Allied Minds, one of the biggest investors in US university research, raises its largest ever funding round.

US university and government research investor Allied Minds has raised $100m in its biggest-ever funding round, bringing the company’s total assets to around $500m.

Formed in 2006, the Boston-based investment firm is now looking to actively expand investments in its portfolio of companies, which includes spin-outs and startups from Harvard, New York University, and the University of California system.

Over its seven year history, Allied has invested in 26 new companies, including 6 so far in 2013, and has become one of the largest investors in university commercialisation in the US. It typically looks to get in earlier than most investors, looking to back life and physical science companies from the point of invention onwards.

Chris Silva, chief executive of Allied Minds, said: “Early-stage technology companies are largely ignored by traditional venture capital and private equity funds that tend to examine investments at later stages.  We’re filling an important gap in the technology marketplace and investors are responding. In particular, our historic initiative to commercialize early-stage, government-owned technologies strongly resonated with investors and we’re pleased to complete our fundraising activities so that we can continue to amplify our growth.”