Device Financings: Bad, Could be Worse
Executive Summary
The public market for device offerings isn't completely dead but the private market is looking pretty good in comparison. In fact, public companies in the last 15 months have raised more money, when private financings are taken into consideration, then the same group did in the previous 15 month period.
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Late-Stage Dealmaking Takes Off
Some VCs insist that only 25%-30% of device investments find a successful exit -- significantly better than the 10% of biotech deals, but still far from a sure thing. As a result, over the past year or so, there has been a marked increase in interest in late-stage dealmaking -- investments made at Series C or later or via alternative vehicles such as PIPE deals and SPACs.
The Sell/Go Public Dilemma for Device Companies
With device company investors worried about exit strategies, companies and their financiers are looking for creative ways to get deals done. Limited exit opportunities are making financiers anxious, driving them to put more money into fewer start-ups, which target devices aimed at larger markets. Some entrepreneurs are forming incubators to focus on niche products in which they develop new technologies, then sell them without building companies around them.
News We’re Watching: AI Safety Partnership; Boston Scientific Recalls; New Cancer, STI Tests; VR
This week, the US and UK announced a partnership to promote AI safety. Boston Scientific recalls embolic agent. LumiCell received FDA approval for its imaging agent to detect residual cancer. Scout receives an award to develop an STI test; and Osso VR leverages the Apple Vision Pro for VR medical training.