Ataraxia VC

What is Ataraxia VC?

Ataraxia VC is a venture fund management company that oversees two distinct fund families: Joyance Partners and Social Starts. The firm primarily invests in startups within the BioTech, HealthTech (& Fitness), Medical Devices (& Hospital Services), and Healthcare (& Wellness) industries.

Their investment thesis is grounded in the belief that by backing companies that leverage science and technology to foster joy and improve how people live, they can achieve significant impact and returns. Ataraxia VC targets companies at various stages, with a focus on Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A rounds. Their investment range spans from a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum of $1,000,000, with a sweet spot around $500,000 per investment.

Managed by Mike Edelhart, an experienced individual with a four-decade history in technology journalism, product testing, startups, and venture capital, Ataraxia has been directing these funds since 2012. Mike's rich background includes co-founding PC Magazine and other computer magazines at Ziff-Davis, managing Ziff's product testing labs, and being Ziff's Executive Vice President.

His experience extends to directing content at prominent conferences under SoftBank, being the CEO of multiple startups such as Olive Software, Inman News, and Zinio, and serving as a partner at Redleaf, a multi-stage VC fund. Furthermore, Mike Edelhart has consulted for notable organizations like Bloomberg, Reuters, and AARP, written over 20 books, and currently hosts 'Inception', a podcast discussing the creation, funding, and eventual success of startups.