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Lagunita BioSciences
Lagunita BioSciences, the life sciences single-family office founded by David Kerr in 2019, backs early-stage biotech companies with long-term capital.
Lagunita BioSciences
Lagunita BioSciences was founded in 2019 by biotech entrepreneur David Kerr, along with managing partners Evan Jones and Michael Chen. Kerr previously co-founded Jasper Therapeutics and served as a venture partner at a life sciences VC, while Jones came from Versant Ventures and Chen from a biotech investing background. The firm's name echoes the Spanish word for 'lagoon' and reflects a California-rooted identity. The firm takes a concentrated, long-duration approach to life sciences investing, targeting companies in areas such as oncology, rare diseases, and platform technologies. It structures investments as direct ownership stakes rather than traditional fund vehicles, often taking controlling or influential positions. Known portfolio holdings include companies developing novel drug delivery mechanisms and gene-editing platforms, though specific names are not broadly published. Geographically, the firm operates primarily in the United States, with a focus on the San Francisco Bay Area and Michigan. Lagunita BioSciences maintains offices in Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Ann Arbor. The team is lean—estimated at fewer than 10 investment professionals—and draws on deep scientific and operational experience. A recent operational event: April 2025: The firm participated in a Series A round for a preclinical oncology startup, alongside other specialist life sciences investors (per public securities filings, April 2025). Beyond direct investing, the firm is linked to philanthropic efforts in biomedical research, though structures are not public. The firm's structural differentiator is its hybrid model—part venture capital, part holding company—enabling it to hold assets indefinitely and reinvest cash flows without typical fund-life constraints. This approach allows Lagunita to support portfolio companies through multiple stages of development, reducing pressure for near-term exits and aligning with the slower timelines of drug development.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
2019
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Palo Alto
Corporate office
Palo Alto, CA, United States
Additional offices
Ann Arbor · San Francisco
Principals
David Kerr
Founder and Managing Partner
Evan Jones
Managing Partner
Michael Chen
Managing Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Lagunita BioSciences?
David Kerr is the founder and managing partner, alongside co-managing partners Evan Jones and Michael Chen. Kerr previously co-founded Jasper Therapeutics and brings deep biotech operational experience, while Jones came from Versant Ventures and Chen from biotech investing (per Forbes, 2021).
How does Lagunita BioSciences source proprietary deal flow?
The firm sources deals through its partners' established networks in the life sciences industry, including academic research hubs in Stanford, University of Michigan, and UCSF. It also fields inbound opportunities from spinouts of large pharma and from incubators. The small, science-literate team allows it to evaluate opportunities that mid-stage VCs may pass on.
Is Lagunita structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
Lagunita BioSciences is structured as a single family office, but operates with a venture capital investment posture. It uses a holding-company model to take controlling or influential stakes, holding assets indefinitely without the 10-year fund life typical of VC funds.
Does Lagunita participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The firm primarily executes direct investments and co-investments in private biotech companies. There is no evidence it commits to external limited partnership funds; its focus is on building a concentrated portfolio of direct holdings.
What investment stages does Lagunita typically target?
Lagunita targets early-stage biotech companies—seed through Series A and B—with a particular interest in companies that have completed preclinical proof-of-concept. The firm is willing to write multi-million-dollar checks and hold through clinical milestones.
Which sectors does Lagunita explicitly avoid?
The firm avoids sectors outside life sciences and biotech, such as enterprise software, fintech, or real estate. Within life sciences, it has not publicly stated exclusions but has focused on therapeutic areas like oncology and rare diseases.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The wealth originates primarily from David Kerr's entrepreneurial success in biotech, including his role as co-founder of Jasper Therapeutics (a public company focused on cell therapies) and prior roles in life sciences venture capital (per Forbes, 2021). Co-founders Jones and Chen also bring significant net worth from their own careers in venture and biotech.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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