Javelin launches with $70M fund for early-stage startups

Javelin Venture Partners, a small firm based in San Francisco, just launched after raising a $70 million fund to back early-stage startups specializing in internet, mobile and health care applications, reports VentureWire.

The most promising aspect of the firm may be its leadership. Founded by two graduates of the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, Noah Doyle and Jed Katz, Javelin benefits from combined experience at Google, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and several successful startups. Doyle had a hand in developing both Google Maps and Google Earth, while Katz served as managng director at DFJ Gotham in New York. He is also the co-founder of acquired startups Rent Net and Move.com, both sites that help users relocate to other parts of the country.

Besides its small size, Javelin is also unique in that its funds were provided by a single limited partner, who remains unnamed. So far, the firm has invested in six companies. They include ad optimization platform Adrocket, Aquea Scientific, mobile media delivery service intouch Group, event management provider Nuvon, pharmaceutical maker Ritter Pharmaceuticals, and real estate intelligence site SmartZip.