Larta Institute Launches Larta Impact Fund
March 20, 2026 – 01:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Los Angeles, CA — Larta Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit accelerating science and technology innovation for a sustainable planet, today announced the launch of the Larta Impact Fund, a new catalytic capital platform designed to plug critical capital gaps and provide growth financing to science and technology companies developing and deploying life sciences and healthcare innovations in Los Angeles County, with a special focus on demonstrating or validating solutions addressing needs faced by underserved communities. The loan is restricted to funding projects and companies operating within Los Angeles County.
The Fund builds on Larta’s three decades of experience supporting science-driven entrepreneurs through its commercialization infrastructure and its national-scale federal innovation platform. By introducing flexible, mission-aligned capital, the Larta Impact Fund aims to help promising companies bridge critical development and commercialization milestones that deliver measurable health and economic benefits. This round is focused on life sciences and healthcare.
The initiative is supported by $3.3 million in State of California funding through the California Jobs First initiative, which includes seed capital for the Fund as well as enhanced development assistance for companies participating in Larta’s Heal.LA program.
“The Larta Impact Fund represents a natural evolution of our mission,” said Rohit Shukla, CEO and Founder of Larta Institute. “For decades, we have helped innovators translate breakthrough science into practical solutions. This Fund allows us to pair our commercialization expertise with catalytic capital. The Fund intends to help companies reach the next stage of growth while demonstrating and validating solutions which deliver meaningful impact in the communities that need it most.”
The Fund’s initial pilot round will provide low-interest, nondilutive loan financing ranging from $75,000 to $250,000 to high-potential companies. The program will focus on ventures developing innovations in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, labtech, and digital health that address persistent healthcare challenges in underserved populations. The loan is restricted to companies based in Los Angeles County or companies based outside Los Angeles (and within USA) who will invest into Los Angeles County with the use of Larta Impact funds.
Participation in this first funding cycle will be offered by invitation to select Larta alumni companies, drawing from ventures that have previously engaged with Larta’s commercialization programs, are revenue-generating or approaching commercialization stage with demonstrated strong progress toward market deployment.
In addition to financing, companies selected through the pilot round will gain access to additional commercialization and development support at no cost through Larta’s Heal.LA platform, including strategic advisory services, regulatory pathway guidance, and connections across Larta’s innovation ecosystem.
The Larta Impact Fund is designed as a long-term initiative that pairs mission-aligned financing with Larta’s commercialization expertise, advisor network, and innovation ecosystem to accelerate the deployment of science-based solutions. As the platform grows, Larta plans to expand future funding cycles and engage additional partners across the innovation and impact investment ecosystem.
Additional details on future investment opportunities and program expansions will be shared in the coming months.
About Larta Institute
Larta Institute is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit accelerating science and technology innovation for a sustainable planet. Since 1993, Larta has supported more than 7,000 innovators who have collectively raised over $50 billion in non-dilutive and dilutive capital . Through its mission to “feed, fuel & heal the world,” Larta cultivates entrepreneurs, builds ecosystems, and deploys solutions that create economic opportunity and community impact across the globe.
For media inquiries, contact:
Ilaria Ghelardoni
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BMC@larta.org