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November 28, 2023

Explore the 50 Most Innovative Biotechnology startups

Discover the groundbreaking potential of the top 50 biotech startups. Dive into their innovative contributions to revolutionize healthcare, genetics, and more

Biotech companies have been innovating and developing creative solutions to improve human life and health for many years, bringing new ideas and alternatives into the spotlight. Discover the groundbreaking potential of the top 50 biotech startups.

Introduction

The biotech industry has existed for many years, presenting a variety of innovative initiatives, with many startups taking the lead in areas such as genetic engineering and animal and human health care. In our previous article, we showed you the top 50 biotech companies in the world. Now, we’ve made a list of the top 50 growing startups to watch out for in the next few years:

Infographic > 30 top biotech startups

50 top biotech startups

This biotech startup specializes in software and hardware developments to find alternatives for the fermentation industry. Precision Fermentation optimizes microbial cultures for food and bio-products. Employing advanced fermentation technology, they control fermentation processes, reducing waste and improving efficiency. Precision fermentation is a new food technology in the market and is quickly becoming more popular with its animal and climate-friendly alternatives.

Location
Durham, NC
Funding
$6.5M (Series Unknown)
Founded in
2017
Investors
N/A

Elevate Bio specializes in gene editing and therapeutic solutions for genetic disorders. The startup has developed technology platforms to accelerate and facilitate research and development of gene and cell therapies. Elevate Bio raised $401 million in a series D fundraise at the beginning of the year. The company also announced a partnership with Novo Nordisk.

Location
Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.
Funding
Founded in
2017
Investors
Matrix Capital Management, Itochu
Elevate bio

Specializing in food innovation, NotCo searches and develops plant-based alternatives. The company uses AI to improve its research on alternative food products to replace traditional ones that contain animal products. With their technology, it is possible to analyze what combinations of ingredients can work in order to imitate animal products.

Location
Santiago, Chile
Funding
$433M (Series D)
Founded in
2015
Investors
N/A

Tempus focuses on the use of AI to personalize cancer treatments and improve outcomes through precision medicine. The company also extends its oncology platform to areas such as radiology, cardiology, infectious diseases, and neuropsychiatry.

Location
Chicago, Illinois, US
Funding
Founded in
2015
Investors
Google, Baillie Gifford, Ares Management
Tempus

Detect is a biotech company that specializes in diagnostic technologies. With AI's help, the company develops tools to facilitate testing and provide an accurate diagnosis. Detect developed one of the at-home, rapid COVID-19 tests and is now focused on other tests for common infections and other diseases.

Location
Guilford, Connecticut, US
Funding
Undisclosed
Founded in
2017
Investors
US Department of Health and Human Services, Expa, Human Capital

The biotech startup specializes in research and development for addressing genetic disorders, genetic therapies, and complex neurological disorders. Eikon Therapeutics focuses on creating new treatment alternatives for a variety of genetic illnesses. Eric Betzig, co-founder of Eikon, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2014.

Location
Hayward, California, US
Funding
$772M (Series C)
Founded in
2019
Investors
N/A

Specializing in RNA therapeutics, Biosplice Therapeutics targets genetic disorders at the molecular level. Their focus is investigating RNA splicing’s potential for treating major diseases, including osteoarthritis, Alzheimer's, cancer, and other diseases. The company focuses on neurology early-stage programs and in developing possible new therapies for certain diseases.

Biosplice’s clinical pipeline is focused on osteoarthritis and oncology, with early-stage programs in neurology and other areas of significant unmet medical need.

Location
San Diego, California, US
Funding
Founded in
2008
Investors
Prominent investors: Sands Capital Ventures, Eventide, aMoon Fund
Biosplice Therapeutics

Monterosa Therapeutics specializes in innovative developments for cancer treatments. The biotech startup targets disease-causing proteins for degradation, addressing and developing cancer-treating therapies. The company also integrates artificial intelligence, biology, and chemistry to develop tools and help research to treat different human diseases.

Location
Funding
$223.5 Million
Founded in
2018
Investors
Avoro Capital Advisors, Amzak Health Investors, Cormorant Asset Management

Specialized in gene therapies, Orna Therapeutics utilizes RNA modulation for effective disease treatment. The company is centered on developing innovative treatments based on circular RNA. They develop oRNA therapies, capable of producing proteins that are more effective to engineer cells than the natural mRNA in human bodies. Their technology can be applied in different areas, including cancer, infectious diseases, protein replacement, autoimmunity and others.

Location
Cambridge, Massachusetts, US
Funding
$321M (Series B)
Founded in
2019
Investors
N/A

Merging machine learning with biology, Insitro is a data-driven drug discovery company. Their platform optimizes the development of innovative therapeutics across various complex diseases, emphasizing precision and efficiency. The company combines machine learning and biological tools to create effective predictive models. With that, it is possible to find the most successful treatment plan earlier.

Location
San Francisco, California, US
Funding
Founded in
2018
Investors
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Andreessen Horowitz
Insitro

Colossal specializes in genetic engineering. The company aims to revive and conserve endangered and extinct species through innovative scientific approaches. Colossal addresses ecological challenges, climate change and contributes to biodiversity conservation. Among the company’s current projects is the attempt to bring back the woolly mammoth. The project is a partnership between Colossal and an elephant conservation organization.

Location
Funding
$225 Million
Founded in
2021
Investors
Draper Associates, Animoca Brands, Boost VC

Antios Therapeutics focuses on the development of antiviral drugs. The company aims to create pharmaceuticals and treatments for various infectious and viral diseases, including Hepatitis B. The company’s main candidate in drugs, ATI-2173, could provide the cure to infected HBV patients.

Location
Atlanta, Georgia, US
Funding
$200.4M (Series B)
Founded in
2018
Investors
N/A

Neumora Therapeutics focuses on research for improving the lives of people with mental health disorders, such as depression. The company mainly develops therapies to target neurological systems, addressing brain diseases. Neumora is currently testing its new oral depression drug, Navacaprant. The company will soon launch phase 3 of clinical trials for Navacaprant to treat severe depression.

Location
Watertown, Massachusetts, US
Funding
Founded in
2019
Investors
Softbank, ARCH Venture Partners
Neumora therapeutics

Dedicated to urological health, Urovant Sciences develops therapies tailored to specific conditions. They focus on addressing unmet medical needs in these areas, finding effective and accessible treatments for urological conditions, including overactive bladder. Founded by Keith Katkin, the company has been on the market for over six years.

Location
Irvine, California, US
Funding
$100 Million
Founded in
2017
Investors
Hercules Capital

Inflammatix specializes in infectious disease diagnostics. The company develops tests to identify and categorize infectious diseases like COVID-19 or sepsis. Their diagnostic solutions provide rapid and accurate information, enhancing patient management and supporting timely interventions in the fight against infectious diseases. Through the use of machine learning, they can understand how the immune system responds to an infection and provide quick results.

Location
Burlingame, California, US
Funding
$137.8M (Grant)
Founded in
2016
Investors
N/A

Kriya Therapeutics focuses on developing gene therapies to address genetic diseases, diabetes, obesity, and other illnesses affecting millions of people worldwide. They leverage cutting-edge technologies to deliver transformative treatments by targeting the root causes of genetic disorders, aiming to revolutionize genetic medicine.

Location
California, US
Funding
$600.5M (Series C)
Founded in
2019
Investors
Patient Square Capital, CAM Capital

Chinook Therapeutics is dedicated to discovering and developing precision medicines for rare, severe, chronic kidney diseases. Their innovative approach involves targeting specific pathways to address the underlying causes of kidney disorders, striving to improve the lives of patients with limited treatment options.

Location
Vancouver, Canada
Funding
$171M
Founded in
2019
Investors
OrbiMed, Avidity Partners, Versant Ventures
Chinook therapeutics

Cellarity is a company specializing in drug discovery. The company's research is focused on producing medicines that can target cellular behavior. With that, Cellarity wants to achieve faster and more precise medication discovery. Their main areas of focus are issues such as respiratory diseases, hematology, oncology, and metabolism.

Location
Cambridge, Massachusetts, US
Funding
$294M (Series C)
Founded in
2017
Investors
N/A

Valo Health is a data-driven healthcare company integrating diverse datasets to improve traditional drug discovery techniques and gain insights into disease mechanisms. They use artificial intelligence and machine learning, seeking to identify novel drug targets and optimize clinical trial design. With that, the biotech startup hopes to accelerate the drug discovery process.

Location
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Funding
Founded in
2019
Investors
Koch Disruptive Technologies, PSP Investments, Flagship Pioneering

This biotech startup utilizes artificial intelligence and advanced biology to discover new drug candidates efficiently. Recursion Pharmaceutical combines technological innovations with research in areas such as biology, data science, chemistry, and engineering in order to optimize drug discovery. With their platform, the company aims to find new solutions for various diseases.

Location
Salt Lake City, Utah, US
Funding
$615.4 Million
Founded in
2013
Investors
Leaps by Bayer, Advantage Capital, Two Sigma Ventures
Recursion pharmaceutical

Dedicated to developing medicines for common and complex diseases, Maze therapeutics aims to help patients, especially addressing the ones with unmet medical needs. The company does genetic research with the goal of developing medicines, including treatments and alternatives for kidney diseases.

Location
San Francisco, California, US
Funding
$381M (Series Unknown)
Founded in
2018
Investors
N/A

Recode Therapeutics is at the forefront of RNA therapeutics, developing innovative approaches to address genetic diseases. The biotech startup focuses on diseases such as cystic fibrosis and ciliary dyskinesia, an illness that affects the pulmonary system and can cause infections. Their focus on precision medicine involves correcting genetic errors and offering solutions for a range of genetic disorders.

Location
California, US
Funding
$422 million
Founded in
2015
Investors
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Matrix Capital Management, among others

Ring Therapeutics specializes in the development of innovative gene therapies. Their gene therapy platform focuses on increasing the use of treatments based on DNA. The startup stands out for having a platform that allows healthcare professionals to access organs and body tissues.

Location
Cambridge, Massachusetts, US
Funding
$253.5M (Series C)
Founded in
2017
Investors
N/A

Hibercell is dedicated to advancing cancer research and therapy. Their focus on addressing tumor dormancy—the ability of cancer cells to lie dormant before reactivating. According to the company, 90% of cancer deaths are due to recurrence of the disease. Therefore, Hibercell’s research focus is not on the initial phase of cancer, but rather on the metastasis and relapse of the disease.

Location
New York, US
Funding
$158.2M (Series B)
Founded in
2019
Investors
N/A

One of many biotechnology startups, Generate Biomedicines employs biology engineering and machine learning for therapeutic applications. The firm focuses on discovering novel therapies, using computational techniques to analyze and study proteins. With the collected data, the startup can develop therapeutic alternatives, such as gene and cell therapies.

Location
Somerville, Massachusetts, US
Funding
Founded in
2018
Investors
Fidelity Management and Research Company, MorningSide Ventures

Benchling is a biotech company that facilitates scientific research and development in different organizations. The firm offers a cloud-based software used to store and standardize scientific data. With that, customers have easy access to track and report data. Benchling’s software can be applied to medical research, such as gene therapy, vaccines, antibodies, cell therapy, and others. The company’s headquarters are in San Francisco, California.

Location
San Francisco, California, US
Funding
<$50 million (2020)
Founded in
2012
Investors
N/A
Benchling

Karuna Therapeutics is committed to developing therapies and solutions for neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. Their approach involves understanding complex conditions and illnesses, mainly schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. The startup aims to develop medicines that can help improve - at least some of - the symptoms of those living with such serious conditions.

Location
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Funding
$1.1 Billion
Founded in
2019
Investors
ARCH Venture Partners, PureTech Health, Alexandria Venture Investments

The biotech startup MoMa Therapeutics focuses on developing precision medicine. With specialization and research in chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, and functional genomics, the startup aims to develop targeted therapies to halt or slow disease progression in patients.

Location
Cambridge, Massachusetts, US
Funding
$236M (Series B)
Founded in
2020
Investors
N/A

Element Biosciences is a multi-disciplinary biotechnology startup, dedicated to advancing DNA sequencing technologies. The company focuses on developing new genetic analysis tools to assist the research market. Their innovative platforms aim to make genomic analysis more accessible and efficient, facilitating personalized medicine, genetic research, and diagnostics breakthroughs.

Location
San Diego, California, US
Funding
Founded in
2017
Investors
Fidelity Management and Research Company, JS Capital, Venrock

Cue Health specializes in rapid, portable diagnostics. The startup provides accessible diagnostics through fast at-home tests that help people stay updated about their sexual health, food sensibilities, and general health. Cue Health takes diagnosis to a different level, allowing people easy access to testing.

Location
San Diego, California, US
Funding
$899.6 Million
Founded in
2010
Investors
Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), US Department of Health & Human Services

Embark Veterinary is a startup leader in canine genetics, providing DNA testing for dogs. Their focus is mainly on helping dog owners understand their pet's health, ancestry, and potential genetic predispositions. The startup provides proactive veterinary care and services targeting pet wellness. Their platform is capable of identifying almost 200 genetic health risks, as well as more than 300 dog breeds.

Location
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Funding
$94.3M (Series B)
Founded in
2015
Investors
N/A

Biotech startup Cellares focuses on revolutionizing cell therapy manufacturing. Their innovative solutions aim to increase and improve efficiency in the production of cell therapies, addressing challenges in manufacturing and accelerating the development of advanced cell-based treatments for many diseases.

Location
San Francisco, California, US
Funding
Founded in
2019
Investors
8VC, Koch Disruptive Technologies

Startup Access Dx Lab is dedicated to advancing diagnostic testing for infectious diseases. Their laboratory services provide accurate and timely results, contributing to public health efforts in disease detection, monitoring, and control. The startup is one of the main leaders in COVID-19 testing.

Location
Houston, Texas
Funding
Undisclosed
Founded in
2016
Investors
2bPrecise

Bionaut Labs is a biotech startup focused in precision-targeted medicine to treat brain disorders. Their technology consists of micro, controllable robots (Bionauts) for targeted drug delivery within the body. This innovative approach has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of diseases by precisely delivering therapeutic payloads to specific locations.

Location
Los Angeles, California, US
Funding
$63.2M (Series B)
Founded in
2016
Investors
N/A

Shiok Meats is a startup that is reinventing seafood. The company uses biotechnology mainly to produce cell-based seafood but also meat. By cultivating marine cells, they aim to create sustainable and cruelty-free alternatives to conventional seafood. With their technology, Shiok Meats currently produces lobsters, shrimp, and crabs.

Location
Singapore
Funding
$30.2M (Seed)
Founded in
2018
Investors
N/A

Arranta Bio specializes in providing contract development and manufacturing services to find innovative therapeutic solutions. The biotech startup partners with other biotech companies to find therapeutic alternatives. They work on manufacturing services, inhalation products, drug dosage forms, and other therapies.

Location
Watertown, Massachusetts
Funding
$82 Million
Founded in
2019
Investors
Ampersand Capital Partners

Motif FoodWorks is a startup dedicated to developing plant-based ingredients and alternatives for the food industry. By focusing on important sensory experiences, the company aims to create tasty and enjoyable plant-based foods and improve existing plant-based products. Some of their alternatives are meat and dairy substitutes.

Location
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Funding
$343.5M (Series B)
Founded in
2019
Investors
N/A

ADARx Pharmaceuticals mainly focuses on RNA editing to treat genetic diseases. The startup's goal is to use its technology to identify diseases and find the best precision therapeutics. By harnessing the ADAR enzyme, they aim to correct RNA sequences and address various genetic disorders, offering potential breakthroughs in precision medicine.

Location
San Diego, California, US
Funding
Founded in
2019
Investors
Bain Capital Life Sciences, TCG Crossover, OrbiMed and SR One

AlloVir is a startup specializing in developing allogeneic, off-the-shelf cell therapies to treat and prevent viral diseases. Their platform aims to provide readily available treatments for patients with virus-associated complications, including the restoration of patients’ viral immunity. With that, AlloVir offers a promising alternative to traditional cell therapy approaches.

Location
Houston, Texas, US
Funding
$285.6 Million
Founded in
2013
Investors
EcoR1 Capital, Invus

Hexagon Bio focuses its research on understanding how small molecules work towards disease-causing proteins. With research, the startup aims to discover and develop novel, effective treatments. Since 2020, the company has had a new leadership member, CSO Tod Smeal, who has worked at big biotechnology companies, Eli Lilly and Pfizer.

Location
Menlo Park, California, US
Funding
$193.6M (Series B)
Founded in
2016
Investors
N/A

Relatively new in the market, SpiderWort is hoping to close a Series A funding round. The startup’s idea and goal are to repair and regenerate body tissues in humans. During clinical trials, Spiderwort showed promising results in treating spinal cord injuries.

Location
Ontario, Canada
Funding
$16.1M (Series A)
Founded in
2015
Investors
N/A

IsoPlexis is a biotech startup dedicated to accelerating and improving the fight against cancer and other devastating diseases. Their technology is made to gather data easily and quickly, with a precise detection system. With their platform, they can improve research and development of immunotherapies and other targeted therapies.

Location
Branford, Connecticut, US
Funding
$330.4 Million
Founded in
2013
Investors
Fidelity Management and Research Company, Kite Pharma, GMT Capital

The startup is focused on understanding individual biomarkers in people, providing patients with improved and specialized treatment plans. By analyzing biomarkers, they aim to provide actionable insights for drug development, patient stratification, and treatment optimization, contributing to personalized approaches in healthcare.

Location
Framingham, Massachusetts, US
Funding
Undisclosed (Series B)
Founded in
2014
Investors
N/A

Chroma Medicine is focused on genomic medicine research and epigenetics. Their innovative approach aims to create targeted therapies for diseases, offering new possibilities for precision medicine. With their technology, Chroma Medicine wants to have control of gene activities, using single-dose therapeutics capable of making changes to the epigenome.

Location
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Funding
Founded in
2020
Investors
Google Ventures, Cormorant Asset Management, Atlas Venture, Newpath Partners

Color is a leader in population health technology, aiming to make health initiatives more accessible and easier to scale. The startup partners with other organizations to provide services for different communities. Among their projects, Color has partnered with the American Cancer Society to create the first cancer prevention and screening programs, providing employers and unions with accessible screening solutions and other services.

Location
Burlingame, California, US
Funding
$482 Million
Founded in
2013
Investors
T. Rowe Price, Kindred Ventures, General Catalyst

Protera is a biotechnology startup focused on protein engineering and research to improve ingredients, either for food or agricultural purposes. The startup aims to optimize protein performance, developing different alternatives. One of Protera’s main products is a healthy oil called Protera Sense, which can be used to replace trans fatty acids.

Location
Westchester, Illinois, US
Funding
$20M (Series A)
Founded in
2018
Investors
N/A

Ambagon Therapeutics is dedicated to healthcare. The startup works with 14-3-3 proteins, which have the potential to address different diseases, such as metabolic disorders, infectious diseases, cancer, and neurodegenerative illnesses. Ambagon Therapeutics aims to expand boundaries of medicine, addressing diseases that currently don’t have a cure.

Location
California, US
Funding
Founded in
2020
Investors
Nextech Invest

Biotech startup Absci is a synthetic biology company specializing in AI-driven drug discovery and protein engineering. Their platform accelerates biopharmaceutical development, producing solutions for patients at a faster pace. According to their website, their new technology could potentially reduce by up to 50% the time to get new drug leads into a clinic.

Location
Vancouver, Washington, US
Funding
$237.9 Million
Founded in
2011
Investors
Redmile Group, Casdin Capital, Merck Global Health Innovation Fund

Aegle Therapeutics is also in our list of top biotech startups. It specializes in regenerative medicine, focusing on wound healing and tissue regeneration. Using novel approaches in regenerative medicine, they aim to develop treatments for rare conditions and diseases such as severe burns, dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, and dermatological disorders, improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

Location
Miami, Florida, US
Funding
$13.5M (Convertible Note)
Founded in
2013
Investors
N/A

Satellite Bio also specializes in regenerative medicine. The biotech startup focuses on tackling diseases that don’t yet have an effective treatment or a cure. Through their approach, Satellite Bio aims to deliver living cells into the body so they can repair or perhaps replace organ tissues. The startup refers to it as Tissue Therapeutics.

Location
Cambridge, Massachusetts, US
Funding
Founded in
2020
Investors
aMoon Fund, Lightspeed Venture Partners, LS Polaris Innovation Fund

Conclusion

Recent reports show that startups are growing exponentially worldwide, according to the European Fiscal Board (EFB). If the growth continues, biotech startups are expected to represent 50% of all new drug launches by 2025. They show promise for the next few years, standing out and significantly impacting the global market.

In the digital era, technology is indispensable when it comes to creative solutions and initiatives. As seen in this article, technology is applied to a wide variety of areas, including research for new drugs, development of genetic treatments, sustainable initiatives, and overall healthcare. The biotech industry is constantly thinking of new alternatives and innovations. Amidst this technological revolution, entities like Pathway are pivotal, offering a streamlined portal to essential medical knowledge, thereby enabling healthcare professionals to rapidly access vital clinical information right at the point of care.

Neil Hodgson-Coyle
Neil Hodgson-Coyle
Content writer at TechNews180
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