Robert F. Johnston

Overview

Johnston Associates, founded by Robert F. Johnston in 1968, is a venture capital firm that focuses on providing seed capital to emerging companies in the healthcare sector, with an emphasis on pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. The firm invests its own private capital, typically in one enterprise per year, with investments ranging from $300,000 to over $3,000,000. Johnston Associates does not manage an investment fund and has no pre-set investment horizons, return objectives, investment limits, or size. The firm's portfolio includes a diverse range of companies, from diagnostics and cell separations to drug discovery and delivery, toxic waste remediation, genetic engineering, and biopesticides. Some of these companies are in the early stages of development, while others have emerged as publicly traded entities. Johnston Associates nurtures young companies by providing financial assistance and key managerial and technical support, leveraging an extensive network in academia, venture capital, and the medical community to ensure ongoing capital, R&D, regulatory, and personnel assistance needed for growth. Johnston Associates has a history of successful ventures, having founded companies such as Genex, Immunicon, and Sepracor. The firm is known for its stringent investment criteria, focusing on scientific achievement, market potential, uniqueness of approach, and the caliber of co-founders. This approach has led to the emergence of several portfolio companies as publicly traded entities, reflecting the firm's commitment to fostering innovation and growth in the healthcare sector.

Investment Focus

• Scientific achievement
• Market potential
• Uniqueness of approach
• Caliber of co-founders

Portfolio Companies