“I’m passionate about driving technology forward to improve outcomes and quality of life.”

— Jim Plante, Founder

Thynk Capital Leadership

Our Founder

Thynk Capital was founded by entrepreneur, inventor and investor, Jim Plante.

Jim has been Investing for almost 20 years primarily in early stage technology and life science companies with 100X return potential with a particular interest in extending Health Span and addressing the major diseases of Aging including Alzheimers, Kidney Disease, Cancer, Diabetes, and human frailty. Many investments have successfully achieved over 10X return and several over 100X return.

While growing up, Jim worked at his father’s medical equipment company where he first learned about healthcare, technology and entrepreneurship and has since acquired over 30 years’ experience as an entrepreneur and investor, primarily in technology, healthcare and biotechnology.

Jim’s motivation to pursue treatments for chronic diseases of aging began over 30 years ago when he learned his father had a genetic disorder called Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD).  Unfortunately, at that time testing for this disease was not common, and his father’s PKD was not discovered in time to delay kidney failure. Despite a successful kidney transplant, he later died of cancer.

When Jim discovered that he, and other family members, also has PKD and would likely need a kidney transplant, he resolved to make pursuing treatments for kidney disease, cancer and other chronic diseases of aging his life’s focus.

Jim is currently the CEO, Founder and Chairman of Klotho Therapeutics (KTI) which is developing modified human Klotho protein/hormone for the prevention and treatment of kidney diseases and the major diseases of aging including cancer, diabetes, neuro-degenerative diseases, and human frailty.   www.KLOTHO.com

Jim Plante is the Founder and former CEO of Pathway Genomics, as well as Chairman Emeritus. His mission was to Democratize affordable genetic testing and enable access to this potentially lifesaving information.  Amassing an enormous amount of genetic data, Pathway was the industry’s first genetic testing company to apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) to patient data analysis and reporting.  With the broadest portfolio of genetic tests in the industry, Pathway has performing over 6 million genetic tests for patients in over 50 countries helping to prevent and treat disease.

At the age of 30, Jim Plante led the acquisition, turnaround and sale of Beltronics, which is still the leading provider of high performance millimeter wave radar safety systems worldwide, with over 50 million units produced and distributed globally.  As the interim President of Beltronics, he led the asset acquisition and turnaround effort, launched an innovative new product line, returned the company to profitability within one year and subsequent sale of the company to its main competitor at over a 10X return to equity investors.

As Co-Founder and CEO of E-Band Communications, Jim launched the industry’s first multi-gigabit capacity 70/80GHz band communications links for fiber optic replacement and mobile wireless infrastructure. E-Band currently has #1 global market share of multi-gigabit capacity 70/80GHz band communications links for fiberoptic replacement and mobile wireless infrastructure.

Starting in 2004, Jim was the founder, CEO and Chairman of SmartDrive Systems.  SmartDrive’s groundbreaking SAAS commercial vehicle safety program uses an integrated video, audio, GPS and sensor based platform to monitor a driver and vehicle in real time, as well as capture and coach unsafe driving habits, reducing the risk of accidents. To date, the system has prevented 10,000 deaths and injuries, 50,000+ accidents, and eliminated over $2Billion in financial losses.

He was Appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to Industry Trade Advisory Committee which he served from 2015 through early 2018.

Jim started the Foundation for Kidney Transplant Research to affect public policy towards living kidney donation in order to proactively help to save the lives of 700,000 Americans in desperate need of a kidney transplant.  www.kidneyresearchfoundation.org

Mr. Plante continues his commitment to innovation in the healthcare field through Thynk Capital, an early stage investment firm in biotechnology, healthcare and technology companies.

Investment Philosophy

Thynk Capital, founded by Jim Plante, is focused on early-stage Therapeutics, Healthcare and Technology companies. We tend to invest early in capital efficient companies, generating momentum with critical resources which further product development, clinical trials and regulatory approvals. In therapeutics, we typically invest when drug candidates are in the pre-clinical or early clinical phase, but on occasion, we have partnered in drug discovery.

Our investment strategy has a strong focus in opportunities that have the potential of becoming an innovative break thru, a modern replacement or a complement to existing products on the market. We pursue opportunities which present unmet needs in commercially attractive markets, and we produce products which are likely to receive attractive reimbursement and pricing structures, once regulatory approval is achieved.

We have a preference for companies targeting widespread diseases which are either unchecked, or already being addressed ineffectively by established medical treatment. We’re firm believers that when developing a successful company, the key factor is the quality of the management team. Less experienced management teams with savvy and potential must be open to change if needed to accelerate the company. We are committed to working hands-on with our portfolio companies to accomplish objectives and build value. In most cases, Thynk Capital works closely with the management team and the board members to develop the company.

Thynk policy for any extramural grants is a maximum of 15%.

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