Founder & Innovator Overview

If you are building something meaningful in ophthalmology or a closely related field, with a strong scientific or clinical foundation and a clear path to an important validation milestone, we want to hear from you.

We focus on early-stage companies where informed capital and domain-specific expertise can make a meaningful difference. We present a small number of carefully curated opportunities to our members each year, which means our evaluation process is deliberate and selective.

Companies that engage with EyeSci Angels can expect a process that is structured, transparent, and grounded in practical insight drawn from experience spanning clinical care, company building, and life science investing. We aim to be a constructive presence in every interaction, whether or not an investment results.

1. Who We Invest In

We invest in early-stage companies developing innovations that address meaningful problems in eye care, with the potential to improve patient outcomes, clinical practice, or the efficiency of care delivery.

Areas of interest include:

• Ophthalmic therapeutics

• Surgical technologies and devices

• Diagnostics and imaging platforms

• Drug delivery technologies

• Digital and AI-enabled ophthalmic technologies

• Enabling technologies that support ophthalmic research or care delivery

• Platform technologies whose scientific or technical origins emerge from ophthalmology, even when the lead application is non-ocular

Stage of Investment

We generally invest in companies at the seed to pre-Series A stage, typically approaching their first meaningful clinical or technical validation milestone. We are most interested in opportunities where the capital being raised enables a clear development inflection point.

Examples include:

• Approaching first-in-human readiness

• Advancing toward regulatory submission

• Preparing for a first institutional financing round

Investment Structure

Investments are made through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that aggregates capital from participating members. Investments sizes typically range from $250K-$1M.

2. What We Look For

Every opportunity we evaluate is considered across five core dimensions. The strongest opportunities demonstrate coherence across all of them.

Clinical Coherence
We look for a clearly defined clinical problem whose solution would matter meaningfully to clinicians, patients, and the broader healthcare system. We also consider whether the technology fits realistically within existing clinical practice and treatment pathways.

Scientific and Technical Rationale
We evaluate whether the scientific or engineering rationale is coherent, credible, and supported by available data or development progress, and whether the underlying premise can translate into meaningful clinical or technical outcomes.

Regulatory Pathway
Clear regulatory thinking early in development reduces execution risk and capital requirements. We evaluate whether the company has a plausible and well-considered regulatory pathway, including:

·  Anticipated regulatory classification

·  Expected development route

·  Feasibility of generating the evidence required for approval

Capital Efficiency
We examine whether the proposed financing is structured to advance the company to a clear next inflection point, such as:

• First-in-human or early clinical data

• Early proof-of-concept validation

• Preparation for regulatory submission

• Readiness for institutional financing

Founder and Team
We look for founders and teams who demonstrate:

• Clarity of thinking and intellectual honesty

• Transparency with investors and advisors

• Openness to rigorous discussion and critical feedback

• The ability to attract strong collaborators and advisors

Founders who welcome thoughtful engagement from experienced domain experts tend to benefit most from the EyeSci Angels process.

Because our evaluation process is deliberate and selective, only a small number of companies advance through the full diligence process each year.

3. Our Commitment to Companies

We evaluate opportunities with scientific rigor and practical perspective, drawing on experience across clinical development, regulatory strategy, reimbursement, and commercialization.

Feedback

Not every opportunity advances to investment, but every engagement is a chance to contribute something useful. Companies that enter our process receive feedback that is constructive, actionable, and grounded in domain expertise. We aim to be a positive force in ophthalmic innovation.

Long-Term Relationships

Some companies we evaluate become investment opportunities. Others become lasting relationships within our broader network.

4. Our Investment Process

Our evaluation process is structured and principal-led, ensuring that every opportunity reaching our members has already undergone rigorous internal screening.

Initial Screening

Each submission is reviewed for overall fit with our investment focus, stage, and development trajectory.

Screening Conversation

Selected companies are invited to a brief conversation with one or more members of the EyeSci Angels team, focused on understanding the clinical problem, the proposed solution, and development readiness.

Preliminary Evaluation

Companies that advance enter a deeper review phase involving follow-up discussions and requests for additional materials.

Member Discussion

A small number of companies are invited to present to EyeSci Angels members in an interactive session that includes open discussion and questions from experienced domain experts.

Diligence

Selected opportunities undergo focused diligence covering clinical rationale, regulatory strategy, competitive landscape, and financing plans.

Investment Decision

Members decide independently whether to participate. Investments are made through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) subject to standard accredited investor requirements.

5. Submit Your Company for Review

If after reading through our criteria you believe your company is a strong fit, we would welcome your submission.

Please provide the following materials through our online form:

·  Pitch deck (maximum 15 slides)

·  Executive summary or company overview (maximum 2 pages)

·  Up to two (2) supporting data materials such as a manuscript, poster, publication, or data summary

Initial submissions should not include materials marked confidential. We are happy to discuss a mutual non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with companies that advance in our process.

Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis. Our process is selective and not every company will advance to further discussion. Every submission receives a thoughtful reply.