Martin Sands, managing principal of Saba Growth Ventures, is an accomplished investor and entrepreneur with over four decades of experience in finance, technology, and biotechnology. His career spans hundreds of transactions involving early-stage ventures, growth equity, public offerings, and corporate restructurings. Marty’s background includes extensive experience in financing, equity and debt capital, investment banking, and direct principal investing, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the full capital structure experience from seed to development to a liquidity event.
Over the years, Martin has focused on direct investments in transformative companies within the technology, biotechnology, life sciences, medtech, and healthcare sectors. He has partnered with highly successful entrepreneurs, family offices, and co-invested alongside leading venture funds, private equity groups, industry thought leaders and strategic corporate investors. His current portfolio reflects a deep commitment to advancing innovation that improves lives, advance technology and transforms and reshapes industries.
Martin Sands currently serves as Co-Chairman of OptMed, Director of Osteal Therapeutics, Board Observer at Tempo Therapeutics, Board Member of North Hills Medical, and Board Member of Safeheal Therapeutics. He was previously Co-Chairman of Viactiv Holdings, guiding its acquisition from Johnson & Johnson and subsequent sale to Texas Pacific Group, and also served as a Director of Babson Diagnostics, a Siemens and Becton Dickinson-backed blood testing company.
Earlier in his career, Martin and his brother played pivotal roles in the early financings of Closure Medical, developer of the leading medical adhesive technology later acquired by Johnson & Johnson and Ethicon, best known for its flagship product Dermabond. These investments helped lay the groundwork for his long-standing engagement with cutting-edge life science ventures.
From 1998 to 2019, Martin has served as Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Sands Brothers Asset Management, a multidisciplinary investment firm encompassing venture capital, private equity, fund-of-funds, and hedge fund strategies. In 2007, he co-founded Genesis Merchant Partners (GMP), which made direct strategic and opportunistic asset-based loans.
Over the past several years, Martin has led more than a dozen investments in biotechnology and technology companies. He is often lead investor, including recently leading the Safeheal Therapeutics’ $35 million dollar Series C round, The Tempo Therapeutics’ $12 million Series A round and Osteal Therapeutics’ $23 million Series C round.
Martin’s breadth of experience across industries and stages of growth, combined with his deep understanding of capital markets, continues to make him a valued advisor, board member, and investor to a great many in the biotechnology and technology investment communities.