Vijay Pande, who departed Andreessen Horowitz’s approximately $4 billion biotech practice last year, has launched VZVC, a significantly smaller AI-native venture fund. According to TechCrunch AI, Pande is taking a more selective investment approach with his new firm, explicitly stating “we’re not doing 30 bets a year.”
In discussing his investment thesis, Pande explained that biology is finally shifting from a “discovery” science to an “engineering” one, according to the report. This transition represents a fundamental change in how the field operates and creates new opportunities for technology-driven approaches.
Despite advances in AI and biotechnology, Pande acknowledged that clinical trials remain brutally expensive, presenting an ongoing challenge for the sector. The former a16z partner also emphasized his belief in open, shared data as a key factor for progress in the field, according to TechCrunch AI. The move from managing a multi-billion dollar practice to a smaller, more focused fund reflects a strategic shift toward concentrated, high-conviction investments in AI-driven biological engineering.