem, Lumira Ventures Managing General Partner, Peter van der Velden shares his perspective on the critical aspects that fuel the system in a captivating discussion with Amol Deshpande on the Reboot Health Podcast. Peter shares his experience entering the venture capital sector, the importance...Read the Full Article
Join Lumira Ventures, Associate, Suman Rao for a panel discussion on the role of venture capital groups and investment banks in getting scientific research funded and out to the public. Suman alongside the other panelist speakers will discuss how venture capital firms and investment banks harness the power of capital to bring...Read the Full Article
Join Lumira Ventures, Principle, Nikhil Thatte for BioTEC's Biotechnology and Bioengineering Conference November 13th , 2021 at 11:00 AM EST and November 14th, 2021 at 7:30PM EST. A weekend filled with insightful talks, exciting exhibitions, and innovative ideas as they welcome speakers from a wide range of biotechnology and bioengineering-related disciplines for...Read the Full Article
Join Lumira Ventures, Principle, Nikhil Thatte for the Innovation Economy Council panel discussion this Wednesday, November 10th, 2021 on the state of Canada's tech ecosystem and recent examples of how various exit scenarios can be a net benefit for Canada. The two panels will dive into a range of different outcomes and...Read the Full Article
Lumira Ventures Managing Director, Gerry Brunk will be speaking at the Catalyst Forum 2021: The Canadian Biotech Renaissance, at the Mainstage Session: The Financial Landscape Fueling the Growth. The event highlights everything from venture to private equity, as investors are increasingly looking to Canadian research and innovation as the next frontier for...Read the Full Article
Access to capital has been a perennial challenge for growing Canadian SMEs. The pandemic has raised awareness around many areas of life sciences and its importance to our economic and societal prosperity. Join Lumira Ventures General Partner and Managing Director, Peter van der Velden along with Genevieve Guertin, Vice-President, Investments – Life...Read the Full Article
Lumira Ventures General Partner and Managing Director, Peter van der Velden will be speaking Thursday, November 4th, 2021 at 3PM PT on the Investment in BC Life Sciences Panel Discussion with some of the most active investors in the BC life sciences sector. The panel is lead by Ali Ardakani, Vice-Chair of...Read the Full Article
LAVA Medtech Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) today announced the closing of its initial public offering of 11,500,000 units at a price of $10.00 per unit, including 1,500,000 units pursuant to the full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. The offering was priced at $10.00 per unit, resulting in gross proceeds of $115,000,000. The...Read the Full Article
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Life Sciences British Columbia (LSBC) announces the 31 companies presenting to the 6th annual Invest in BC presented by Lumira Ventures on November 3 and 4, 2021. This virtual conference showcases a broad range of investor-ready BC life sciences companies from the healthcare innovation ecosystem. The companies are...Read the Full Article
Over the years we have seen a surge in investor interest and deal making in biotech. Lumira Ventures General Partner and Managing Director, Peter van der Velden is joined by Anthony Mouchantaf, Director, Venture Capital at RBCx and Tank Talks host Matt Cohen for an enlightening discussion on the Biotech investment space....Read the Full Article
- Angelini Pharma will invest US$35 million and be the sole investor in this innovative fund - ALBF will invest in early-stage companies developing pharmaceuticals to treat central nervous system disorders and rare diseases - ALBF will complement Lumira’s US$220 million Fund IV, announced earlier this month Rome, 28 July 2021 -...Read the Full Article
Oversubscribed Lumira Ventures IV to continue successful focus backing biotechnology and medtech companies in Canada and U.S. Companion strategic fund formed in partnership with international pharmaceutical company During the past 18 months Lumira Ventures completed 8 exit transactions and portfolio companies received 2 FDA new product approvals and raised over US$800M via...Read the Full Article
With the establishment of Lumira Ventures Fund IV, the largest life sciences focused venture fund ever raised in Canada, we launched our Lumira Ventures Venture Innovation Program (Lumira VIP). The Lumira VIP is designed for a select and highly qualified group of Canadian students from leading academic institutions who want to gain...Read the Full Article
Our Managing General Partner, Peter van der Velden will talk about his experience with healthcare venture capital in Canada and the United States. The interactive virtual investment event is hosted by HaloHealth on Thursday, June 24th at 7:30PM-9:30PM EST. If you are a physician who may be interested in attending the event,...Read the Full Article
Private equity & venture capital is an important part of many a balanced institutional portfolio but knowing how to access these areas and select managers as well as broader, categorical allocation decisions such as that of choosing LBO, growth, venture (and its sub-areas such as pre-seed, seed, and Series A), geography, and...Read the Full Article
Lumira Ventures prides itself on being a VC investor that backs promising early-stage health care and life sciences companies with the potential to dramatically improve patient care. It was with this vision that Lumira co-lead a US$61.5M crossover financing round in 2016 for Vancouver-based Zymeworks Inc., to support the advancement of its...Read the Full Article
Montréal, February 4, 2021 – As part of its strategy to support Québec’s life sciences sector through well-performing specialized funds, the Fonds de solidarité FTQ (“Fonds”) is investing US$17.7 million (C$22.5 million) in Lumira IV. Over the years, Lumira has invested in Québec companies such as enGene, Kisoji, Opsens and IMV.“Managed by...Read the Full Article