This VC Fund Is Backing the Next Generation of Autism Breakthroughs – and Investors Are Taking Notice
Christopher Male had a straightforward mission when he launched the Autism Impact Fund six years ago, but building a portfolio dedicated to autism was anything but that. [AIF Co-Founder Chris] Male and his co-founders raised $60 million for their first fund [and are] now working on [their] second fund. Investors from the first fund are chipping in.
Published October 23, 2025
AIF Autism and Behavioral Health Investment Roundtable
Moderated by Kelly Evans (CNBC), AIF’s Investment Roundtable features an outstanding panel of key opinion leaders and innovators in the autism and behavioral health investment sector.
Published October 9, 2025
Imagine Pediatrics Raises $67M to Expand Access to Value-Based Care for Children with Special Health Care Needs
“Funding to scale virtual and in-home care, enhance clinical innovation, and support vulnerable pediatric populations nationwide. Round includes continued support from Oak HC/FT, Optum Ventures, and Rubicon Founders plus new investment from the Autism Impact Fund and others.”
Published September 17, 2025
Autism is truly on one of the largest public health issues of our time: Autism Impact Fund's Male
“Christopher Male, Autism Impact Fund co-founder, joins ‘Squawk Box’ on World Autism Month to discuss how the fund is investing in companies developing diagnostics, treatments and support for people with autism.”
Published April 16, 2025
If Vaccines Don't Cause Autism, What Does?
“Judy Van de Water, a professor of medicine at the University of California, Davis, studies autism from the perspective of an immunologist with a focus on the maternal immune system during pregnancy…Her lab developed a blood test for maternal autoantibodies, [from which] about 20% of autism cases [may] stem…[She] has created a company to make a commercial product so women can get tested before pregnancy.”
Published March 31, 2025
Bluebird Kids Health Lands $31M for Value-Based Integrated Behavioral-Physical Pediatrics Model
“With Medicaid reimbursement rates significantly lower than commercial rates, most pediatricians limit Medicaid patients to just 10% to 15%,” [AIF Co-Founder, Chris] Male, said. “As a result, many low-income communities lack adequate care. … By investing in Bluebird, AIF is helping to democratize access to care, particularly for underserved communities, ensuring that more children receive the high-quality, value-based pediatric care they deserve.”
Published March 4, 2025
Camber gets $30M for medical claims automation
“Billing snafus and denial ping-pong costs providers precious time and money.”
Published February 26, 2025
5 VC Firms to Watch in Behavioral Health
“While AIF is still relatively young, it’s worth watching for its laser focus on autism and the IDD space. The autism treatment space has long been dominated by private equity investment, but as new innovative technologies and treatment modalities come on the market, that paradigm could be changing.”
Published February 13, 2025
Pediatric Therapy Provider Cortica Raises $80M from JPMorgan Entity, Specialty Venture Firms
“The funds will help the San Diego-based multispecialty pediatric therapy provider beef up its in-house-build technology stack to improve its precision medicine approach, deepen its market presence and help land innovative value-based care contracts.”
Published November 22, 2024
Autism-focused venture capital fund raises $60 million
“[AIF is]…structured so as not to overlap or compete for dollars with the nonprofits that are doing the foundational and research work…We’re that next layer, so there can be an entire ecosystem focused on helping people with autism.”
Published April 3, 2024
Autism Impact Fund closes $60M first fund and broadens its scope
AIF has strong access even to oversubscribed deals, and even when its check is not the largest, there’s a sense that it’s “a stamp of approval to the market and to the community that this is a validated, well-run entity,” [states AIF co-Founder, Chris Male].
Published April 2, 2024
Autism Impact Fund co-founder: Want to be at the forefront of innovation across the entire spectrum
Christopher Male, Autism Impact Fund co-founder, joins ‘Squawk Box’ on World Autism Awareness Day to discuss how the fund is investing in companies developing diagnostics, treatments and support for people with autism.
Published April 2, 2024
The Venture Capitalists Of Autism
Can venture capital drive innovation in the autism field, as it has in other fields?…[Chris] Male summarizes the synthesis among investments: “Our investments are all part of the of an ecosystem approach that tie together the behavioral, biological and environmental aspects of autism. You can’t focus on just one area without squandering gains in the others.”
Published November 7, 2023
CVS Health Ventures Leads $40M Series D Extension for All-In-One Autism Therapy Provider Cortica
Cortica has extended its Series D funding round by an additional $40 million…CVS Health Ventures led the round. LRVHealth, Ascension Investment Management and the University of Wisconsin Foundation also participated in the round. Justin Brock, executive director and partner at CVS Health Ventures, is now a member of the Cortica board of directors.
Published October 3, 2023
Auticon And Unicus Join Forces, Advancing ESG Mission of Neurodiversity
auticon and Unicus have entered into an agreement under which the two companies will unite. The deal was brokered by Ferd, an Oslo-based family-owned investment company and shareholder in both companies. The historic deal establishes a global model for an autistic-majority social enterprise and ESG company, addressing the inequalities in employment for neurodivergent adults.
Published June 14, 2023
Suggestic Acquires Wishroute to Accelerate AI-Assisted Wellness Coaching Offering
Suggestic, a leading provider of AI-enabled Telewellness solutions, today announced that it has acquired Wishroute, a leading provider of human-powered engagement and healthy habit coaching. The acquisition allows Suggestic to expand its product and service offerings, enter new markets, and accelerate its growth in the Telewellness and Behavioral Engagement market.
Published May 23, 2023
Autism care provider Cortica raises $75M, acquires 2 provider groups in New England, Arizona
Cortica, an autism care provider, has clinched $75 million in a series D round. The round was led by Deerfield Management and Optum Ventures with participation from RA Capital, Echo Health Ventures, Longitude Capital, .406 Ventures, Questa Capital, Ajax Health, Aperture Venture Partners and the Autism Impact Fund. The funding will be used to build out Cortica’s custom tech platform and expand payer partnerships nationally.
Published April 18, 2023
CVS Health Ventures Leads $20M Investment in ABA Data Collection Startup SpectrumAi
SpectrumAi announced Thursday that it raised $20 million in Series A funding, with investment led by CVS Health Ventures. The funding will help the startup push its applied behavior analysis (ABA) electronic health record, Twyll, and Patterns, its network analytics platform. CVS Health Ventures has made a slew of behavioral health tech-related venture investments over the last year. Other investors in the Series A round for SpectrumAi include Cobalt Ventures, with follow-on investments from seed investors F-Prime, Frist Cressey and the Autism Impact Fund.
Published March 16, 2023
Autism Impact Fund and Multiple Enter into Strategic Partnership
AIF and Multiple, a non-profit innovation platform for the autism community, have entered into a strategic partnership to harness the unique capabilities of each organization to bring new solutions to the market that benefit individuals and families impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Published November 15, 2022
Healios Lands $16M Investment to Grow US Pediatric Behavioral Health Subsidiary Meliora Health
London-based digital pediatric behavioral health company Healios Ltd. has landed $16 million to fund its expansion in the U.S.
Published November 3, 2022
Central Florida's Autism Impact Fund Flush with Cash and Looking for Deals Even as VC Industry Slows
“[AIF] is…the only fund that knows this space so well. They have an influence beyond the checks they write.” — Dr. Neil Hattangadi, MD. CEO & Co-Founder of Cortica.
Published June 28, 2022
Can Virtual Reality Help Autistic Children Navigate the Real World?
One company, Floreo, is hoping their tools will lead the way, despite some criticisms from autism self-advocates.
Published June 14, 2022
Exclusive: SpectrumAi Raises $9M Seed for Virtual Autism Care
SpectrumAi, a startup focused on quantifying autism treatment, raised $9m in a seed round, founder and CEO Ling Shao tells Axios.
Published June 1, 2022
Autism Impact Fund Makes Strategic Investment in Cortica
Investment by AIF further validates Cortica’s distinct tech-enabled care model.
Published April 20, 2022
Autism Impact Fund Rings Closing Bell at New York Stock Exchange
An extraordinary day for the Autism Impact Fund and an important step in our mission to revolutionize the status quo for diagnosing, treating and living with autism.
Published April 19, 2022
AIF Co-Founder Interviewed on CNBC Squawk Box: People with Autism Don't Need Charity, They Need Opportunities
Chris Male, Autism Impact Fund co-founder and managing partner, joins CNBC’s ‘Squawk Box’ during Autism Awareness Month to discuss how the fund is working to be the investment and innovation arm of the autism community.
Published April 19, 2022
Autism Impact Fund leads investment round in Auticon, a global technology consulting firm that employs neurodiverse adults
The Autism Impact Fund (AIF), whose mission is to revolutionize the status quo for diagnosing, treating and living with autism through a venture capital model, has led a new investment round in Auticon, a technology consulting provider that is the global leader in employing autistic individuals.
Published February 17, 2022
With New Funding, Auticon Looks to Grow Job Opportunities for Autistic Adults
Technology consulting firm Auticon just received a boost to its mission of helping companies hire more autistic employees.
Published February 16, 2022
New venture fund aims to become the 'investment and innovation arm of the autism community'
AIF, which has Uber’s CEO as an advisor, has invested in seven early-stage companies
Published November 10, 2021
Autism Impact Fund Makes First Investments in Seven Early-stage Companies
Venture capital fund includes world-class Investment Advisory Board and aims to be the investment and innovation arm of the autism community.
Published November 10, 2021
Yamo Pharmaceuticals Receives Investment from Autism Impact Fund to Support Phase 2 Study of L1-79 in Autism Spectrum Disorder
The Autism Impact Fund has made a capital investment in Yamo to support a Phase 2 study of L1-79 in adolescents and adults with ASD.
Published November 10, 2021
Axial Therapeutics Raises $37.25 Million in Series C Financing to Advance its Pipeline of Gut-Targeted Small Molecule Drugs for Neurological Diseases and Disorders
Proceeds will support Axial’s randomized, controlled Phase 2b clinical trial for lead candidate, AB-2004, a molecular therapeutic to treat irritability in children with autism.
Published October 13, 2021