ONCE Ventures

Managing Director Ara Abrahamian leads the investment team, with Investment Director Andrew Goodman serving as the next senior decision-maker. The firm lists six investment professionals on its public team page, operating from the Sherman Oaks headquarters.

ONCE Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Otsuka, specifically housed within its North American nutraceutical division. It invests in consumer-health startups that align with Otsuka's existing over-the-counter supplement and functional-food brands, leveraging the parent company's R&D, manufacturing, and retail relationships.

Five focus areas are named: longevity science, the microbiome, personalized nutrition, mental wellness, and women's health. The firm also maintains an open category for scientifically differentiated medical foods, supplements, digital health solutions, and consumer devices available without a prescription.

No. The firm's stated criteria require portfolio companies to be located in or focused on North America. The parent company, Otsuka, is headquartered in Japan, but ONCE Ventures invests strictly within its North American nutraceutical mandate.

Portfolio companies gain access to Otsuka's proprietary retail relationships, cross-channel go-to-market strategy capabilities, clinical research design, intellectual property protection, and regulatory expertise. The firm markets this as a built-in commercial infrastructure, distinct from a purely financial VC.