Pontem (Latin). A bridge that spans a divide.
Pontem Capital: Bridging inspired investors to inspired inventors.
Pontem (Latin). A bridge that spans a divide.
Pontem Capital: Bridging inspired investors to inspired inventors.
Our Big Idea
Leverage our privileged access to global healthcare institutes and the venture capital community to source deal flow, invest alongside the experts, produce returns for our investors, and advance human health.
Founded in 2021, Pontem Capital is the only woman-owned and -operated, Midwest-focused healthcare venture capital firm.
Strategy
Pontem Capital sits at the nexus of three compelling dynamics creating a different and attractive investment opportunity.
- Healthcare market dynamics: Global healthcare funding continues to hit all-time record highs, defying economic downturns and perpetuated by the human condition to live longer and better lives.
- World-class Research Assets: The Midwest is home to leading global medical research, and benchmarks suggest 2x commercialization opportunities.
- Midwest Venture Funding: U.S. venture benchmarks indicate 1.5x below “fair share” investing in the Midwest.
Team
We are a woman-owned and -operated venture firm, bringing to bear more than five decades of experience in healthcare and a ten-plus-year partnership.
Severina “Sevy” Kraner
“Healthcare, and Life Sciences in particular, are durable investible growth opportunities.”
Sevy is Managing Partner and co-founder of female-owned Pontem Capital where she brings 20+ years of healthcare investment and industry experience. Most recently, Sevy was the Managing Director of Healthcare at JobsOhio where she led the healthcare economic development strategy for the state of Ohio. During this time, she also served as the Healthcare Managing Partner for JobsOhio’s venture arm with $100 million AUM.
Prior to joining JobsOhio, Sevy worked at Cardinal Health, Inc where she led the commercialization and business development initiatives for the Nuclear Pharmacy Business. Before moving to Ohio, she worked in New York at Forest Laboratories, where she worked in business development and strategy. She started her career as a Healthcare analyst at Jefferies Group where her experience included M&A, IPO and debt financing deals across the healthcare sector.
Sevy currently resides in Columbus, Ohio with her husband and three daughters. She attended Vanderbilt University, where she earned a BA in Economics.
Aaron Pitts
“We see an opportunity to advance human health discoveries from the world’s leading research institutions.”
Aaron is Managing Partner and co-founder of Pontem Capital where he brings 30+ years of healthcare investment and leadership experience. Aaron has spent the past 8 years as a Senior Managing Director at JobsOhio where he developed and implemented a $500m Innovation strategy. Under this strategy, Aaron was Managing Partner for a $100 million Growth Capital Fund, and led JobsOhio’s $300m Innovation District commitment with partners such as Cleveland Clinic, Nationwide Children’s, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospitals & Research Institutes.
Prior to JobsOhio, Aaron was a SVP-Strategy & Corporate Development for Cardinal Health, Inc., where over 12 years he held M&A, strategy, and operational roles for numerous pharmaceutical- and medical-related products and services businesses. Prior to Cardinal Health, Aaron held management consulting roles at PwC and E&Y.
A graduate of both the University of Minnesota, and The Ohio State University, Aaron is a long time Dublin, Ohio resident, and is married with three grown children.
Contact Us
sevy kraner
CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING PARTNER
sevy@pontemcapital.vc
PHONE 615.218.8366
aaron pitts
CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING PARTNER
aaron@pontemcapital.vc
PHONE 614.670.2498