Innova Memphis

Partners Jan Bouten and Dean Didato drive all investment decisions. Bouten leads the agricultural technology practice, while Didato focuses on healthcare and medical technology deals. The flat structure means all portfolio companies pass through direct partner diligence rather than a broader investment committee.

Innova was launched in 2007 as the for-profit venture arm of the non-profit Memphis Bioworks Foundation. Historically, a share of Innova's investment returns flowed back to the foundation to fund its regional innovation programs and incubator operations. This structure makes Innova a hybrid vehicle — venture firm and economic development engine.

Innova invests from pre-seed through Series A, often serving as a company's first institutional capital. The firm takes board seats in many of its early-stage investments and works actively on company formation alongside founders. It does not lead growth-stage rounds or participate in late-stage syndicates.

Innova's portfolio is concentrated in the United States, with a focus on startups in rural America, the Mid-South, and other underserved regions far from coastal venture hubs. The firm's geographic thesis relies on proximity to the agricultural and logistics infrastructure centered in Memphis. There is no public record of international portfolio companies.