Cycad Group

Cycad Group is a venture capital firm specializing in investments in companies that offer enabling solutions, disruptive technologies, and innovative products. The firm is opportunistic and does not limit its investment activities to any single industry sector. However, it actively pursues investment opportunities in the areas of life sciences, energy technologies, and advanced materials and chemical processes. Cycad Group has experience investing in companies at all stages of development, from the first round of outside financing to PIPE transactions. At each stage of investment, the firm strives to understand the fundamental questions about technology, opportunities, management teams, and risks.

The firm's preferred investment strategy is to make an early-stage initial investment and then participate in follow-on financings that support the portfolio company's growth as it reaches its milestones. Cycad Group seeks to co-invest with other experienced investors who will continue to support the company as it grows. The firm searches for investments in which the risks associated with technology and market development have been adequately addressed. It looks for outstanding entrepreneurial management teams capable of executing their vision, enabling solutions, disruptive technologies, and/or innovative products, sustainable competitive advantages and/or high barriers to entry such as unique and defensible intellectual property, large, well-defined growing markets with revenue potential exceeding $100 million, scalable well-defined business models that demonstrate great growth potential, and an identified exit strategy/liquidity event.

Once an investment is made, Cycad Group views its role as that of a partner, providing enthusiastic support and constructive criticism. As an active advisor to the company, the firm provides entrepreneurs with access to resources that go beyond the investment of capital. Cycad Group does not want to become involved in the day-to-day management of its portfolio companies. Rather, it looks to help enable strong management teams as advisors, assisting management in the development and execution of business and financial strategies. The firm often seeks board observation rights or, where appropriate, the right to designate a representative to the board of directors of a portfolio company.