In the final weeks of 2025, the US early-stage investment community turned its attention to one place: the Best of Keiretsu Forum Virtual Investment Showcase. Over two days, more than 1,287 investors, family offices, and innovators registered for the event to reflect on the year’s defining insights and spotlight the companies shaping the road ahead for 2026.
Day 1: A Pre-Event Powerhouse of Investment Outlook for 2026
The event opened on December 9 with the Best of Keiretsu Forum Investment Outlook Keynote Speakers, featuring a curated lineup of the nation's most respected investors, strategists, and thought leaders. This exclusive pre-event session set the intellectual foundation for the showcase, delivering macroeconomic foresight, sector-specific intelligence, and investor sentiment that will define the next 12 months.
Brianna McDonald, CEO of Ecosystem Venture Group and an ACA Board member, spoke about the new developments and direction being undertaken at the Angel Capital Association in her keynote ACA Update Outlook. We then heard from Steven Woolston (Account Manager at PitchBook) and William Hoffmann (Senior Customer Success Manager at PitchBook) about the new partnership between Keiretsu Forum Northwest & Rockies and Pitchbook, what’s included in the exclusive deal for the Keiretsu members, and the new AI updates coming to their award-winning platform.
Kyle Stanford, Director of EMEA Private Capital Research at PitchBook, shared his insights on the Private Capital Ecosystem Outlook Year-to-Date. Ron Weissman, Chair, Board of Directors at Angel Capital Association shared valuable takeaways in his keynote Private Markets Outlook. Clark Tedford, CEO of LumiThera, spoke about the company’s beginnings, their growth, the recent acquisition by Alcon, and the road ahead in LumiThera Exit Showcase. Monte Gibbs was also present to talk about the growth of AI and its potential for investors in his keynote AI Investment Outlook.
Attendees tuned in via Zoom to hear the thought leaders speak and bridged the gap between long-term positioning and short-term opportunities.
Day 2: Showcasing the Most Compelling Companies of 2025
On December 10, the spotlight shifted to the entrepreneurs. The Best of Keiretsu Forum Virtual Investment Showcase featured the select few early-stage companies that captured the strongest investor interest throughout the 2025 Keiretsu Forum Chapter Meetings. These were the breakout companies that stood out across hundreds of presentations throughout the year: Sinaptica Therapeutics, Kokopelli, Inmedix, Sapience AI, Healionics, Mussel Polymers, BX, EarthGrid, Oticara, and Tenzr Health.
Investors were given a concentrated view of 2025’s most compelling opportunities, with many companies already demonstrating strong traction, validated technology, and investor-ready momentum.
Celebrating Excellence: The Best of 2025 Awards
The event concluded with the Best of Awards Ceremony, honoring standout companies and members who shaped Keiretsu Forum’s community this year. Each award recognized excellence, impact, and the ability to attract meaningful investor engagement in its respective category.
2025 Award Categories Included:
- Best of Life Science: Sinaptica Therapeutics, Inmedix, Healionics
- Best of Consumer Products: Kokopelli
- Best of Companies: Most Funding Raised: Transradial Technologies, AdviNOW, SOLUtion, Inmedix, Carbon GeoCapture
- Best of Data & Analytics: Sapience AI
- Best of Syndication Network: Tamiami Florida angel Funds, New Mexico Angels, SLC Angels, TCA Venture Group, Desert Angels
- Best of Materials & Chemicals: Mussel Polymers, Inc.
- Best of Investor Momentum: Helios
- Best of Agritech: BX
- Best of CleanTech: EarthGrid
- Best of Due Diligence: Mike Stein, Richard Lupfer, Charles Garrison, John Linder
- Best of Pharmaceutical: Oticara
- Best of Digital Health: Tenzr Health
A Defining Moment for the Investor Community
The end-of-the-year event once again proved why Keiretsu Forum stands at the forefront of early-stage investing. At a time when markets are recalibrating and investor expectations are shifting, the Best of Keiretsu Forum Virtual Investment Showcase delivered clarity and conviction.
As we enter 2026, the insights and companies highlighted here will shape how and where investors deploy smart, strategic capital next.
