Since 2003
Windhover Ventures, LLC
An investment endeavor fostering innovation and early growth across diverse sectors
About
What We Do
Established in 2003, Windhover Ventures is an instigator, creator, nurturer, and supporter of start-up companies in the life sciences, materials, energy, technology, software and entertainment sectors.
Business Concepts
We work with small teams applied to conceiving or identifying innovative opportunities for new businesses. We contribute to conceptualization; to market, competition, science and technical assessments; to business planning; and to launch.
Founding and Seed Investments
We make founding or seed stage investments on a very selective basis. We invest in enterprises in which we serve a formal founding and operational role. Less frequently, we will make a founding investment in a new company for which we know one or more of the principals well.
Advisory and Consulting
We are often sought to provide advisory or consultancy support. Such engagements might be directed, for example, to innovative technical problem solutions, to opportunity assessment, to networking with field principals or key opinion leaders, to corporate or business development, or to fund raising.
Mentoring
We are committed to helping, especially, undergraduates and recent graduates interested to gain early entrepreneurial experience. We have developed a proven and well-used framework for internships in this field.
Portfolio
Our Investments
Windhover Ventures will consider active participation in an endeavor that: demonstrates real potential for transformative and far-reaching impact in its field; is introduced through Windhover Ventures' global network of contacts; and can benefit from an acceleration through the infrastructure and connections of Windhover Ventures.
Companies for which Windhover's Managing Director has served as a founder include:
Permeatus, Inc.
2017Permeatus, Inc. is developing novel therapeutic products for administration via the skin. The company is early stage and remains private.
DMK Pharmaceuticals
2016DMK Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was developing a novel second-generation mixed opioid receptor agonist for treatment of moderate-to-severe pain, in transdermal, buccal and oral administration formats. Merged with Adamis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ CM: DMK; 2023).
Tioga Research
2011Tioga Research, Inc. delivers contract research and early development (“CREDO”) services directed to the discovery and development of novel pharmaceutical, cosmetic and medical device products that are applied to the skin. The company was acquired by Encube Ethicals, Inc. in December 2019.
Bio4Front
2008Bio4Front, Inc. supported life sciences companies engage & develop scientific staff and life sciences professionals in career fulfilment. The company was acquired by Guru LLC (2022).
fqubed, inc.
2002fqubed, Inc. was an innovator of topical drug and beauty care products using proprietary high throughput experimentation technologies. The company was acquired by Nuvo Research Inc. in December 2005.
Integrated Discovery Sciences Corporation
2001Integrated Discovery Sciences Corporation was a structure-based drug discovery company. The company was acquired by Bio and Gene Pty. Ltd. in August 2005.
Companies for which Windhover was a founding or early-stage investor include:
Enzen Therapeutics, Inc.
2020Enzen Therapeutics, Inc. is developing innovative topical products. The company is early stage and remains private.
Thirona Bio, Inc.
2019Thirona Bio, Inc. is developing novel topical treatments for fibrotic conditions. The company at clinical stage and remains private.
Lipidio Therapeutics, Inc.
2019Lipidio Therapeutics, Inc. is developing a topical drug being repurposed for three diseases associated with excess body fat. The company is at clinical stage and remains private.
Team
Our Managing Director
Dr. Newsam has had operational management responsibilities for groups of up to 70 PhDs, through a series of executive or senior operational positions at Exxon Research and Engineering Company, Biosym Technologies, Corning, Molecular Simulations (now DS Biovia), hte, fqubed, Nuvo Research and Tioga Research. A business innovator and entrepreneur, Dr. Newsam serves as Adjunct Professor at UC San Diego (Chemistry & Biochemistry Department) where he teaches undergraduate courses in biotechnology, business innovation and entrepreneurship.
As a professional consultant, John has contributed scientific and strategic input to numerous US Fortune 500 companies, to early phase biotech and materials companies in the US, UK and Korea, to government institutions such as IFP Energies Nouvelles in Paris, and he has served on numerous academic advisory committees. He previously served as Chair-Elect of the Section on Industrial Science and Technology of the American Association for the Advancement of Science ("AAAS"); Chair of the Advisory Board of the Computational Science Research Center at San Diego State University; and President of the Bird Rock Community Council.
Dr. Newsam has served or serves as a Venture Partner or Advisor to three other private equity groups: NGEN Venture Partners (Santa Barbara CA and NY), ITI Life Sciences (Scotland) and the Green Gateway Fund (Berlin, Germany).
Dr. Newsam has lectured extensively on an international level, and been recognized by several awards, including the Corday-Morgan Medal and the Sidhu Award, and by election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, of the AAAS, and of the American Chemical Society.
John M Newsam holds BA Hons, MA and DPhil degrees in Chemistry from Oxford University and was a JSPS - Royal Society research fellow at Tohoku University, Japan. A materials chemist by formal training, John has authored over 170 scientific publications and is an inventor on over 20 issued US patents. He was previously an Adjunct Professor at UC Santa Barbara (Materials Department).
Contact
Get in Touch
A closely-held, low-profile consulting and investment group, Windhover is always open to discussing potential collaborations or cooperations in areas where Windhover can contribute value that are of mutual interest.
We are always interested to discuss internship possibilities, if you are strongly motivated, have an innovative spirit and a drive for excellence, are able to work independently, and are eager to develop entrepreneurial experience and skills, please reach out to us.
To inquire about any current internship opportunities, please send an explanatory email and a resume to info@windhoverventures.com with "Internship Inquiry" in the subject header.