Reed Jobs Launches $200M+ Venture Fund Aiming to Turn Cancer into a Manageable Condition
Reed Jobs, the 34-year-old son of Apple visionary Steve Jobs, is channeling both personal history and substantial capital into a bold mission: to fundamentally alter the trajectory of cancer treatment. His venture firm, Yosemite, has closed over $200 million for its second fund, with ambitions to raise an additional $150 million, positioning it to accelerate a new wave of oncology innovation.
The fund, which now manages more than $1 billion in total assets, boasts backing from a consortium of heavyweight investors, including biotech leader Amgen, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, MIT, and renowned venture capitalist John Doerr. This financial firepower will be directed at a portfolio of approximately 25 companies working on the cutting edge of cancer therapy.
"Our goal is to shift the paradigm for most cancers—from a death sentence to a chronic, lifelong condition," Jobs stated in an interview. "Given the convergence of technologies we're seeing, I believe this is an achievable vision within my lifetime."
Jobs's commitment is deeply personal. He was 12 when his father was diagnosed with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, a experience that shaped his early path. He worked in Stanford cancer labs as a teen and began college as a pre-med student. After his father's passing in 2011, he explored other disciplines but ultimately returned to healthcare through his mother Laurene Powell Jobs's Emerson Collective, where he led cancer-focused initiatives.
In 2023, he spun out Yosemite as an independent entity. The firm takes a broad, interdisciplinary approach, investing in gene therapy, cancer vaccines, radiopharmaceuticals, AI-driven drug discovery, and early detection technologies. "I never envisioned myself in venture capital," Jobs admitted. "But I realized that by incubating and shaping these ventures from the ground up, you can directly influence the scientific focus and the assets that get developed—that's where you can make a tremendous difference."
Yosemite's current holdings include companies like Tune Therapeutics, Azalea Therapeutics, and Chai Discovery. The new fund will continue to prioritize long-term, transformative science. "The timelines are significant," Jobs acknowledged, "but we're at a unique moment where multiple breakthrough paths are converging."
Industry & Public Reaction:
"This isn't just another fund. Reed is leveraging his unique position and network to de-risk and accelerate high-impact science that traditional VCs might shy away from. The institutional backing from MSK and Amgen is a huge validator." — Dr. Anya Sharma, Oncology Researcher at a major university hospital.
"While the ambition is commendable, let's be real. 'Ending cancer deaths' is a headline-grabbing slogan we've heard for decades. Throwing money at the problem isn't the same as solving it. The real test will be in tangible patient outcomes, not portfolio size." — Mark Devlin, Biotech Analyst & frequent industry critic.
"It's inspiring to see the next generation of leaders applying their resources and influence to such a critical cause. The focus on AI and early detection is particularly promising, as prevention and precision are key to changing the survival curve." — Elena Rodriguez, Founder of a patient advocacy non-profit.