Discovering Bright Ideas

Our firm backed Thomas Edison’s light bulb and launched the first electric lighting company. A century later, Spencer Trask & Co. founded the laser light venture that powers today’s Internet. We continue to drive progress by discovering and backing big ideas.

From startup to $1 Billion Valuation

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We discover big ideas and transform them into world-changing companies.

Jobs Created

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Our ventures have created technologies that saved tens of thousands of lives and changed the world for millions.

Value Created

$ 0 Billion

Our innovators have delivered net worth and net-worthiness.

First to See the Light

Thomas Edison’s invention and commercialization of the incandescent light bulb would not have been possible without the backing of our founder, Spencer Trask.

Powering the Information Age

Gordon Gould, the inventor of the laser, and his firm joined David Huber and Spencer Trask & Co. to found the first company that deployed mass-capacity light amplification technology that powers the Internet.

Leading the Immunotherapy Revolution

Our venture with Dr. Jonas Salk developed and tested an immune-based cell therapy that became the first FDA-approved cancer vaccine.

Harnessing Food as Medicine

Stefany Shaheen, supported by Spencer Trask & Co., co-founded an evidence-based nutrition coaching venture and created a comprehensive Food-as-Medicine platform to enhance outcomes and reduce costs for chronic conditions. The startup was acquired by fintech company NationsBenefits.

Democratizing the Law with AI

To democratize the law, our venture with Ed Walters merged with its overseas counterpart to form the first global legal database.

Protecting Supply Chains with AI

Jennifer Besciglie’s company merged with our AI venture to become the first real-time supply chain risk monitoring company, reaching unicorn status.

Saving Women's Lives

Our biotech venture with Dr. Walter Gilbert was the very first genome company in the world. We discovered the BRCA1 gene associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, shifting medicine from treating symptoms to predicting and preventing the root causes of disease.

Leading the Stem Cell Revolution

The stem cell discovery by Dr. Arnold Caplan became the first approved cell drug.

Building a More Inclusive Financial System

The inclusive crowdfunding investment platform, founded by Ryan Feit, merged and exchanged ownership with the creator of the first USD Coin, the global internet money system that has facilitated $25 trillion in transactions.

Transforming Semiconductor Manufacturing with AI

Raj Raheja, Anantha Sethuraman, and Spencer Trask & Co. founded the world’s first AI-driven semiconductor company, unveiling a revolutionary “virtual factory” of 300 advanced simulation modules that, once integrated with Applied Materials’ AIx platform, transformed chip manufacturing, boosted efficiency, and accelerated the rise of the AI era.

Evidence-Based Revolution in Healthcare

Dr. Jack Wennberg, with support from Spencer Trask & Co. and others, transformed the U.S. healthcare system from opinion-based to evidence-based practices through data and patient empowerment.