GREAT SCIENCE. GREAT PEOPLE. GREAT IMPACT.

Elm Street Ventures is a seed and early stage venture fund based in New Haven, Connecticut. Since 2006 we’ve backed Yale faculty doing cutting edge research on some of the world’s largest problems. With Yale as our largest investor, we’ve supported teams developing much-needed therapeutics, advanced tools and materials for industry, and critical interventions for a warming planet. Our thesis is that great people and great science lead to great impact.

BACKING BOLD FOUNDERS

Arvinas

Targeting Cancer with a Novel Protein Degradation Platform

P2 Science

Building a Better Future with Green Chemistry

Allyx

Treating Neurodegenerative Disease by Selectively Blocking the mGluR5 Receptor

Halda

Targeting Cancer with a Novel RIPTAC “Hold and Kill” Mechanism

Cybrexa

Leveraging Low-pH Tumor Microenvironments for Selective Targeting

YALE AND NEW HAVEN

We are primarily interested in companies with a Yale connection, typically technology developed at and licensed from Yale. We also invest in companies located in the greater New Haven area, and, in exceptional cases, non-Yale/non-New Haven companies in which we have strong, personal connections to the founders or investors or where we can add substantial value.

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

In making investment decisions, we weigh the strength of the team as much as the technology or markets being addressed – often more. We look for creative thinking, high intelligence, passion, and a deep commitment to working hard for success. Building great businesses takes time and hard work.

OUR COMPANIES

THERE AT THE START

We are interested in investing as early as a good idea comes together, or later, as the team is formed and the business develops. We have been co-founders of a number of our portfolio companies, and find that the most rewarding (and hardest) thing we do. We typically make first investments of $500,000 to $1 million, and, if a company is tracking well, look to invest an additional $2 to $2.5 million over multiple financing rounds. We are happy to syndicate with other investors who share our views and approach to investing.