SINGAPORE – 27 May 2022. EVX Ventures (“EVX”), a life sciences venture builder headquartered in Singapore with operations in Boston and Shanghai, today announces the official opening of EVX Nexus (“Nexus”), its 14,000 square feet life sciences startup launchpad situated in Synapse at Biopolis.
Nexus supports growing life sciences companies with a fully integrated laboratory, dedicated tissue culture suites, state-of-the-art equipment, private meeting rooms and phone booths, supportive operational and service team. It is designed to help companies jumpstart R&D and accelerate the commercial development of life sciences technologies.
Conveniently located at the heart of Biopolis, Singapore’s premier biomedical sciences research hub, the prime location facilitates collaboration within the biomedical community and access to pay-per-use equipment, services, facilities and other high-value resources available within publicly- and privately-funded research entities, all within walking distance.
With a vision to put Asian science on the global map, EVX was founded in 2018 and to-date has built and invested in seven biotech companies, including Carmine Therapeutics, Nuevocor, Cargene Therapeutics, Carcell Biopharma and PairX Bio. Last year alone, three of its portfolio companies (Nuevocor, Carcell Biopharma and Cargene Therapeutics) collectively raised funding of ~USD 60 million with investors that include Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF), EDBI, SEEDS Capital, Hyfinity Investments and BioTrack Capital. Together with Esco Lifesciences, the Esco/EVX life sciences community collectively raised a total of USD 260 Million in 2021.
“Our success the past year is a result of Singapore’s continued long-term investment in biomedical research. EVX Ventures remains fully committed to contribute to the growth of the Singapore biotech ecosystem”, said XQ Lin, Founder of EVX and Chairman and CEO of Esco Lifesciences Group. “EVX Nexus serves as a bridge between science and medicine, at the same time between Singapore and global biotech capitals like Shanghai and Boston.”
Nexus is currently home to the R&D units of some of EVX portfolio companies and will be available for lease to external companies in the second half of 2022.
Beyond this, EVX Ventures has also been training aspiring bio-entrepreneurs through the Morphosis Fellowship Programme, which equips them with the necessary skills to translate life science innovations into biotech ventures. This programme is supported by Enterprise Singapore. Under this programme, EVX Ventures partnered with A*STAR to design and deliver joint programmes to build an entrepreneurial community in Singapore.
Mr Soh Leng Wan, Assistant Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Singapore, said, “We are happy to see successful local enterprises like EVX supporting others through their experience, expertise and network. This contributes to the strong and growing biotech ecosystem here. Given the complexity of the sector, it is important to have serial entrepreneurs and experienced incubators like EVX, who can help SMEs and startups translate scientific research into life-saving products.”
Prof Tan Sze Wee, Assistant Chief Executive of A*STAR’s Enterprise Division, said, “A*STAR is pleased that EVX has reached this milestone, and we look forward to closer collaborations to nurture future biotech talent and develop new technologies for the biotech ecosystem.”
About EVX Ventures
EVX Ventures is a global venture builder that specializes in the creation and development of life sciences companies, with a focus on disruptive platform technologies that would redefine the therapeutics of tomorrow. Learn more at https://www.evx.ventures