A group of clinicians brought together over an interest in venture capital has evolved into a full-fledged investment firm.
Scrub Capital, a digital health-focused venture capital firm, publicly launched on Tuesday after six months of operating quietly. The firm, which has 650 clinician members, is setting the target for its first fund at $10 million and will invest in digital health and medical device companies.
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The firm’s co-founders formed the group on workplace chat service Slack in the fall of 2023 after multiple social media posts from Christina Farr, the only non-doctor on the firm’s leadership team. Dr. Rebecca Mitchell, co-founder and managing partner at Scrub Capital, said the smaller fund size of $10 million will allow more members of its clinician community members to invest.
“Clinicians are willing to bet on us [and] bet on themselves,” said Dr. Rebecca Mitchell, Scrub's co-founder and managing partner. “For half of them, it's [their] first time putting money into VC period.”
Scrub Capital's diligence processes are led by Mitchell as well as her co-founders Farr and Dr. Jonathan Slotkin and supported by a community of doctors, nurses and pharmacists. After a deal is initially vetted by one of Scrub Capital’s three co-founders, companies pitch to a curated group of clinicians who have experience in the prospective portfolio company's area.