Alphabet's venture capital investment arm, GV, has seen four of its portfolio companies go public in the last year. : As the first quarter comes to a close, three Bay Area life sciences companies have already gone public in 2018. The company's venture arm, GV (formerly known as Google Ventures), has backed nearly 60 healthcare-related companies since it raised its first fund in 2009, making it one of the most active Silicon Valley players in the space. Those bets are starting to pay off: Five of GV's healthcare bets have gone public in the last year.