Canaan Partners has created a set of guidelines that we use to consider an investment opportunity. To determine whether an investment fits within these guidelines, we can review a written business plan or open a conversation with one of Canaan’s investment professionals. When possible, you should contact us through a personal referral. If you are not affiliated with the firm, you can send an executive summary along with your plan via email. The due diligence process will generally take from four to six weeks, but can be significantly shortened if necessary.  When Canaan decides to invest, we will then work with the company’s management and advisors to tailor investment terms specific to the transaction. In addition, we have extensive relationships throughout the venture industry and can provide, where appropriate, assistance in assembling an investment syndicate of highly capable investors.

What We Look For

In the technology sector, we seek:

Digital Media investments that:
- Focus on managing and leveraging digital content
- Innovate advertising & video revenue models and make Internet businesses profitable
- Empower the consumer through web-based services

Communications + Mobility investments that:
- Enable new levels of voice, video & data connections via IP
- Provide infrastructure technologies through systems, devices and applications
- Deliver new content and services to consumers and business users

Enterprise investments that:
- Deliver on-demand & SaaS solutions
- Provide open source alternatives for businesses
- Simplify business administration and growth

CleanTech investments that:
- Create energy efficiency & energy storage
- Increase effectiveness of alternative power
- Better utilize resources & renewables

In the healthcare sector, we seek:

Biopharmaceuticals investments in:
- Therapeutics and vaccines with a special emphasis on combating infectious diseases
- Companies with drugs that can be repurposed or reformulated
- Sectors with reduced development and commercialization risk
- Platform technologies that address multiple product opportunities

Medical Devices investments in:
- Novel, next generation devices to treat major diseases
- Devices that target chronic diseases and diseases of aging
- Companies pursuing therapies that are less invasive than current approaches
- Areas where there is strong consumer demand for therapies

Diagnostics investments in:
- Diagnostics that are tied to specific, personalized therapies
- Implantable sensors that provide real-time health information
- Technologies that provide ongoing diagnoses for chronic diseases
- Companies with an expedited regulatory path and minimized commercialization risk

Fast Facts

Founded in 1987
$3B under management
Raised 8 funds
Technology + Healthcare
Early-stage investments
121 successful exits
179 years investing experience
157 years operating experience
4 former CEOs
3 MDs

Downloads

Twenty Years Book [pdf, 9.8MB]
Canaan Brochure [pdf, 1.2MB]
Healthcare Factsheet [pdf, 1.16MB]