Dementia Discovery Fund
Dementia Discovery Fund is the world's largest specialized venture capital fund family investing exclusively in biotech companies developing novel disease-modifying therapeutics for dementia, with $600M+ raised across two funds managed by SV Health Investors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Dementia Discovery Fund does
Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF) is a London-headquartered specialized venture capital fund managed by SV Health Investors (SV Health Managers LLP, FCA-authorised) that invests exclusively in biotech companies developing novel disease-modifying therapeutics for dementia. Founded in 2015 as the first and leading dementia-focused VC, DDF operates the world's largest family of dedicated dementia venture vehicles, with more than $600 million raised across two funds: DDF-1 (£250 million final close in 2018) and DDF-2 ($269 million final close in 2025). The fund targets early- to mid-stage biotech companies working across all forms of dementia including Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia, ALS, and Huntington's Disease, and explicitly mandates exploration of novel biological hypotheses beyond well-explored approaches such as amyloid.
DDF's core offering is direct equity investment, ranging from seed/Series A through Series B and beyond, paired with strategic support and access to a co-investment network. Differentiation is anchored by seven founding pharmaceutical limited partners (Biogen, Eli Lilly, GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Otsuka/Astex, Pfizer, Takeda) supplemented by strategic institutional LPs (British Business Bank, British Patient Capital, UnitedHealth Group, Quest Diagnostics, Aegon, AARP, Bill Gates, the UK Department of Health and Social Care, Alzheimer's Research UK, and the Alzheimer's Association). This LP base provides portfolio companies with clinical development expertise, downstream commercial pathway visibility, and partnership optionality, while a Scientific Advisory Board supplemented by LP scientific representatives provides domain review. Notable portfolio technologies include Violet Therapeutics' proprietary CONNECT platform for identifying targets from cellular interaction networks and LoQus23's MSH3/MutSβ allosteric inhibitor program (LQT-23) for Huntington's Disease.
DDF operates from offices at 71 Kingsway, London and 28 State Street, Boston, enabling transatlantic deal sourcing. Revenue follows standard VC economics: management fees on committed/invested capital plus carried interest on exits. Active portfolio companies at the time of the input include AviadoBio, Cerevance, Isaac Health, LoQus23 Therapeutics, NRG Therapeutics, and Violet Therapeutics, with disclosed metrics of 50+ programs targeting dementia and multiple clinical trials initiated, including Cerevance's pivotal Phase 3 Parkinson's program. The fund explicitly builds companies itself where the market is not creating them, assisted by its bench of venture partners and company creators.
Dementia Discovery Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dementia Discovery Fund
- Legal name
- SV Health Managers LLP
- Website
- https://ddf.vc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Dementia Discovery Fund is the world's largest specialized venture capital fund family investing exclusively in biotech companies developing novel disease-modifying therapeutics for dementia, with $600M+ raised across two funds managed by SV Health Investors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dementia Discovery Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital / Life Sciences Investing
- NAICS
- Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- SDG / Thematic Sustainable Investment Funds (FSANAJAN)
Keywords
Where Dementia Discovery Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Dementia Discovery Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Dementia Discovery Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Dementia Discovery Fund is the world's largest family of specialized venture capital funds that invests exclusively in companies developing or enabling novel therapeutics for dementia. Managed by SV Health Investors, DDF operates two fund vehicles (DDF-1 and DDF-2) that have together raised more than $600 million, deploying venture-stage equity into biotech companies from target identification through clinical development across all forms of dementia including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, FTD, ALS, and Huntington's Disease. The fund combines capital with strategic guidance and access to a network of seven leading pharmaceutical partners, venture partners, entrepreneurs, and leading scientists.
Product overview
The Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF), managed by SV Health Investors, is the world's largest family of specialized venture capital funds that invest exclusively in companies developing novel therapeutics for dementia. DDF operates two fund vehicles: DDF-1 (established 2015, £250 million final close in 2018) and DDF-2 (reached $269 million final close in 2025). With over $600 million raised and offices in London and Boston, the funds capitalize on global investment opportunities utilizing a network of venture partners, entrepreneurs, leading scientists, and strategic partners to invest in and create new biotech companies developing disease-modifying therapies for dementia.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dementia Discovery Fund-1 (DDF-1) The inaugural Dementia Discovery Fund, the world's largest venture capital fund dedicated to discovering and developing novel disease-modifying therapeutics for all forms of dementia. Invests in early-stage to mid-stage biotech companies from target identification onwards.
- Dementia Discovery Fund-2 (DDF-2) The second specialized dementia venture capital fund managed by SV Health Investors, continuing the fund family's mission to invest exclusively in companies developing novel dementia therapeutics. Reached $269 million at final close in 2025 with participation from Alzheimer's Association and British Business Bank.
Quantifiable outcome
- 55 million+ patients worldwide with dementia
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Dementia Discovery Fund
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Dementia Discovery Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Dementia Discovery Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Dementia Discovery Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Arch Venture Partners: Arch is a leading US biotech venture firm that creates and invests in early-stage life sciences companies, comparable in stage focus and biotech creation mandate to DDF, though with a broader therapeutic focus beyond dementia.
- Flagship Pioneering: Flagship is a biotech creation platform that originates and develops novel therapeutics companies, mirroring DDF's approach of building companies around novel biology, with comparable scale and institutional pharma relationships.
- Atlas Venture: Atlas is a Boston/UK-based biotech-focused VC firm that builds companies from inception, with a comparable life sciences specialization, transatlantic presence, and early-stage therapeutic focus.
- Versant Ventures: Versant is a healthcare-focused VC with dedicated biotech and medtech strategies and a track record of company creation, comparable in size, stage focus, and therapeutic specialization to DDF.
- OrbiMed Advisors: OrbiMed is a healthcare-dedicated investment firm across stages and geographies, comparable to DDF in life sciences focus and institutional LP base, though with broader therapeutic and stage diversification.
- RA Capital Management: RA Capital is a healthcare-focused investment manager with crossover and public market capabilities, comparable to DDF in life sciences specialization and thesis-driven approach to biotech investing.
- Sofinnova Partners: Sofinnova is a leading European life sciences VC with a focus on early-stage biotech, comparable to DDF in transatlantic presence, biotech specialization, and track record of therapeutic company building.
- Abingworth: Abingworth is a transatlantic life sciences investment firm with venture and growth strategies, comparable to DDF in size, therapeutic focus, and clinical-stage biotech investment approach.
Emerging players
- Cure Alzheimer's Fund: Cure Alzheimer's Fund is a nonprofit focused exclusively on funding dementia research, comparable to DDF in thematic disease focus but operating as a grantmaking foundation rather than a venture fund.
- Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation: ADDF is a philanthropy focused on accelerating drug discovery for Alzheimer's and related dementias, thematically aligned with DDF's mandate and overlapping with portfolio companies, though it deploys grants rather than equity capital.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dementia Discovery Fund social profiles
Digital presenceDementia Discovery Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dementia Discovery Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Dementia Discovery Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dementia Discovery Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments51 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dementia Discovery Fund
What does Dementia Discovery Fund do?
The Dementia Discovery Fund is the world's largest family of specialized venture capital funds that invests exclusively in companies developing or enabling novel therapeutics for dementia. Managed by SV Health Investors, DDF operates two fund vehicles (DDF-1 and DDF-2) that have together raised more than $600 million, deploying venture-stage equity into biotech companies from target identification through clinical development across all forms of dementia including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, FTD, ALS, and Huntington's Disease. The fund combines capital with strategic guidance and access to a network of seven leading pharmaceutical partners, venture partners, entrepreneurs, and leading scientists.
Is Dementia Discovery Fund a public or private company?
Dementia Discovery Fund is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Dementia Discovery Fund founded?
Dementia Discovery Fund was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Dementia Discovery Fund based?
Dementia Discovery Fund is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
Who are Dementia Discovery Fund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Arch Venture Partners, Flagship Pioneering, Atlas Venture, Versant Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors, RA Capital Management, Sofinnova Partners and Abingworth. Emerging players are Cure Alzheimer's Fund and Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation.
Does Dementia Discovery Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dementia Discovery Fund.
What industry is Dementia Discovery Fund in?
Dementia Discovery Fund's product category is Venture Capital / Life Sciences Investing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAJAN, SDG / Thematic Sustainable Investment Funds. Its NAICS code is 5259 and its SIC code is 6282.