Life Science VC Raises $824 Million for New Investments

Flagship Pioneering announced on 3/20/19 that it has secured  $824 million  in a new capital pool to support the growth of human health and sustainability companies originated by its Flagship Labs unit. The new capital pool will operate alongside more than $700  million in capital raised in late 2017 and 2018 that currently  finances Flagship's in-house innovation and company origination activities.

Called the Special Opportunities Fund II, the new capital pool will enable Flagship to further fuel the growth of companies originated in its institutional innovation foundry, Flagship Labs. Investors include long-time limited partners as well as new institutional investors and family offices. The Special Opportunities Fund II follows a  $285 million  Special Opportunities Fund I, closed in 2016.

Flagship currently has 29 companies in its portfolio. The companies include biotech, food tech and agriculture. In 2018 Flagship launched 5 new companies. Four companies conceived in Flagship labs successfully completed IPOs.