Novo’s iNNvest initiative: Proximity to innovation via equity investments

Novo’s seed investment in Belgian academic spinout Tanai is the first from a new initiative in which the pharma is aiming to take equity stakes in cardiometabolic start-ups with which it may later enter deals.

Hatched early this year, the new iNNvest strategy from Novo Nordisk A/S (CSE:NOVO B; NYSE:NVO) entails direct investments from the company itself, rather than from the separate Novo Ventures fund or Seeds initiative associated with holding company Novo Holdings A/S. Both Novo Holdings and Novo Nordisk are affiliated with the Novo Nordisk Foundation, but there is no operational link between the two...