The case is set in March 2019, and tells the story of the founding of the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF). The idea for the fund began in 2015, when then-Prime Minister David Cameron spoke about the importance of making breakthroughs in dementia research, and pledged money from the UK government for research. This in turn led to the search for a venture capital (VC) firm that could lead manage a fund, and the selection of SV Health to do that, including having Kate Bingham as a managing partner. The case describes the social and scientific needs for more dementia research, as well as the fundraising and initial team building of the fund. After the fund grows beyond the expected size, the case describes the hiring of a CEO, and asks what the next investment for the fund should be: a start-up that might soon be able to launch clinical trials, or an early-stage company with promising new research?
Keywords: Venture Capital; Investment Funds; Mission and Purpose; Recruitment; Health Care and Treatment; Pharmaceutical Industry; Financial Services Industry; Boston; Massachusetts; London; England;
Citation:
Hamermesh, Richard G., Kathy Giusti, and Sarah Gulick. "Dementia Discovery Fund." Harvard Business School Case 820-045, September 2019. View Details