Ascension Ventures

ARTIS Ventures is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm founded in 2001 by Stuart Peterson, focused on companies at the intersection of computer science and life science, a convergence the firm calls TechBio. The firm partners with bold founders applying engineering principles, data-driven discovery, and computational methods to transform healthcare, biology, and the human condition. ARTIS operates a distinctive network called Healthcare Pioneers, composed of senior executives from biopharma, pharma, digital health, and hospital systems who provide guidance, introductions, and advisory support to portfolio companies throughout their lifecycle. The firm invests from seed through Series B and supports companies from initial investment through public offering and beyond, with a team including partners with both scientific and investing backgrounds. ARTIS has made 158 investments with 46 exits across its history and was one of the earliest consistent backers of the TechBio category. Notable portfolio companies and exits include 23andMe, which went public in 2021, Auris Health, a robotic-assisted surgical system company acquired by Johnson and Johnson for $3.4 billion in 2019, Color Health, GRAIL, Stemcentrx (acquired by AbbVie), and Lemonaid Health, a telehealth and telepharmacy platform acquired by 23andMe in 2021 for $400 million. Beyond its original investments in 23andMe, Auris Health, Color Health, and GRAIL, the broader portfolio includes Eko Health, Tessera Therapeutics, Freenome, Excision BioTherapeutics, and Delix Therapeutics.