NextWave Ventures

NextWave Ventures is a seed to early-stage venture capital firm based in Carlsbad, California, dedicated to commercializing university research and advanced technologies. The firm specializes in forming new companies around university-based patents developed through non-dilutive government funding. Their investment focus spans sectors from ambient computing to advanced materials, artificial intelligence to digital media, and IoT to 3D bioprinting.

The firm's investment strategy involves identifying innovation gaps within large commercial markets and addressing them through strategic investments. They emphasize an investor-friendly fund structure with no management fees, allowing them to mitigate risk through active operation, shared resources, and low overhead. Their seed investments range from $500K to $1.5M, Series A investments from $1M to $4M, and Series B from $5M to $7M, with the ability to invest in larger follow-on rounds with syndicate partnerships.

NextWave Ventures is committed to the triple bottom line—people, profits, and planet—by aligning their investments with social and environmental issues that resonate with their mission. Their team comprises experienced investors, entrepreneurs, researchers, and operators who actively build companies to not only include a financial return but also address societal challenges. The firm has access to hundreds of university labs across the U.S. through strategic relationships and networks, enabling them to identify and invest in promising technologies and startups.