CapeHaven, a US-based biotech venture creation platform, has launched to commercialise research primarily emerging from Yale University’s ecosystem.
The firm has raised an undisclosed amount towards a $10 million target, money that it will use to expand its team and to evaluate and advance early-stage therapeutics emerging from university labs.
CapeHaven’s founders include Ranjit Bindra, the Harvey and Kate Cushing professor of therapeutic radiology and co-director of the Yale Brain Tumor Center, and Seth Herzon, the Milton Harris ’29 PhD professor of chemistry. They are joined by Kevin Rakin and Mike Dillon.
“The concept behind CapeHaven emerged from our experience building, scaling and exiting companies directly from academic science. We believe there is a tremendous opportunity to identify transformative discoveries at very early stages and help translate them into viable therapeutic companies through focused scientific development, strategic planning, and experienced company formation.”
Ranjit Bindra
The capital is also supporting the launch of a first spinout, Brainstorm Cancer Therapeutics, focused on oncology. Brainstorm has been in development since at least 2020. Its co-founders are Ranjit Bindra and Mark Saltzman, professor of biomedical and chemical engineering.
CapeHaven will work closely with scientific founders to turn promising therapeutic concepts into fundable biotech companies.
Bindra and Rakin bring considerable expertise: they have collectively founded or invested in more than a dozen companies, including Modifi Bio, bought by Merck for up to $1.3 billion in October 2024.
“It is exciting to see an experienced team based in New Haven that is focused on helping academic discoveries navigate the complex path from laboratory innovation to company creation. CapeHaven brings together scientific, operational, and entrepreneurial experience that can help accelerate the translation of promising discoveries emerging from the Yale ecosystem.”
Josh Geballe, managing director of tech transfer office Yale Ventures
