Proximal Ventures Closes $27.5M for AI-Native Life Sciences

By Grace Kim

Proximal Ventures closed its inaugural fund at $27.5 million in committed capital, exceeding the San Francisco early-stage venture firm’s original $25 million fundraising target, the firm said.

The fund will invest in pre-seed and seed-stage companies developing AI-native software and infrastructure across pharmaceutical research, clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization, Proximal Ventures said.

Founded in 2026 by Sahir Raoof, the firm focuses on artificial intelligence and life sciences and follows the pharmaceutical value chain from molecular discovery through delivery to patients.

Where does the $27.5 million fund invest?

Proximal says advances in computational research have created opportunities to improve drug discovery and development, but its thesis reaches beyond identifying therapeutic candidates.

The firm sees additional opportunities in the processes used to develop, manufacture, approve and commercialize medicines. Proximal identified four potential investment areas:

• Computational drug discovery
• Clinical trial infrastructure
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing systems
• Technologies supporting market access and commercialization

Proximal says these downstream activities account for a substantial portion of pharmaceutical industry spending and involve complex regulatory, scientific and operational requirements. The firm expects AI-native startups to improve efficiency, reduce costs and accelerate workflows across those processes.

The firm also believes AI-native companies can address operational challenges that have attracted less venture capital attention than drug-discovery platforms.

Sahir Raoof, founder and managing partner of Proximal Ventures, said:

“I am excited about AI’s potential to discover better medicines and then transform every step of bringing them to patients.”

“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.”

Proximal’s mandate thus spans computational discovery through patient delivery rather than a single stage of drug development.

Who is backing Proximal Ventures?

Proximal named five strategic partners:

• Domino Lane
• SignalFire
• Kleiner Perkins
• Bertelsmann Healthcare Investments
• PagsGroup

Individual investors include Nan Li and Zavain Dar, described by Proximal as co-founders of venture capital firm Dimension.

The roster gives the $27.5 million fund backing from five named strategic partners and two individual investors identified by the firm.

How does Proximal work with founders?

Proximal says it works with entrepreneurs to validate business ideas, develop go-to-market strategies and establish relationships with prospective pharmaceutical customers.

In some cases, the firm begins working with founders before they incorporate their companies. Proximal says this approach helps startups build products around actual pharmaceutical-industry requirements.

The firm also says life sciences technology companies often face lengthy sales cycles, regulatory requirements, integration with existing systems and pressure to demonstrate value to specialized customers.

Proximal responds by connecting founders with industry executives, technology partners and potential design customers. The firm says those relationships help portfolio companies navigate regulation, pharmaceutical operations and enterprise technology adoption.

Its advisory network includes Amy Abernethy, co-founder of Highlander Health and former Principal Deputy Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The network also includes Kim Branson, chief AI officer at GSK, and other senior executives from pharmaceutical and technology companies.

Proximal’s model adds commercial help and industry access before incorporation, rather than limiting its role to providing seed capital.

What experience does Raoof bring?

Proximal says Raoof has more than a decade of experience working with and investing in life sciences businesses. Its account of his career lists:

• He served as Iterative Health’s first commercial hire and vice president of business development.
• He developed biopharmaceutical research partnerships at Flatiron Health, which Roche acquired.
• He worked at J.P. Morgan, covering biotechnology companies and outsourced pharmaceutical services.
• He most recently led technology-enabled biotechnology and pharmaceutical technology investments at SignalFire.

Proximal says that background combines pharmaceutical-industry knowledge with experience evaluating emerging technology businesses. Raoof brings operating experience and technology-investing judgment to the same early-stage fund.

What does the early portfolio show?

Proximal said it has already begun deploying capital from Fund I and has participated in competitive financing rounds alongside established multistage investment firms. One portfolio company is Chronicle Bio.

Rohit Gupta, Chronicle Bio’s co-founder and CEO, credited Proximal with industry relationships, understanding of the healthcare data ecosystem and an advisory role:

“Proximal brings a rare combination of deep industry relationships and a real understanding of our data ecosystem. The expertise and advisory role its network plays is shaping the way we think about eliminating the burden of complex chronic disease.”

Proximal intends to build on its early investments by identifying more founders developing AI-powered infrastructure for life sciences, the firm said.

Jim Lim, managing partner of Domino Lane, said:

“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.”

“That rare combination is driving Proximal, and ultimately the companies it backs, to change how we see life sciences.”

Proximal positions itself as a specialist investor in technology for pharmaceutical research, clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization. The firm says early-stage capital, hands-on commercial support and industry relationships should help founders build scalable businesses and improve the efficiency of bringing new medicines to patients. Its next test is whether the $27.5 million fund can expand beyond Chronicle Bio into a broader portfolio of AI-native infrastructure companies.