Proximal Ventures Announces $27.5 Million Debut Fund to Invest in AI-Native Companies Reshaping Life Sciences

Fund I backs early-stage infrastructure at the intersection of AI and life sciences, supported by a network of regulatory, pharmaceutical, and academic leaders

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Proximal Ventures, the early-stage venture firm founded by Sahir Raoof, today announced the close of its debut fund at $27.5 million, exceeding its initial target of $25 million. Fund I invests in pre-seed and seed companies building AI-native infrastructure across the life sciences value chain, from discovery to market access. The fund is backed by strategic partners including Domino Lane, SignalFire, Kleiner Perkins, Bertelsmann Healthcare Investments, and PagsGroup, as well as individual investors including Dimension co-founders Nan Li and Zavain Dar.

Proximal is hyper-specialized by design. The firm invests in AI-native companies across the pharmaceutical value chain, from computational drug discovery to clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization. The firm sees an opportunity to build on breakthroughs in discovery while transforming the hundreds of billions of dollars spent annually on pharmaceutical services. Across these investments, the goal is to bring better medicines to patients faster, more affordably, and more reliably. Proximal takes a hands-on approach from inception, helping founders validate ideas, refine go-to-market strategy, and connect with pharma executives, design partners, and customers, often before the company is incorporated. Founders also gain access to Proximal’s advisory network of leaders including Amy Abernethy (Co-Founder, Highlander Health and former Principal Deputy Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration), Kim Branson (Chief AI Officer, GSK), among other senior influencers from top pharma and techbio companies.

“I am excited about AI’s potential to discover better medicines and then transform every step of bringing them to patients,” said Sahir Raoof, Founder and Managing Partner of Proximal Ventures. “Proximal is supporting founders across that entire journey, from computational drug discovery through development and commercialization. Some of the greatest opportunities lie in areas that have historically attracted less venture investment, and we see tremendous potential to build important companies throughout the value chain.”

Raoof brings more than a decade of experience building and investing in companies that serve life sciences. Previously, he was the first commercial hire and Vice President of Business Development at Iterative Health, built biopharma research partnerships at Flatiron Health (acquired by Roche), and covered biotech and outsourced pharma services at J.P. Morgan. He most recently led techbio and pharmatech investing at SignalFire.

Since beginning to deploy Fund I, Proximal has earned allocation in competitive rounds alongside leading multi-stage firms. “Proximal brings a rare combination of deep industry relationships and a real understanding of our data ecosystem,” said Rohit Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO of Chronicle Bio. “The expertise and advisory role its network plays is shaping the way we think about eliminating the burden of complex chronic disease.”

“Much of what determines whether a drug succeeds happens long after it’s discovered, in the trials, manufacturing, commercial, and regulatory work that I have seen few investors understand in totality,” said Jim Lim, Managing Partner of Domino Lane. “That rare combination is driving Proximal, and ultimately the companies it backs, to change how we see life sciences.”

With Fund I closed, Proximal is actively investing in the founders building the next generation of life sciences companies.

About Proximal Ventures

Proximal Ventures is a San Francisco-based, independent early-stage venture capital firm founded by Sahir Raoof in 2026, which invests at the intersection of AI and the life sciences. The firm invests in pre-seed and seed founders building AI-native software and infrastructure across the pharmaceutical value chain – molecule to market, from discovery through clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization. Proximal gives founders hands-on go-to-market support and access to an industry-leading network of pharma, regulatory, and technology leaders. Its strategic partners include Domino Lane, SignalFire, Kleiner Perkins, PagsGroup, Bertelsmann Healthcare Investments, Signature Ventures, and Amkan Ventures. For more information, visit www.proximal.vc.