Samsara BioCapital

What Samsara BioCapital does

Samsara BioCapital is a Palo Alto-based venture capital firm founded in 2017 by Srini Akkaraju, MD/PhD, that invests exclusively in biotechnology companies developing transformative therapeutics across oncology, immunology, neurology, ophthalmology, cardiometabolic disease, gene therapy, and rare diseases. The firm deploys patient capital across seed through post-IPO stages, taking board seats and operating as an active scientific and strategic partner rather than a financial-only investor. Its 20+ person core team is augmented by an unusually deep bench of venture partners and senior advisors with prior leadership at Genentech, BioMarin, Merck, Roche, Lilly, Pfizer, GSK, J&J/Janssen, Sofinnova, and other major pharma and biotech institutions, contributing more than 500 years of combined drug-development experience.

The firm runs a standard SEC-registered investment-adviser model: it raises pooled investment vehicles from accredited investors and qualified purchasers, charges management fees on committed capital, and earns carried interest on successful exits. Its 50+ portfolio companies include both private names (Nura Bio, Memento Medicines, Sidewinder, Ambrosia Biosciences, EpiBiologics, Excellergy, PsiThera, Rani Therapeutics) and publicly traded holdings (Scholar Rock, Mineralys, Alumis, Inventiva, Nkarta, Sutro, Contineum, Prime Medicine, IO Biotech, LENZ Therapeutics). Notable realized exits include Chinook Therapeutics (acquired by Novartis for $3.5 billion), Principia Biopharma (acquired by Sanofi for $3.7 billion), RayzeBio (BMS), Miro Bio (Gilead), Forma (Novo Nordisk), Decibel (Regeneron), Eyebiotech (Merck), and Fluent (Illumina). Distribution to founders occurs via direct outreach and scientific networks; LP acquisition is supported through a dedicated investor relations function, the firm's website, and industry conferences.

Name

Samsara BioCapital

Legal name

Samsara BioCapital, LLC

Website

http://www.samsaracap.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Samsara BioCapital is a Palo Alto-based venture capital firm founded in 2017 by Srini Akkaraju that invests across stages in biotechnology companies developing transformative therapeutics, serving both accredited LPs and biotech founders with patient capital and active board support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital / Life Sciences Investment

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Other Financial Vehicles (525990)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Strategic Real Assets & Infrastructure Venture Investing (FSANAHAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immunology & Autoimmune Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAB), Endocrinology & Metabolic Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAD)

Keywords

• Venture capital firm
• Biotechnology investing
• Life sciences investment
• Biotech venture funding
• Therapeutics investment

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Management Fees: Standard VC management fee structure charged on committed capital under management
2. Carried Interest: Performance-based carried interest from successful portfolio company exits

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Samsara BioCapital is a venture capital firm that provides investment capital, board oversight, and strategic guidance to biotechnology companies developing transformative therapeutics across oncology, immunology, neurology, ophthalmology, cardiometabolic diseases, gene therapy, and rare diseases. The firm manages pooled investment vehicles for accredited investors and qualified purchasers, sourcing deals through scientific founders and entrepreneurs, and providing patient long-term capital through companies' full risk cycle.

Product overview

Samsara BioCapital is a venture capital firm that invests in biotechnology companies developing therapeutic products. The firm does not offer products or services in the traditional sense; instead, it provides investment capital and strategic support to portfolio companies developing treatments across various therapeutic areas including oncology, immunology, neurology, ophthalmology, and cardiometabolic diseases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Biotech Venture Capital Funds

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple portfolio companies acquired by major pharma at significant premiums (e.g., Chinook Novartis $3.5B, Principia Sanofi $3.7B, Fluent Illumina)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Direct peers

• Frazier Life Sciences: Biotech-focused venture franchise that co-led Samsara's Sidewinder Therapeutics Series B. Comparable in therapeutic breadth, private/public crossover approach, and stage mix.
• RA Capital Management: Boston-based healthcare-focused investment manager that, like Samsara, invests across both private biotech rounds and public equities. Frequently co-invests with Samsara (e.g., Memento Medicines Series A) and serves a similar LP base.
• Versant Ventures: Healthcare-dedicated VC with parallel focus on biotech therapeutics. Directly comparable in stage mix (seed through late-stage), therapeutic breadth, and LP base.
• ARCH Venture Partners: Deep-science biotech VC investing across company formation through late-stage. Directly comparable in early-stage, science-heavy deal sourcing and broad therapeutic exposure.
• Atlas Venture: Early-stage biotech formation specialist. Comparable in founding-company approach, therapeutic breadth, and reliance on operating-partner networks to source and build assets.
• 5AM Ventures: Early-stage life sciences VC; comparable in scientific-rigor orientation, biotech-only mandate, and reliance on entrepreneurial scientists for deal origination.
• New Leaf Venture Partners: Healthcare/biotech VC where Samsara founder Srini Akkaraju and partner Mike Dybbs previously worked. Highly comparable in mandate, stage focus, and investment style, and a natural proxy for Samsara's predecessor model.
• OrbiMed Advisors: One of the largest dedicated healthcare/biotech investment firms globally, covering venture through public markets. Highly comparable in mandate (biotech-only focus, full-lifecycle investing) and institutional LP positioning.
• Forbion: European biotech specialist VC with similar therapeutic focus (immunology, oncology, rare disease). Co-led recent Samsara portfolio rounds (Memento Medicines, Coultreon Biopharma), making it a directly comparable peer.
• The Column Group: Science-driven biotech VC led by former pharma R&D leaders. Co-led Samsara's Nura Bio Series B; comparable in scientific rigor and willingness to back platform technologies across therapeutic areas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/samsara-biocapital
• Xx.com/samsaracapital

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments197 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Samsara BioCapital