The National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency in the United States that funds and supports research and education in science and engineering. It funds fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering and administers non-dilutive funding programs to aid early‑stage technology development, helping translate discoveries into commercially viable products and services. Through grants and fellowships, the NSF supports researchers, educators, and startups, contributing to innovation and U.S. competitiveness. The agency operates with a substantial budget to advance science, engineering, and STEM education nationwide.

Established in 2020, the European Innovation Council supports innovative startups and researchers with promising ideas, focusing on early-stage companies with positive environmental, social, or governance impacts. It co-invests alongside private investors.

Founded in 1995, SOSV is a global venture capital firm headquartered in New Jersey. It focuses on seed-to-growth stage investments in deep tech innovations, primarily in bio-tech/life sciences and hardware/robotics sectors, with a commitment to human and planetary health.

MedTech Innovator is a nonprofit global competition and accelerator based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2013. It focuses on supporting companies in the medical device, digital health, and diagnostic sectors. The organization aims to enhance patient outcomes by fostering the growth of businesses that contribute to the transformation of the healthcare system. Each year, MedTech Innovator showcases 100 companies that align with key themes identified through surveys of industry leaders. The accelerator's diverse portfolio includes firms involved in consumer healthcare, imaging, remote patient monitoring, clinical studies, and workflow optimization, emphasizing its commitment to advancing innovative healthcare solutions.

National Institutes of Health is a biomedical research agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, based in Bethesda, Maryland. It is the primary U.S. government organization devoted to biomedical and health research, conducting science through the Intramural Research Program and funding external research through the Extramural Research Program. The NIH comprises 27 institutes and centers and supports about 1,200 principal investigators and more than 4,000 postdoctoral fellows across basic, translational, and clinical research. It has contributed to major advances such as vaccines and therapies and is dedicated to advancing knowledge and translating discoveries into improvements in public health. Established in 1887, NIH operates as a central hub for medical research in the United States.

MassChallenge is a global startup accelerator supporting early-stage entrepreneurs across various industries. Founded in 2009, it provides mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities through its programs worldwide.

Qiming Venture Partners is a China-based venture capital firm founded in 2006, with offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou, Hong Kong and Singapore, and a global arm through Qiming Venture Partners USA. It manages multiple funds and invests in early and growth-stage companies across technology, information technology, healthcare, new consumer sectors, AI, robotics, semiconductors, software and digital health. The firm emphasizes a hands-on approach, often taking board seats and providing operational guidance to help CEOs scale and reach exits. Through its investments, it has backed hundreds of companies and supported numerous IPOs and M&A outcomes, with unicorns among its portfolio, illustrating breadth and depth across China and international markets.

EASME is a European Union executive agency that supports small and medium-sized enterprises and promotes innovation in Europe. It manages projects in the areas of small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as the environment, energy, and maritime sectors, funded by COSME, LIFE, and EMFF. EASME organizes the European Sustainable Energy Week and serves industries such as environmental management, energy production, and maritime activities.

The EIC Accelerator is a Horizon Europe funding program that provides assistance to start-ups and SMEs that have an innovative, game-changing product, service, or business model that has the potential to create new markets or disrupt existing ones, and have the ambition and commitment to scale up, are seeking substantial funding, but the risks involved are too high for private investors to invest alone

Founded in 2007, Innovate UK is a non-profit organization based in Swindon, UK. It supports businesses across various economic sectors by offering funding services to promote science and technology innovations.

Bpifrance is a financial institution dedicated to supporting companies throughout their development stages, particularly those preparing for stock market listing and seeking credit equity. The organization provides a range of financial solutions, including financing, innovation assistance, and capital investment. By integrating various entities such as OSEO and CDC Entreprises, Bpifrance aims to deliver tailored financial support that addresses the specific needs of businesses. The institution is committed to fostering innovation and helping companies transition toward sustainable growth, ensuring they are well-equipped to face future challenges.

Venture Kick is a Swiss initiative supporting early-stage startups with pre-seed funding and entrepreneurial training. It has awarded over CHF 24.9 million to 600 projects, creating 6,033 jobs and attracting subsequent investments worth CHF 2.49 billion.

HAX is a global venture capital-backed program dedicated to accelerating startups with a hardware element. Operating across San Francisco and Shenzhen, HAX focuses on rapid prototyping and iteration, helping teams refine their products, business plans, and launch strategies. The program culminates in market readiness support, including introductions to corporates, investors, partners, and press, as well as securing funding and gaining traction.

Founded in 1989, OrbiMed is a New York-based healthcare-dedicated investment firm managing approximately $5 billion in assets. It invests across the spectrum of healthcare companies, from private start-ups to large multinational corporations, focusing on biopharmaceuticals, life sciences, digital health, medical devices, and diagnostics sectors globally.

The U.S. Department of Energy is a government agency established in 1977, located in Washington, D.C. Its primary mission is to ensure the security and prosperity of the nation by tackling energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges. The Department focuses on promoting transformative scientific and technological solutions to address these issues, thereby supporting the country's energy needs and environmental sustainability.

Founded in 1999, Perceptive Advisors is a New York-based investment firm focused on the life sciences sector. It invests across various stages of company development, from seed to late-stage ventures and public equities, with a typical investment size ranging from $10 million to $200 million. The firm employs long/short equity strategies and conducts in-house research to identify promising opportunities in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, and healthcare services.

New Enterprise Associates is a venture capital firm founded in 1977 and based in Menlo Park, California, with offices in the United States, India and China. It makes investments across technology and healthcare startups at multiple stages, from seed to growth, including software, cloud, data, internet services, fintech, AI, e-commerce, and enterprise technology, as well as healthcare information technology, life sciences, medical devices, and biopharma. It also considers energy technology and infrastructure opportunities, such as solar, batteries and smart grids. The firm pursues a global approach, with activity in the United States, Asia and other regions, and supports companies through rounds of financing ranging from small to sizable investments as they scale. NEA focuses on building portfolios in software, IT services, consumer technology, and healthcare technology, backing ambitious entrepreneurs across sectors and geographies.

Alumni Ventures Group is a venture capital firm based in Manchester, New Hampshire, with offices across North America. It provides access to venture investing for individual accredited investors, particularly alumni networks, by offering diversified portfolios of venture opportunities and allowing members to invest alongside fellow alumni in ventures led by peers. The firm backs early-stage and later-stage opportunities across technology, consumer, healthcare, financial services, and other sectors, with a sector- and geography-agnostic approach. It typically invests between $10,000 and $3 million per deal and emphasizes the involvement of alumni connections and an institutional lead investor in opportunities. Alumni Ventures also offers focused funds to broaden participation, enabling accredited investors to access venture portfolios diversified by type, sector, stage, and geography. The model aims to democratize access to venture capital while maintaining rigorous selection standards through alumni networks.

Khosla Ventures is a California-based venture capital firm founded in 2004 by Vinod Khosla. It provides capital and strategic guidance to startups across stages, focusing on technology-driven companies in areas such as artificial intelligence, climate and sustainability, enterprise software and services, fintech, digital health, medical technology and diagnostics, therapeutics, consumer products, and frontier technologies. The firm backs bold ventures with the potential to disrupt markets and improve lives, supporting companies from early to growth stages and working closely with entrepreneurs to apply science, technology and innovative business models. While primarily investing in North American technology companies, Khosla Ventures pursues opportunities globally and emphasizes experimentation and impact alongside financial returns. The firm also maintains related impact initiatives that support entrepreneurs addressing socio-economic challenges in emerging markets.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania is a technology-focused capital provider based in Philadelphia, founded in 1982 to advance the region's technology community. The organization funds and supports technology companies across Pennsylvania, especially in information technology, health, and physical sciences, investing substantial capital in early-stage and established ventures. It has invested over 170 million dollars in more than 1,750 regional technology companies and has launched university-industry partnerships to translate scientific discoveries into commercial products, while seeding regional initiatives that strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem and create jobs.

High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH is a venture capital firm based in Bonn, Germany, specializing in early-stage investments in high-tech startups. Established in 2005, the firm focuses on technology-driven companies across various sectors, including information and communication technology, life sciences, healthcare, automation, and cleantech. HTGF typically invests in companies that have been operational for no more than one year, aiming to contribute up to €0.6 million in initial funding and up to €3 million in follow-on financing. The firm seeks a minority stake, generally around 15%, and provides a subordinated loan convertible into equity, with deferred interest for up to four years to support liquidity. With a total investment volume of approximately €895.5 million across three funds, HTGF has successfully supported over 500 startups and attracted more than €2 billion in follow-on investments from external sources. The firm's investors include notable public and private entities, underscoring its role as a key player in fostering innovation and growth within the German startup ecosystem.

The Scottish Investment Bank is a public body supporting economic growth in Scotland. It facilitates finance for small to medium-sized businesses, focusing on sectors such as renewable energy, technology, life sciences, and creative industries. The bank works closely with portfolio companies to strengthen management teams and accelerate growth.

Established in 1999, Innovation Works is a prominent investor in Southwestern Pennsylvania's technology sector. It provides capital and resources to early-stage companies with high growth potential and significant regional impact, particularly focusing on robotics, AI, medical devices, retail technologies, and enterprise software.

Medtronic specializes in healthcare technology solutions, addressing complex conditions across various medical fields such as cardiac devices, insulin pumps, patient monitoring systems, and robotic surgery. The company's innovative technologies treat over 70 different medical conditions globally.

Established in 1998, Enterprise Ireland is a government agency dedicated to fostering the growth of Irish businesses. It focuses on accelerating company development to achieve strong global market positions, driving national and regional prosperity.

Established in 2000 by Bill and Melinda Gates, this foundation is dedicated to enhancing healthcare, reducing extreme poverty globally, and expanding educational opportunities. It operates regionally with offices in Seattle, Washington D.C., New Delhi, Beijing, and London.

Founded in 2000, Gilde Healthcare Partners is a specialized investment firm focused on the healthcare sector. It manages multiple funds totaling over €800 million and invests in digital health, diagnostics, medical devices, therapeutics, and healthcare services across Europe and North America. The firm prefers to lead investments ranging from €1 million to €35 million, taking minority or majority stakes between 5% and 40%. It seeks to add value through active board participation and exits via IPOs, strategic sales, or private placements.

U.S. Venture Partners is a Menlo Park-based venture capital firm established in 1981 that concentrates on early-stage and growth investments in technology and healthcare. The firm backs business-to-business software, IT security, consumer internet, mobile, e-commerce, and IT-enabled healthcare services, as well as digital health, cloud technology, and life sciences including oncology. Its focus spans enterprise software, cybersecurity, healthcare IT, SaaS, manufacturing, and related sectors on the West Coast. The team comprises former entrepreneurs, technologists, executives, and industry experts who help portfolio companies scale and reach customers.

Legend Capital is a Beijing-based venture capital firm and subsidiary of Legend Holdings. Founded in 2001, it focuses on early-stage and growth investments in technology-driven sectors with operations anchored in China and related markets. The firm backs companies in IT, internet applications and services, outsourcing, IC design and key components, as well as sectors such as telecommunications, media, healthcare, consumer and intelligent manufacturing. It manages multiple funds and actively supports portfolio companies with business development, market positioning and access to Chinese markets to create value. Legend Capital aims to back high-growth ventures and build lasting value in China's venture capital ecosystem.

Founded in Boston in 2004, RA Capital is an investment firm specializing in life sciences and drug development. Its team, with backgrounds in biology, chemistry, medicine, and industry experience, invests in early-stage companies with promising technologies and products across healthcare and life science sectors.

IndieBio is an accelerator that supports startups using biology to solve major problems, delivering four-month programs for companies and teams with ideas. Based in San Francisco with an office in New York, it focuses on life sciences, biotechnology and synthetic biology, investing in seed and early-stage ventures that place biology at the core of their technology across products, processes and software. The program favors teams with two or more co-founders and generally provides equity-based funding in the early stages, often combining direct investments with additional financing options. Founded in 2014, IndieBio operates within the SOSV accelerator network, a global platform that supports portfolio companies through mentorship, resources and cross-border programs.

HealthTech Capital is an angel investment group based in Los Altos Hills, California, founded in 2010. The group focuses on funding and mentoring emerging health-tech startups that operate at the intersection of healthcare, technology, and mobility. By fostering collaboration among leading clinical providers, venture firms, and other strategic industry players, HealthTech Capital aims to create a robust ecosystem that supports innovative solutions in the health sector.

TEDCO is an independent organization established in 1998 and located in Columbia, Maryland. It serves as the leading source of entrepreneurial business assistance and seed funding for the development of startup companies within Maryland's innovation economy. TEDCO focuses on early-stage companies across various sectors, including software, technology, energy equipment, life sciences, and oncology. Its mission is to foster innovation and economic growth in Maryland by supporting the growth of startups and enhancing the state's position in the entrepreneurial landscape.

Google is a multinational technology company renowned for its search engine, offering services such as Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, and YouTube. It specializes in advertising solutions through Google Ads and mobile operating systems with Android, while actively innovating in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Founded in 1999, Versant Ventures is a global healthcare investment firm dedicated to supporting exceptional entrepreneurs building innovative companies. With over $2 billion under management and offices across North America and Europe, the firm invests across all stages of healthcare company development, with a focus on novel therapeutics. Versant's team, with deep investment, operating, and scientific expertise, takes a hands-on approach to company building.

EQT is a global private equity firm founded in 1994 that invests in mid-market companies through buyouts, expansion capital, growth equity, and infrastructure opportunities. It targets opportunities in Europe, North America, and Asia across sectors such as healthcare, life sciences, technology, industrials, consumer services, and real estate, seeking durable cash flows and meaningful intrinsic value. EQT pursues controlling or co-controlling stakes and collaborates with management to drive growth, improve operations, and expand internationally. The firm maintains a broad geographic footprint and an ownership orientation designed to build market-leading companies with sustainable competitive advantages. By combining sector expertise with disciplined capital allocation, EQT aims to create long-term value for its portfolio and stakeholders while adapting to evolving market dynamics.

SBRI Healthcare is an initiative from NHS England aimed at accelerating the development of innovative technologies that address the specific needs of the National Health Service (NHS). Delivered through the AHSN Network, the program seeks to foster collaboration between healthcare providers and technology developers to create solutions that enhance patient care and improve health outcomes. By supporting the commercialization of new products and services, SBRI Healthcare plays a critical role in transforming healthcare delivery in the UK.

European Investment Bank is the EU's long-term lending institution owned by its member states. It finances public and private sector projects across transportation, energy, telecommunications, health, education, water, housing, and other sectors in the European Union and beyond. The bank provides a range of financing tools including project loans, guarantees, debt and equity investments, and risk-sharing arrangements, as well as microfinance and venture capital funds. It also offers advisory services, infrastructure funding, and support for urban development, PPPs, and sustainable energy projects. Through infrastructure and environmental funds and partnerships with banks and intermediaries, it supports SMEs, innovation, and the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Founded in Paris in 1972, Sofinnova Partners is a venture capital firm dedicated to life sciences investments. With over €2 billion under management, the firm actively partners with entrepreneurs from seed to later-stage, focusing on biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, and industrial biotechnology. Sofinnova proactively sources deals, often leading Round A financings, and plays an active role in portfolio companies until exit.

Deerfield Management is a New York-based investment firm established in 1994 that focuses on healthcare. It operates across investment, information, and philanthropy to support the healthcare ecosystem. The firm provides private and public investments and offers long-term, structured capital to both public and private healthcare companies. Its portfolio spans life sciences, medical devices, diagnostics, digital health, and health services. As an investment adviser, it seeks opportunities in healthcare products and services and aims to accelerate innovation by combining capital with industry insight.

IP Group is a London-based corporate firm that provides financial, strategic, and commercial expertise to clients internationally. Founded in 2001, the company focuses on creating value through the commercialisation of intellectual property derived from research-intensive institutions. It manages the end-to-end process of identifying viable IP, developing or partnering to build value, and establishing commercial arrangements that translate scientific advances into practical products and businesses. IP Group combines industry insight and financial experience to support science- and technology-based ventures, offering capital as well as strategic guidance to help companies grow and accelerate the impact of research. Its work spans clean technology, life sciences, and other deep technology sectors, with a track record of backing and developing ventures that aim to deliver tangible societal and economic outcomes.

Novo Holdings is a Danish holding and investment firm managing the assets of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Established in 1999, it invests globally in life science companies at all stages of development, with a portfolio also including equities, bonds, real estate, and infrastructure.

Sequoia Capital Israel is a venture capital firm that backs startups and growth companies across seed to late-stage rounds, with a focus on Israel. It invests across sectors including fintech, financial services, internet, mobile, technology, and healthcare, spanning banking, payments, advertising, ecommerce, data, security, software, and related enabling tech. Typical commitments range from 100,000 to 1 million in seed, 1 to 10 million in early venture, and 10 to 100 million in growth rounds. The firm is based in Tel Aviv and operates as part of Sequoia Capital's global network.

BioVenture, established in September 2013, specializes in early-stage venture capital investments in the field of life sciences, focusing on biotechnology, drug discovery, medical devices, and healthcare services companies. With a fund size of 540 million yuan, BioVenture provides capital and post-investment support to innovative companies with high growth potential. Backed by Suzhou Industrial Park and BioBay, BioVenture aims to become one of China's most successful medical and pharmaceutical venture funds by leveraging its industry expertise and resources. The team at BioVenture consists of senior investment professionals with deep knowledge of domestic and foreign markets, aiming to help companies grow rapidly and achieve greater success while delivering considerable returns to fund investors. Through joint venture development cooperation, BioVenture seeks to drive innovation and growth in the medical and pharmaceutical industry.

Sand Hill Angels, established in 2000, is a prominent angel investor group based in Mountain View, California, comprising over 60 successful Silicon Valley technology professionals. The group is dedicated to supporting and growing startup companies, with a focus on seed-stage technology investments across North America. They typically invest between $300,000 to $500,000 in private companies, with a pre-money valuation of less than $5 million. Sand Hill Angels' investment preferences span various sectors, including clean technology, Internet startups, information sciences, and life sciences, with a particular interest in semiconductors, enterprise software, storage, communications, medical devices, diagnostics, and bioinformatics. The group collaborates openly with venture capital funds, other angel organizations, and the broader Bay Area ecosystem to foster the growth of technology startups.

Lilly Ventures is the venture capital arm of Eli Lilly and Company, established in 2002 and based in Indiana. It specializes in investing in life science and healthcare-related companies across North America and Europe. With $200 million under management, Lilly Ventures targets early to expansion stage investments, aiming to enhance the success of its portfolio companies through strategic partnerships and value-adding resources. The firm focuses on three key areas of interest and collaborates closely with the management teams of its investments to help realize the full potential of their technologies.

SV Health Investors is a venture capital and growth equity firm focused on healthcare and life sciences. Headquartered in the United States with offices in Boston, San Francisco and London, the firm supports entrepreneurs who develop breakthrough medicines, devices and related technologies. It manages multiple private healthcare funds and has a 20-year track record in the US and Europe, investing across North America and Western Europe to advance innovative treatments and diagnostics. SV Health Investors aims to transform healthcare by backing early-stage and growth opportunities in biotechnology, medical devices and related sectors.

Founded in 1999, Enhanced Capital Partners is a New York-based investment firm managing over $400 million. It specializes in equity and debt investments for small to mid-sized companies across various sectors, with a focus on healthcare technology systems and TMT industries.

The Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a seed-stage acceleration program founded in 2012 at the Rotman School of Management in Toronto, Canada. It is dedicated to supporting massively scalable, science- and technology-based ventures by providing a unique coaching process focused on specific objectives. CDL connects startups with experienced entrepreneurs and leading scientists across various sectors, including artificial intelligence, healthcare, quantum computing, blockchain, energy, and cleantech. The program has expanded its reach, operating in six cities: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, and New York City, and emphasizes the commercialization of scientific and technological advancements.

Panakes Partners is a Milan-based venture capital firm founded in 2015 that specializes in early-stage investments in life sciences and healthcare across Europe and Israel. It backs ambitious teams developing innovative technologies and products to improve human health, providing capital and strategic guidance to move scientific discoveries toward practical market applications.