Who Funds Life Sciences Startups in California?

Real, verified funding sources for life sciences founders in California: VC funds, accelerators, angel networks, and active grant programs — sourced from SEC filings and Grants.gov, not estimates.

Life Sciences Funding Snapshot — California (as of July 2026)

  • 1
    1 VC fundsheadquartered in California with "Life Sciences" in their name
  • 2
    8 acceleratorsopen to life sciences founders in California (including globally-available programs)
  • 3
    6 angel networksbased in California
  • 4
    129 open grantsin the Healthcare & Biotech category, refreshed nightly from Grants.gov

Life Sciences VC Funds in California

Frazier Life Sciences XI, L.P.

📍 Menlo Park, CA📅 Filed March 2022

General partners: Patrick J. Heron, James N. Topper, Daniel J. Estes

$960M
Effective fund size

Life Sciences Accelerators Open to California

8 programs

Y Combinator

San Francisco, CA

Y Combinator

$500K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

Contrary Capital

San Francisco, CA

Contrary Capital

$500K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

Pear VC Accelerator

Palo Alto, CA

Pear VC Accelerator

$500K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

Mucker Capital

Santa Monica, CA

Mucker Capital

$250K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

500 Global

San Francisco, CA

500 Global

$250K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

IndieBio

San Francisco, CA

IndieBio

$250K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

Techstars Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA

Techstars Los Angeles

$120K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

AngelPad

San Francisco, CA

AngelPad

$120K
Deadline: Rolling / no fixed deadline
Learn More →

Angel Investor Networks in California

6 networks

Tech Coast Angels

👥 400 members💰 $5K - $150K check range

📍 San Diego, CA

TechnologyLife SciencesCleanTech

Tech Coast Angels Orange County

👥 150 members💰 $10K - $250K check range

📍 Irvine, CA

TechnologyLife SciencesCleanTechConsumer

Pasadena Angels

👥 100 members💰 $25K - $250K check range

📍 Pasadena, CA

TechnologyLife SciencesConsumerCleanTech

Tech Coast Angels San Diego

👥 100 members💰 $10K - $200K check range

📍 San Diego, CA

TechnologyLife SciencesDefense Tech

Life Science Angels

👥 80 members💰 $25K - $500K check range

📍 San Jose, CA

Life SciencesBiotechMedical DevicesHealthcare IT

San Diego Angel Conference

👥 60 members💰 $2.5K - $50K check range

📍 San Diego, CA

TechnologyLife SciencesDefense Tech

Grants in the Healthcare & Biotech Category

Life Sciences falls under the broader "Healthcare & Biotech" category in federal grant data. These are federal programs open to eligible founders nationwide (including California) — live from Grants.gov, refreshed nightly.

Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program

Health Resources and Services Administration

$148K
Deadline: July 27, 2026Apply →

Preventing Drug Overdoses: Community Prevention and Response

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis

Up to $850K
Deadline: July 27, 2026Apply →

Promoting the Integration of Primary and Behavioral Health Care: States

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis

Up to $2M
Deadline: July 27, 2026Apply →

Medication-Assisted Treatment - Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis

Up to $750K
Deadline: July 27, 2026Apply →

Developmental Sciences

U.S. National Science Foundation

Deadline: July 30, 2026Apply →

DoW Peer Reviewed Medical, Discovery Award

Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA

Deadline: July 30, 2026Apply →

?Life Sciences Funding FAQs — California

Are there life sciences VCs headquartered in California?

Yes — 1 funds headquartered in California have "Life Sciences" (or a close synonym) in their legal name, based on SEC Form D filings. This is a name match, not a verified thesis, so it understates true local investor interest.

What accelerators in California support life sciences startups?

8 accelerator programs open to California-based life sciences founders are in our database, including programs based in California and globally-available programs.

Are there angel investor networks in California?

Yes — 6 angel investor networks based in California are in our database, ranked by member count with life sciences-relevant groups surfaced first where our sector data supports it.

What grants are available for life sciences founders?

129 currently open federal grant programs are tagged under the Healthcare & Biotech category, which is where life sciences falls in our grant classification. These are federal programs open to eligible founders nationwide (including California), pulled live from Grants.gov and refreshed nightly.

Your Life Sciences Funding Action Plan

1

Research & Prepare

  • Review the 1 life sciences-matched funds above and their filing history
  • Check each fund's website for current investment criteria before reaching out
  • Prepare a pitch deck and financial projections tailored to your stage
2

Apply & Connect

  • Apply to the 8 accelerator programs listed above
  • Reach out to the 6 angel networks in California
  • Check eligibility for the 6 open grant programs above
3

Follow Up

  • Track deadlines for any application-based programs above
  • Look for warm introductions through your existing network before cold outreach
  • Revisit this page periodically — fund and grant data refreshes nightly