The scientific publishing industry in the US is vital for disseminating research findings and academic knowledge. This sector includes traditional publishers, digital platforms, and open-access journals, offering a range of services such as peer review, distribution, and online archiving. The industry is evolving with technology advancements like AI-enhanced data analysis and platforms enabling public access to articles. Key trends include a shift towards open-access models, addressing the demand for transparency and wider dissemination of knowledge. Innovative publishing strategies are reshaping how research is shared, ensuring that scientific discovery reaches a broader audience faster than ever before.


The investors featured in this list include a mix of venture capital firms and corporate backers, primarily based in tech hubs like San Francisco and New York. Ranging in size from small firms with only a handful of team members to large institutions with thousands of employees, the investors showcase varying degrees of experience and sector focus. Established from 1946 to 2023, they collectively made over 1,500 investments in 2024 alone, inserting millions into companies pivotal to the scientific publishing ecosystem. Their diverse interests highlight a shared goal of promoting innovation in research and publishing.


Top 17 Scientific Publishing Investors in the US


1. Y Combinator

  • Website: ycombinator.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2005
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 802
  • LinkedIn: y-combinator

Y Combinator is a prominent startup accelerator and venture capital firm based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2005. It provides funding and mentorship to early-stage technology companies through a structured program that helps entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses. With over 4,000 startups launched, Y Combinator has established itself as a key player in the technology startup ecosystem. Among its notable investments are Curvenote, which raised $1 million in a seed round to enhance scientific writing and publishing, and Our World In Data, which secured $150,000 in seed funding to provide accessible data on global issues, including health and education. These transactions highlight Y Combinator's engagement with companies that contribute to scientific publishing and knowledge dissemination.


2. Sosv

  • Website: sosv.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 1995
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 170
  • LinkedIn: sosv

Sosv is a venture capital firm founded in 1995, based in the United States, that specializes in funding and supporting deep tech startups through its development programs. With a focus on health and climate technology, Sosv provides venture capital investment and resources to help startups grow and succeed. Among its notable transactions, Sosv has invested in Biomage, which raised funds in both pre-seed and seed rounds, focusing on bioinformatics solutions that could enhance scientific research and publishing. Additionally, their investment in Silicon Republic, a platform that covers technology and science news, further illustrates their engagement with the scientific community. These transactions highlight Sosv's potential relevance to the scientific publishing sector, particularly in areas that bridge technology and scientific research.


3. Deep Tech Fund (an Alumni Ventures Fund)

  • Website: av.vc
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Manchester, New Hampshire, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2023
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 258
  • LinkedIn: deep-tech-fund-av-focused-fund

The Deep Tech Fund, part of Alumni Ventures, is a venture capital firm founded in 2023, based in Manchester, New Hampshire. It provides accredited investors and institutions with access to professionally-managed, diversified venture portfolios. With a network of over 10,000 investors, the firm focuses on connecting them with high-quality investment opportunities in the startup ecosystem. Notably, the fund has been involved in significant transactions, including investments in Consensus, a Boston-based AI-powered search engine for scientific research, which raised $11.5 million in Series A funding in July 2024 and previously secured $3 million in Seed funding in April 2023. This involvement highlights the fund's interest in companies that enhance scientific research accessibility, positioning it as a relevant player in the scientific publishing landscape.


4. Casdin Capital, LLC

  • Website: casdincapital.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: New York, New York, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2012
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 9
  • LinkedIn: casdin-capital-llc

Casdin Capital, LLC is a New York-based venture capital firm founded in 2012, specializing in the life sciences sector. The firm focuses on investing in healthcare, biotechnology, synthetic biology, and technology, providing funding and strategic partnerships to innovative companies. Casdin Capital's investment portfolio includes notable transactions such as a $200 million investment in Nautilus Biotechnology, which is advancing protein analysis technologies, and a significant investment in Oxford Nanopore Technologies, a leader in genomic sequencing technology. They also participated in a $75 million Series B funding round for ONI, a company that develops high-resolution microscopy equipment, which is essential for scientific research and publishing. These investments highlight Casdin Capital's commitment to supporting advancements in life sciences that can lead to significant contributions in scientific research and publishing.


5. GV (Google Ventures)

  • Website: gv.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2009
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 74
  • LinkedIn: gv

GV (Google Ventures) is a venture capital firm founded in 2009, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. With over $10 billion in assets under management, GV focuses on funding and supporting innovative technology startups across various sectors, including life sciences and artificial intelligence. Notable transactions include a $107.8 million Series E investment in Schrödinger, a company that develops software for drug discovery, and participation in a $75 million Series C round for Encodia, a biotech firm that is advancing its ProteoCode™ platform. These investments highlight GV's commitment to supporting companies that are at the forefront of scientific research and development, which can have implications for scientific publishing.


6. New Enterprise Associates (NEA)

  • Website: nea.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Menlo Park, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 1977
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 57
  • LinkedIn: new-enterprise-associates

New Enterprise Associates (NEA) is a prominent venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California, founded in 1977. NEA specializes in investment management and advisory services for startups, particularly in the technology and healthcare sectors. The firm partners with entrepreneurs to provide funding and strategic guidance, helping them navigate the challenges of building successful businesses. NEA operates through a collaborative approach, emphasizing long-term relationships with founders. Notably, NEA has invested in companies like Pressmart, an e-paper provider that raised $6 million to expand its global footprint, and Zinio LLC, which raised $8.4 million in a venture round for digital content distribution. These investments reflect NEA's involvement in the publishing space, although they are not strictly within the scientific publishing domain. Additionally, NEA's investment in Holloway, which raised $4.6 million, indicates interest in platforms that may support content creation and distribution, further linking them to the publishing industry.


7. Khosla Ventures

  • Website: khoslaventures.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Menlo Park, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2004
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 97
  • LinkedIn: khosla-ventures

Khosla Ventures is a venture capital firm founded in 2004, based in Menlo Park, California. The firm specializes in providing funding and strategic guidance to startups, particularly in technology, healthcare, and sustainability sectors. Among their notable investments, Khosla Ventures has participated in funding rounds for Academia.edu, a significant academic platform that allows researchers to share their work and seek peer review, raising $23 million in Series D funding in 2022 and $11 million in Series B funding in 2013. This involvement highlights Khosla Ventures' interest in enhancing scientific communication and publishing. Additionally, they have invested in other platforms like Scribd and Kaggle, which, while not strictly scientific publishing, contribute to the broader landscape of knowledge sharing and data science.


8. 500 Global

  • Website: 500.co
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2010
  • Headcount: 201-500
  • Number of deals in 2024: 98
  • LinkedIn: 500-startups

500 Global is a venture capital firm and startup accelerator based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2010. The firm specializes in investing in early-stage technology companies, providing funding, mentorship, and resources to help founders scale their businesses. Among their notable transactions, they invested in Experiment, a platform that allows researchers to fund their scientific projects, and BioFab, which is involved in biotechnology. These investments highlight their engagement with companies that contribute to the scientific publishing ecosystem, showcasing their commitment to fostering innovation in this field.


9. Pfizer

  • Website: pfizer.com
  • Type: Corporate
  • Headquarters: New York, New York, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 1849
  • Headcount: 10001+
  • Number of deals in 2024: 10
  • LinkedIn: pfizer

Pfizer Inc. is a leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology company founded in 1849, headquartered in New York, New York. With over 10,000 employees, Pfizer develops and produces a wide range of medicines and vaccines aimed at improving patient health outcomes globally. In recent years, Pfizer has actively engaged in various funding initiatives that support scientific research and innovation. Notably, Pfizer Ventures led a $4.1 million funding round for VitaDAO, a decentralized platform focused on longevity therapeutics, which emphasizes the company's interest in advancing scientific research. Additionally, Pfizer has provided grants to organizations like the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), which plays a crucial role in cancer research and guidelines, further highlighting its commitment to scientific publishing and research dissemination. Through these transactions, Pfizer demonstrates its involvement in the scientific community beyond its core pharmaceutical operations.


10. SV Angel

  • Website: svangel.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2009
  • Headcount: 1-10
  • Number of deals in 2024: 44
  • LinkedIn: sv-angel

SV Angel is a venture capital firm based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2009. The firm specializes in early-stage and growth-stage investments, primarily in the technology sector. SV Angel provides financial backing, strategic advice, and access to a vast network of industry experts to help startups navigate business development challenges. Among their notable transactions, SV Angel has invested in companies like Overwatch Research, which raised $3.5 million to expand its clinical trial management software, and Rezo Therapeutics, a biotechnology firm that secured $78 million in Series A funding. These investments highlight SV Angel's involvement in sectors that are closely related to scientific research and publishing, making them a significant player in the broader scientific ecosystem.


11. Invus

  • Website: invus.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: New York, New York, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 1985
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 35
  • LinkedIn: invus

Invus is a venture capital investment firm based in New York, specializing in equity investments and investment management since its founding in 1985. The firm partners with owner-managers across diverse industries to enhance business performance and create sustainable value. Invus has been active in the life sciences sector, notably investing in Seer, Inc., which focuses on advancing research and development in proteomics, and Schrödinger, a company that develops software for drug discovery and materials science. These investments highlight Invus's commitment to supporting companies that contribute to scientific research and innovation, making it a notable player in the scientific publishing landscape.


12. F-Prime


F-Prime Capital is a venture capital firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, founded in 1946. The firm specializes in creating and investing in healthcare and technology companies, providing both venture capital investments and advisory services to entrepreneurs. F-Prime has a global presence and expertise that enables them to effectively support start-ups in developing innovative solutions. Notably, F-Prime has participated in significant funding rounds for companies like BenchSci, which offers AI solutions for preclinical life sciences R&D, and Elucidata, a TechBio company focused on enhancing product capabilities in the life sciences sector. These investments highlight F-Prime's commitment to advancing research and development in scientific fields, aligning with the interests of scientific publishing.


13. Redmile Group

  • Website: redmilegroup.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2007
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 15
  • LinkedIn: redmile-group

Redmile Group is an investment management firm based in San Francisco, California, founded in 2007. The firm specializes in providing asset management and investment strategies to high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors. With a focus on the financial services sector, Redmile Group has made significant investments in the life sciences and biotechnology industries. Notable transactions include a $41.2 million investment in Oxford Nanopore Technologies, which is known for its innovative DNA sequencing technology, and a $100 million investment in PacBio, a leader in long-read sequencing technology. These investments highlight Redmile Group's commitment to supporting companies that are at the forefront of scientific research and innovation, which often results in impactful scientific publications. Additionally, their participation in funding rounds for companies like SomaLogic, which focuses on proteomic products, further emphasizes their engagement in sectors that contribute to scientific advancements and publishing.


14. Silicon Valley Bank

  • Website: svb.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 1983
  • Headcount: 5001-10000
  • Number of deals in 2024: 31
  • LinkedIn: silicon-valley-bank

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) is a commercial bank founded in 1983, located in Santa Clara, California, specializing in providing financial services to the innovation economy, particularly tech startups and venture capital firms. With a workforce of 5001-10000 employees, SVB offers a range of products including business banking, global payments, and asset management, helping clients navigate financial challenges and support their growth. Notably, SVB has participated in significant funding rounds for companies that intersect with the scientific publishing industry. For instance, they have invested in Scribd, a subscription e-book service that plays a role in the distribution of educational content. Additionally, SVB's involvement with Knewton, an adaptive learning technology company, and NanoString Technologies, which focuses on biotechnology, further highlights their engagement with sectors that contribute to scientific knowledge and publishing. These transactions illustrate SVB's commitment to supporting innovation in areas that are relevant to scientific publishing.


15. Lux Capital

  • Website: luxcapital.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: New York, New York, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2000
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • Number of deals in 2024: 47
  • LinkedIn: lux-capital

Lux Capital is a venture capital firm based in New York, founded in 2000, that specializes in investing in science and technology companies. They provide venture capital investment and advisory services to startups across various innovative sectors, helping them navigate challenges and achieve growth. Notably, Lux Capital has invested in Authorea, which raised $1.64 million in a seed round in 2016, providing a platform for collaborative scientific writing and publishing. They also invested in Experiment, which raised $1.23 million in a venture round in 2013, focusing on funding scientific research projects. These transactions highlight Lux Capital's commitment to supporting advancements in scientific publishing and research, alongside their broader focus on technology and innovation.


16. Janus Henderson Investors

  • Website: janushenderson.com
  • Type: Private Equity
  • Headquarters: Denver, Colorado, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 2017
  • Headcount: 1001-5000
  • Number of deals in 2024: 39
  • LinkedIn: janus-henderson-emea

Janus Henderson Investors is a private equity firm based in Denver, Colorado, founded in 2017. It operates globally and provides a range of investment products including ETFs, mutual funds, and managed accounts. The firm serves individual investors, financial professionals, and institutional clients, aiming to achieve superior financial outcomes through disciplined investment strategies. Notably, Janus Henderson has been involved in significant transactions within the life sciences sector, such as a $276 million Series C investment in Element Biosciences, which focuses on genomic technologies. They also participated in a $90 million Series B financing for Stoke Therapeutics, a company developing treatments for genetic disorders, and a $375 million post-IPO equity raise for SomaLogic, which specializes in proteomic products. These investments highlight Janus Henderson's engagement in sectors that contribute to scientific research and innovation, making them a relevant player in the scientific publishing landscape.


17. Venrock

  • Website: venrock.com
  • Type: Venture Capital
  • Headquarters: Palo Alto, California, United States (USA)
  • Founded year: 1969
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • Number of deals in 2024: 11
  • LinkedIn: venrock

Venrock is a venture capital firm founded in 1969, based in Palo Alto, California. The firm has a strong focus on healthcare and technology, with a mission to support innovative companies that improve health and well-being. Notable transactions include significant investments in 10X Genomics, which raised $75 million in Series C and $55.5 million in Series B, and Element Biosciences, which raised $277 million in Series D in 2024. These companies are at the forefront of genomic technologies, which are crucial for scientific research and publishing. Venrock's portfolio also includes investments in Symyx Technologies and Space.com, showcasing their diverse interests in technology and science.



Scientific Publishing Insights: Key Investors in the US


InvestorHeadquarterSizeFoundedDeals 2024
Y CombinatorSan Francisco, California, United States (USA)51-2002005802
SosvUnited States (USA)51-2001995170
Deep Tech Fund (an Alumni Ventures Fund)Manchester, New Hampshire, United States (USA)51-2002023258
Casdin Capital, LLCNew York, New York, United States (USA)11-5020129
GV (Google Ventures)San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States (USA)51-200200974
New Enterprise Associates (NEA)Menlo Park, California, United States (USA)51-200197757
Khosla VenturesMenlo Park, California, United States (USA)51-200200497
500 GlobalSan Francisco, California, United States (USA)201-500201098
PfizerNew York, New York, United States (USA)10001+184910
SV AngelSan Francisco, California, United States (USA)1-10200944
InvusNew York, New York, United States (USA)51-200198535
F-PrimeCambridge, Massachusetts, United States (USA)11-50194639
Redmile GroupSan Francisco, California, United States (USA)11-50200715
Silicon Valley BankSanta Clara, California, United States (USA)5001-10000198331
Lux CapitalNew York, New York, United States (USA)11-50200047
Janus Henderson InvestorsDenver, Colorado, United States (USA)1001-5000201739
VenrockPalo Alto, California, United States (USA)51-200196911


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