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SDL Ventures
SDL Capital, LP is an investment firm founded in February 2003 by Dr. Donald R. Scifres, who partnered with Michael L. Foster to create SDL Ventures, LLC and...
Overview
SDL Capital, LP is an investment firm founded in February 2003 by Dr. Donald R. Scifres, who partnered with Michael L. Foster to create SDL Ventures, LLC and invest in technology start ups. The strategy for SDL Ventures is to focus on early stage investments offering clear technical differentiation and strong founder teams. In recent years most new investments have been in biotechnology and other healthcare solutions. Since its inception, SDL Ventures has been involved in over one hundred financings in some thirty companies.
General information
Firm type
Venture Capital
Year founded
2003
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Reno
Corporate office
18124 Wedge Parkway #956, Reno, NV 89511, United States
Principals
Don Scifres
Managing Director, SDL Ventures, LLC; Chairman, SDL Capital, LP
Mike Foster
Vice President, Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at SDL Ventures?
Managing Director Don Scifres and Vice President Mike Foster have led the investment function since the firm’s 2003 founding. Scifres is the former CEO and Chairman of SDL, Inc., and Foster was its CFO. Foster stepped back from his partner role in 2024 but continues to consult for the firm, leaving Scifres as the primary decision-maker.
How does SDL Ventures source proprietary deal flow?
The firm relies on Don Scifres’ technical network built over four decades in optoelectronics and semiconductor lasers. His standing as a National Academy of Engineering member and 140-patent holder gives the firm direct access to founder-led science companies, particularly in biotechnology and optical technologies, that often fall outside conventional venture pipelines.
Does SDL Ventures participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Every known deployment has been through direct equity investments in operating companies. The firm states its strategy as early-stage direct investing with initial checks of $500,000 to $2 million. No fund-of-funds commitments or LP allocations to outside managers are disclosed.
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