Newton Biocapital (NBC) was founded in 2017 with a clear ambition: to set up a life sciences venture capital fund, with a focus on exploiting synergies between Belgium and Japan. Cofounded by Alain Parthoens and the late Goro Takeda, NBC emerged alongside the maturing Belgian biotech ecosystem, with the explicit goal of strengthening the biotech corridor between Belgium and Japan, a route that has historically been less connected than the established routes between the United States and Japan.
Strategy and milestones
From the outset, NBC has actively deployed capital in both Europe and Japan to support the efficient translation of scientific excellence into solutions for unmet medical needs. This approach reflects NBC’s vision that developments to advance human health require “patient capital,” scientific rigor and sustainable collaboration across academia, industry, regulators and investors, principles that underpin NBC’s long-term investment strategy.
This cross-border model is increasingly reflected in the outcomes achieved by its portfolio. In early 2026, one of Newton Biocapital’s Japan-based portfolio companies, Tensegrity Pharma, entered into a research collaboration agreement with argenx, a Belgium-headquartered global immunology company. The collaboration, centered on the development of a novel antibody program, underscores NBC’s role in facilitating scientific and strategic partnerships between Japan and Europe at an early stage of drug development.
Backed by a strong European institutional investor base, NBC became the first European venture capital fund to be certified by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, and was among the first foreign venture funds to participate in a Ministry of Health-supported program to support translational drug discovery. These milestones reflect NBC’s ability to capitalize on opportunities in public and private ecosystems in both regions.
“Innovation ecosystems compound over time. By continuing to strengthen the Belgium-Japan bridge at the early stages of drug development, we improve efficiency throughout the translation process, invest in human capital and help build resilient global life science companies.”
Tomoko Asaoka, Partner and Scientific Director at Newton Biocapital in Brussels
Long-term bridge and commitment
While the fundamental mission of biotechnology and drug development remains unchanged, the venture capital landscape continues to evolve. Capital deployment has become more selective, development timelines are being monitored more closely, and expectations around value creation have increased. NBC has viewed the bridge between Belgium and Japan as a long-term commitment that extends beyond the life cycle of a venture capital fund. As NBC approaches the final phase of investing from its second fund, it continues to develop its organization and operations in line with developments in scientific innovation, regulatory frameworks and global capital markets.
One fund, two regions
Newton Biocapital I is listed at 114 million euros with 14 companies, while Newton Biocapital II is listed at 53 million euros and a portfolio under construction across Europe and Japan. For the second fund, the firm states it integrates environmental, social and corporate governance principles as part of sustainability risk disclosures under the European Union’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation and is taking a phased approach toward readiness for reporting on principal adverse impacts on sustainability factors.
Europe offers depth in translational research and clinical development. Japan is renowned for scientific excellence and manufacturing capabilities, and has increased its openness to global clinical programs. NBC’s role is to connect the strengths of both regions. For portfolio companies, this means access to partners, expertise and strategic insight across Europe and Japan. Beyond financing, NBC’s credo is to support life sciences startups through active, team-based engagement in navigating clinical strategies, regulatory expectations and cross-border collaboration programs, while embedding sustainability, diversity of perspectives and robust governance as drivers of long-term value in life sciences.
Mission and operating model
NBC describes its mission as “value creation for all” and frames its work around patients, society, local ecosystems and investors. The firm highlights oncology, autoimmune diseases, neurological diseases, metabolic diseases and genetic diseases, and it invests across medical devices, antibody therapeutics, small molecules and deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid therapeutics.
Portfolio summaries include AbolerIS Pharma, which develops immunomodulatory monoclonal antibodies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases; Santero Therapeutics, focused on small-molecule therapies against life-threatening multidrug-resistant pathogens; and AdipoPharma, which is advancing peptide-based treatments targeting adipose tissue in metabolic disease.
“Innovation ecosystems compound over time. By continuing to strengthen the Belgium-Japan bridge at the early stages of drug development, we improve efficiency throughout the translation process, invest in human capital, and help build resilient global life science companies,” said Tomoko Asaoka, a partner and Scientific Director at Newton Biocapital in Brussels.
