Stephen Kraus is partner at Bessemer Venture Partners and leads up the firm’s healthcare investing activities.
He currently sits on the boards of Welltok, Bright Health, Groups, Health Essentials, Docent Health, Allena Pharmaceuticals, Alcresta, and Docutap and is a board observer at Collective Medical Technologies.
Steve has been actively involved in Bessemer's investments in Liazon, acuired by Towers Watson; Docutap, acquired by Warburg Pincus; Ovascience (NASDAQ: OVAS), Sirtris Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SIRT, acquired by GlaxoSmithKline); Affymax (NASDAQ:AFFY); Aveo (NASDAQ: AVEO); Alnara, acquired by Eli Lilly; Transave (NASDAQ: INSM); Stromedix, acquired by Biogen Idec,Verastem (NASDAQ: VSTM), Acceleron (NASDAQ: XLRN), Restore Medical (NASDAQ: REST), acquired by Medtronic, and Flex Pharma (NASDAQ: FLKS).
Steve has been recognized by Forbes Magazine as one of the top healthcare investors in the industry.
Prior to joining Bessemer, Steve worked for a growth-stage, private-equity firm and as a management consultant at Bain & Company. He has also worked on several different political campaigns throughout his career.
Steve graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. from Yale University and earned his MBA from Harvard, where he was a Baker Scholar. He serves on the board of the New England Venture Capital Association (NEVCA) and the Achievement Network, on the investment committees of BCBS Massachusetts and Rock Health, as an innovation advisor to Boston Children’s Hospital, and as an advisor to Harvard Business School’s Center for Entrepreneurship.
Steve is co-host of “A Healthy Dose” podcast and often blogs about his views on the healthcare industry.
Current Companies
Alcresta Pharmaceuticals
Alcresta Pharmaceuticals develops enzyme-based products for people with gastrointestinal disorders and rare diseases.
Allena Pharmaceuticals
Allena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. develops and commercializes non-systemic protein therapeutics to treat metabolic and orphan diseases, with a particular focus on nephrologic and urologic conditions. The company went public in November 2017 (NASDAQ: ALNA).
Bright Health
Bright Health is a consumer focused health plan offering simple and affordable health insurance.
Collective Medical Technologies
Collective Medical is a healthcare company that has built a network for patient care collaboration.
Docent Health
Docent Health helps health systems transform the patient experience by delivering human-centric care.
Groups
Groups helps people recover from opiate use through therapy and medication
Health Essentials
Health Essentials provides post-acute care management services.
Oxagen Ltd.
Oxagen is focused on becoming a significant biopharmaceutical company, developing a pipeline of novel drugs to treat inflammatory diseases, initially asthma.
Proteon Therapeutics
Proteon Therapeutics, Inc is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, first-in-class pharmaceuticals to address the medical needs of patients with renal and vascular diseases.
RockHealth
Rock Health is a seed fund and startup accelerator focused on digital healthcare companies.
Verastem
Verastem is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel drugs that selectively target cancer stem cells. In January 2012, Verastem went public (NASDAQ: VSTM).
Welltok
A health optimization platform that is revolutionizing the way population health managers align consumer actions and behaviors with the right incentives and rewards.
Enduring Companies
Acceleron Pharma, Inc.
A biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics to modulate the growth of tissues including bone and muscle.
AffyMax
Affymax is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing novel drugs to improve the treatment of serious and often life-threatening conditions. Affymax (NASDAQ: AFFY) went public in 2006.
Alnara Pharmaceuticals (acq. by Eli Lilly)
Develops non-systemic, protein therapeutics to treat metabolic and inflammatory diseases. In 2010 it was acquired by Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY).
Aveo Pharmaceuticals
Aveo Pharmaceuticals integrates a proprietary cancer biology platform with drug development and commercial expertise in its efforts to discover and develop targeted cancer therapeutics.
Cerulean Pharma
Cerulean Pharma Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in the design and development of nanopharmaceuticals. The company went public in April 2014 (NASDAQ: CERU).
ClearCare
Cloud-based home care software provider.
DocuTAP
DocuTAP provides electronic medical record, practice management software and revenue cycle services for urgent care centers. The company was acquired by Warburg Pincus in 2016.
Flex Pharma
Developing novel treatments for muscle cramps and spasms by halting repetitive firing of motor neurons. In January 2015, Flex Pharma went public (NASDAQ: FLKS).
Liazon
Liazon is the leading private benefit exchange provider for small and medium sized businesses. In November 2013, Liazon was acquired by Towers Watson & Co. (NYSE, NASDAQ: TW).
OvaScience, Inc.
OvaSciences is a healthcare company focused on improving fertility. Ovascience (NASDAQ: OVAS) started trading on the Over The Counter Bulletin Board (OTCBB) in November 2012 and listed on the Nasdaq in April 2013.
Sirtris Pharmaceuticals
A biopharmaceutical firm developing enzymes that activate our natural defenses against disease.
Stromedix (acq. by Biogen)
Stromedix's initial focus is on chronic indications and plans to leverage its expertise and expand its therapeutic pipeline into related settings such as acute organ failure and cancer. In 2012, Stromedix was acquired by Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB).
Transave Inhalation Biopharmaceuticals
Insmed Incorporated (NASDAQ: INSM) is a development stage biopharmaceutical company with expertise in proprietary, advanced liposomal technology designed specifically for inhalation lung delivery.