The Novo Group tops the list of most active healthcare firms based on their investment and acquisition activity. Johnson & Johnson and Novartis round out the top 3.
Healthcare investing and exits came roaring back in Q2’13. Not only did venture capital deal volume and funding to healthcare companies hit $1.81B (a 24% jump from Q1’13), but early stage investment into healthcare also grew to a 5-quarter high. In addition, healthcare IPOs juiced an otherwise moribund IPO market with 11 VC-backed healthcare IPOs in Q2 2013. Given the financing and exit momentum, we wanted to take a look at which of the larger healthcare companies have been most active in acquiring and investing in emerging healthcare companies (biotech, pharma, medical device) as well as emerging digital health technology companies.
Based on M&A and financing data since the start of 2010, Denmark-based Novo Group tops the list with over 50 unique company investments or acquisitions in healthcare-related companies. Just behind the Novo Group are pharmaceutical giants Johnson & Johnson and Switzerland-based Novartis, both of which maintain corporate venture arms, Johnson & Johnson Development Corp. and Novartis Venture Funds that rank in the top 10 most active CVC investors across all sectors. Eight of the top 10 are publicly-traded companies on the New York Stock Exchange.
Data Integrity Note: This list strictly includes unique company investments and acquisitions in the healthcare industry (bio, pharma, drug) or in digital health. For example, companies that provide data management technologies used by healthcare companies among other industries would not be included. The list also does not include private equity firms and other investment firms who may be investing in or acquiring in healthcare companies.