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Massachusetts Institute of Technology

At least half of the US adult population is predicted to have obesity by 2030. While new drugs are coming to market and even more are in the pipeline, they focus on satiety without doing anything to treat the root causes of metabolic disease. Siege’s compounds act through a novel mitochondrial mechanism to not only induce weight loss but also directly address drivers of obesity’s lethal co-morbidities including type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. Templated off of natural molecules, our compounds hit a unique constellation of targets to safely and effectively treat multiple facets of metabolic disease. These same targets have been validated in cancer, where we have shown that daily administration reduces growth of an autochtonous prostate cancer model by 82%.

Princeton NuEnergy

Princeton University

(10.2022 Update -Princeton NuEnergy, Inc. ("PNE"), an emerging growth company primarily engaged in the regeneration of lithium-ion battery ("LIB") material, announced it successfully closed a seed funding round at $7M in Q4 2021. The round was led by Wistron Corporation (TPE: 3231), a Fortune Global 500 member and an industry leader in electronics recycling services. Other investors in the round include Shell Ventures, Greenland Technologies (NASDAQ: GTECH), CleanTech Open, AIBasis Fund, WorldQuant Ventures, and the angel round investors. Princeton NuEnergy ("PNE") is an innovative clean-tech startup company spun out from Princeton University in 2019 focused on the direct recycling of lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles and consumer electronics. Opened its Lithium-Ion Battery (LIB) Direct Recycling 500-ton pilot production line with Wistron GreenTech. )

HealthStream

Build and manage a curated set of courses that allow medical practitioners to find professional training in almost all areas of healthcare. Employs sophisticated software to validate a medical provider's knowledge/skill, ensuring that consistent care is achieved. They are most well known for Jane, a machine learning program that measures clinicians ability and knowledge to create an education plan for work competency.

Reach Neuro

University of Pittsburgh

[Update (8.2023): Venture funding total - $750k] Stroke is an incredibly pervasive problem that directly affects one quarter of the world’s population. Unfortunately, many of these people are told they will never regain functional use of their arm or hand. With Reach, they will. One of our patients was able to cut food with a fork and knife and feed herself for the first time in 9 years since having her stroke. In contrast to existing assistive tools such as functional electrical stimulation, Reach’s device allows the user full control over complex and naturalistic movements. Advantages of the technology: • Assists movements in all upper limb joints • Restores naturalistic and voluntary movements • Immediate improvements • Assists users in performing tasks of daily living • Eligible for chronic stroke patients even years after their stroke • Uses standard implant device and surgical procedure • Does not require donning and doffing bulky equipment

KayoThera

Princeton University

(Update - 4.22: KayoThera closed an $8 million Series A round of financing. The financing was led by Accelerator Life Science Partners (“ALSP”) with participation from BioAdvance and 7G Bioventures. KayoThera will focus its therapeutic development efforts on its lead oncology program to further advance the technology towards a product that will benefit patients with late-stage and metastatic cancers.) Kayothera is leveraging cutting-edge discoveries to develop therapeutics for cancer patients who currently receive terminal diagnoses. Our two pipeline candidates target solid tumors to 1) inhibit tumor survival mechanisms in advanced or chemoresistant disease, 2) deplete immunosuppressive Regulatory T cells to restore anti-tumor immunity. With these first-in-class small molecule therapeutics, we aim to give hope to patients with intractable cancers.

Invictus BCI

Using machine learning and neuroscience, Invictus BCI has created an affordable prosthetic control interface that has a greater movement capability and is more comfortable. Developer of a brain-controlled interface technology intended to create prosthetic control interfaces that can restore near natural functionality. The company's technology leverages new advances in machine learning and neuroscience to create a prosthetic control interface that has more intuitive control, greater movement capability, enabling patients to get access to greater comfort all while being far less expensive. TE

Pre-Fever Detection of Infection

Techniques for detecting infection by monitoring physiological states before symptoms become apparent. A machine learning model is used to analyze patient data and help to identify whether a patient was exposed to an infectious chemical agent. This detection could lead to earlier patient care and increase the probability of a positive prognosis.

VasoBio

University of California, Davis

VasoBio is startup company focusing on vascular disease treatment & medical devices. VasoBio has developed a proprietary ligand-based coating technology, VasoCoat, to improve vascular grafts and other blood contacting devices. Our technology overcomes the major barriers of currently available vascular grafts and possesses optimal functionality. The current focus of VasoBio is to apply VasoCoat to improve patency of hemodialysis vascular graft and reduce thrombosis, stenosis, and infection. (Update: Received about $500,000 from the Kidney Innovation Accelerator (KidneyX), a public-private partnership between the US Department of Health and Human Services and the American Society of Nephrology.)

EncapBio Systems

Cell replacement therapies hold tremendous promise for type 1 diabetes, hemophilia, lysosomal storage diseases and other cellular disorders. EncapBio Systems has developed technologies for safe and functional delivery of cell therapies ready for pre-clinical development. Most of our recent work, ranging from material synthesis and device fabrication to cell engineering and process integration, has been centered around the goal of successfully delivering safely insulin producing cells with long-term function for T1D patients. EncapBio Systems builds upon 10 years of research of high quality proof-of-concept publications and patent applications. EncapBio Systems is seeking co-founders and investors to help build the next biomaterial platform for cell therapy.

Qrypt

An integrated quantum hardware and cryptographic solution for securing data. TRL 9

My Gene Counsel

[Update (8.2023): Venture funding total - $3.38M] My Gene Counsel has created scalable, digital technology that pairs specific genetic test results with accurate, continuously updating information for clinicians and consumers. By helping patients and doctors become aware of the implications of genetic testing results, My Gene Counsel can help improve patients' lives and avoid unnecessary risky medical procedures.

Free Dynamics

Our silicon-based quantum sensor can continuously sense and record information without the need for batteries. By interrogating the stored information at a later time instant, the recipient can retroactively monitor the environmental conditions the sensor experienced. Advantages: Continuously logs data from environmental stimuli without external power or batteries / Provides cumulative, time-integrated information for later retrieval / Leverages mature silicon manufacturing to reduce cost / Reduces gap in coverage by augmenting existing periodic, battery-based solutions /

ThinkLive

University of California, Santa Barbara

Founded in 2018 at the Georgia Institute of Technology, ThinkLive! is a vibrant blend of education and music, offering STEM education through the medium of turntabling. This unique platform is built by a collective of passionate educators, STEM professionals, and music enthusiasts, aiming to foster intellectual curiosity, socioemotional functioning, and an enduring love for STEM among students. By leveraging youth culture and music, ThinkLive! creates interactive teaching strategies that resonate with diverse learners.

bioProtonics

[Update (8.2023): SBIR/STTR funding total - $150k, Venture funding total - $2.86M] Many diseases can only be diagnosed properly by looking at sections of the tissue post-mortem or from invasive biopsies. Imaging of subtle textural aspects of tissue is not possible due to low resolution in magnetic resonance (MR) images. bioProtonics has developed a method to measure tissue texture using MR data without the need for rendered images. In many diagnostic workflows, the bioProtonics technique could replace biopsies. Such applications include neurodegenerative disease, liver disease, osteoporosis, cancer, lung disease, prostate disease. (Update 2019 - 2021: $1,049,785 + $782K Seed Funding)

BioSpecimen Technologies, LLC

George Washington University

BioSpecimen Technologies (BST) is a medical device development company with revolutionary patented technologies that greatly improve the quality of patient blood testing in clinical labs, hospitals and RNA/DNA research and testing centers.

ViewsML

Dartmouth College

Utilizing artificial intelligence in conjunction with the electrocardiogram to help clinicians identify cardiovascular disease more quickly, more accurately, and at a fraction of the cost. Real time capture of microscope video that is digitized, formatted and stored for AI and ML based use to enhance patient diagnosis. ViewsML uses a machine-learning model to predict biomarker expression in patient samples, both spatially and quantitatively. This reduces a 24+ hour process down to a few seconds, saving time and resources that can be redeployed elsewhere in the hospital or laboratory.

Rixel

Freelance deep learning developers and data scientists creating technical projects and participating in hack-a-thons. Projects include a Medical Gateway Platform to connect medical devices and platforms with real time, secure, and private data. A Health Data Labeling System that helps medical companies integrate new data from smart devices. The software collects, cleans, and labels the data. Finally, a Synthetic NF1 which is a method to solve the MRI data shortage in the field of neurofibromatosis type I.

Entelechy

Entelechy’s business-focused approach ensures they design, develop, and deliver the most effective performance change possible. Whether it’s world-class training, job aids, documentation, coaching, consulting, web-based training, or user help, the solution you get from Entelechy is guaranteed to help you achieve your business goals. They provide a training module with training materials and access to a team of learning and development, and instructional design experts to help execute your program flawlessly.

VitaScan

Addressing vital nutrient deficiencies, which are surprisingly prevalent and may lead to severe health issues, VitaScan provides rapid, accurate, and affordable testing for vitamins and micronutrients. With our first product, IronScan, we focus on swift identification of iron deficiency, affecting one-third of the global population and causing numerous health complications. Now, VitaScan's portable system allows for not only hospital avoidance but also facilitates convenient testing at a physician's office, clinic, or even at home.

Rhenium Chemotherapeutics

About half of treated cancer patients receive platinum-based drugs (eg. cisplatin, carboplatin) alone or in co-administration with other anticancer agents. Despite their efficacy, their use is limited by toxic side effects and inherent or acquired resistance to platinum-based drugs by tumor cells. To address this challenge, a Cornell team lead by Prof. Justin Wilson have developed rhenium-based chemotherapeutics for treatment of platinum-resistant cancers.

SPARKBio

Over 30% of such withdrawals are due to cardiac toxicity (pro-arrhythmic effects mediated by cardiac ion channels), therefore regulatory agreements mandate the testing of all new drugs for cardiac liability. GW researchers developed the first scalable automated all-optical system for high-throughput cardiac electrophysiology and electromechanics. The system includes a method for combined optical pacing and optical recording from a variety of primary and stem-cell-derived cells and tissues. This platform allows for active dynamic interrogation, such as robust pacing protocols that can reveal Vm, [Ca2+]i or contraction’s frequency response (restitution) and temporal instabilities. The researchers also developed “spark-cell” spheroids which can be used as a reagent that can be frozen, transported, and deployed on-site to confer optical pacing of cardiac cells.

Gene Activation Product Engine

Over 95% of rare disease have no treatment or cure: there are over 7,000 known rare diseases collectively affectiting 30 million Americans. Many of these disease are genetic disorders, in which there can be considerable genetic variation between patients. Current drug development pipeline does not cater to rare mutations, as drug development often takes more than 10 years and over $2B to get a drug to market, making the small patient populations inhibiting. Even if a therapy is developed, genetic variation of the disease means not all patients in the already-small patient population may be able to be treated, limiting their impact and incentive to develop these therapies.

Bioada

Rutgers University

The scientific community is continuously trying to improve their understanding of genetic mechanisms in biological systems and finding biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. With growing accessibility, still, only the minority of investigators in the life and medical sciences has the means to analyze and leverage this enormous treasure of data. Bioada is an integrated, easy to use and interactive genomics data analysis platform for the broader community of life scientists.

Qlarity Imaging

University of California, Los Angeles

AI software that gives radiologists information they do not have access to today. Qlarity Imaging utilizes the QuantX MRI image analysis technology and reference database to aid in initial diagnosis and evaluation of extent of known disease of breast cancer patients. The software dramatically improves biopsy precision and treatment outcomes by identifying exactly where a malignancy is, how and where the needle should be inserted, and how deep the needle should go, effectively guiding the radiologists performing biopsy procedures. The technology was designed with physicians in mind, resulting in easy implementation and adoption in research and community hospitals demonstrating that not only does the technology work in theory, it also works in practice resulting in material improvement to patient outcomes.

Surgical ai

Harvard University

Operating rooms are often not efficient and are costly to hospitals. Solutions to increasing efficiency neglect to monitor errors in real time which can be stopped and improve efficiency from the time of the incident. This technology pairs artificial intelligence with real time monitoring of operating room procedures to increase efficiency of hospital operating rooms.

CDR3 Therapeutics, Inc.

CDR3 Therapeutics is a pioneer in developing stem cell-based immunotherapies to revolutionize cancer treatment. The company's unique, patented technology overcomes the limitations of current CAR-T therapies, such as reduced functionality and persistence. By using hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) sourced from patients and adding either CAR or TCR genes, CDR3 creates a self-renewing source of gene-targeted immune cells. The modified cells engrafted into the patient's bone marrow, maintain their performance over time, thus addressing the challenge of solid tumors, an area currently unmet by FDA-approved therapies.

ERLY Antivirals

Carnegie Mellon University

Our lab has developed novel broad-spectrum antivirals for treatment of all nine human and several animal herpesviruses that overcomes drug resistance. We have shown that the pressurized state of the viral packaged genome is a target for antiviral therapies. This pressurized DNA state in herpesvirus capsid shell (exerting tens of atmospheres of pressure) is responsible for DNA ejection into a cell nucleus, causing infection. Several lead compounds that "turn off" capsid pressure and block viral genome ejection into a cell have demonstrated superior efficacy and safety in testing conducted at the NIH/NIAID. Although high activity has been shown with all human herpesviruses and several animal herpesviruses, our focus will be on treatment of human cytomegalovirus and MDV (Marek’s disease virus in poultry). For HCMV treatment, the market is dominated by generics, such as ganciclovir and foscarne, that have low efficacy and safety profiles. For MDV, no treatments are available.

cAPAcity Genomics

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified thousands of noncoding variants associated with human traits and diseases. However, translating these variants into therapies continues to be a significant challenge. Alpaca Genomics has constructed a multi-tissue atlas of human 3′ UTR alternative polyadenylation (APA) quantitative trait loci (3′aQTLs), connecting thousands of noncoding GWAS variants with the APA of target genes, identified in 49 tissues isolated from 838 individuals (sourced from the Genotype-Tissue Expression Project). Alpaca Genomics is using 3’aQTLs to discover novel APA-linked susceptibility for many human diseases, such as diabetes, prostate cancer, coronary artery disease (CAD), Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Parkinson's disease, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Match the Hatch Biotechnology, Inc.

The pivotal challenges in emerging therapies, such as gene therapy, CAR-T/stem cell therapy, immunotherapy, and regenerative medicine, include daunting characterization, manufacturing, and chemistry (CMC), poor quality control (QC), costs, and biosafety. The CLE technology harnesses a paradigm-shifting approach by chemically, physically blebbing desired cells to produce cell-like vesicles that fully replicate the structure and function of the parent cells. The CLE technology achieves significantly higher yield in a substantially shorter time via incredibly simpler concentration and purification processes than conventional extracellular vesicle (EV) method, resulting homogeneous, stable, and economically competitive products. Additionally, all types of cells are subject to the CLE technology with consistently high efficiency.

Stork AI

Stork AI is leveraging its strong foundations in reproductive medicine, big data, and artificial intelligence to create next-generation fertility products that ultimately help people have babies. It is commercializing a decision assessment tool comprised of patent-pending, AI-based software (“STORK”) that reliably assesses embryo (blastocyst) quality. STORK was developed using a proprietary, multi-focal embryo image dataset from Weill Cornell’s Center for Reproductive Medicine. STORK can also predict genetic defects such as aneuploidy, which involves an abnormal number of chromosomes in the embryo.

ColdQuanta

When atoms are cooled to a few millionths of a degree above absolute zero, they take on quantum properties. Lasers are used to arrange the atoms, hold them in place, run computations on them, and read out the results. Quantum calculations, communications, and sensing are the result. This quantum technology can be used to solve some of the world’s most challenging problems.

Atomwise

The company’s proprietary AtomNet technology identifies new small molecules for therapeutic targeting of difficult proteins. Atomwise is a venture-backed drug discovery platform company powered by robust and evolving machine learning algorithms. The proprietary AtomNet technology identifies new small molecules for therapeutic targeting of difficult proteins. Atomwise has wholly-owned pre-clinical assets in immunology, co-developed assets in oncology, hematology, and immunology, as well as several stealth candidates in discovery phase. (University of Toronto)

ArrePath

Princeton University

(UPDATE 4.22) ArrePath, an anti-infective drug discovery company addressing the global health challenge of drug resistant infections, announced today that it has raised $20 million in seed financing to advance its proprietary, machine learning (ML)-based platform for the discovery of new classes of anti-infectives to overcome antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, Insight Partners, and Innospark Ventures co-led the financing, which also included Viva BioInnovator, Arimed Capital, PTX Capital, and Nor’easter Ventures. ArrePath also announced that Dr. Lloyd Payne has been named President and CEO. Dr. Payne, who serves on the Novo REPAIR Impact Fund Scientific Selection Board and the AMR Action Fund Scientific Advisory Board, brings more than 25 years of scientific and business leadership in the discovery and development of anti-infectives. Dr. Zemer Gitai published proof-of-concept for the approach in the journal Cell in June 2020.

physIQ

Purdue University

[Update (8.2023): physIQ has raised a total of $27.09M in funding through 8 funding rounds]. physIQ has created wearable sensors for continuous, remote patient monitoring to provide predictive insights. The platform gives clinicians 24/7 access to provide treatment and care through virtual or hospital-at-home models, it helps to avoid hospital re-admissions by altering the team to life-threatening events in advance, and helps patients take charge of their own care to improve disease management.

Udacity

Udacity’s proven playbook is globally scalable, addressing the widespread digital talent shortages that impact growth, productivity, and innovation. We collaborate with enterprises and highly motivated individuals to design a tailored talent transformation journey enabled by our Digital Competency Platform. Our exclusive content is co-created and continually refined with industry leaders. Each Udacity program is deeply focused—eliminating guesswork in selecting the right course. Projects go far beyond step-by-step guides, cultivating the critical thinking required for workplace relevance. Expert mentors unblock learning with personalized support, and verify complete mastery of competencies.

ProteoWise

University of California, Santa Barbara

[Update (8.2023): SBIR/STTR funding total - $250k, Venture funding total - $8.65M, Yale Innovation prize - $2.5M] ProteoWise was founded by a seasoned team of scientists from the Strittmatter Laboratory at Yale University which has a history of commercialization of innovations emerging from the lab. ProteoWise aims to unlock the protein world. Its technology will disrupt the protein analysis industry by enabling researchers to move beyond the current Western Blot standard and into easy, high-throughput bench-top proteomics.

Aethergen Biosciences

Dartmouth College

Fungal bioproduction makes up 50% of the industrial enzymes market, a $10B market with a CAGR of 7.1% yearly. Fungal production of enzymes requires that large, dense cultures of cells be aerated properly. Dense cultures, however, become very viscous; stirring these cultures to provide oxygen can damage cells. Aethergen introduces mutations into fungi which convey morphology beneficial for fermentation processes, and lower oxygen consumption by half. This alleviates the need for a tradeoff between culture density and oxygen transfer. Aethergen can thus offer both enzyme manufacturers and strain improvement companies a more efficient process, lowering raw material costs and increasing margins.

Prediction Health

Vanderbilt University

[Update (8.2023): SBIR/STTR funding total - $222k, Venture funding total - $3.98M] Prediction Health is revolutionizing patient care and enhancing the efficiency of clinicians and administrators. Designed specifically for Physical Therapy (PT) compliance and documentation, 'PT Practice Intel' simplifies documentation, compliance, and operational excellence. By reading and analyzing free form notes and EHR data, it automates the laborious tasks, reducing burnout, and increasing efficiency, hence fostering a better environment for outstanding patient care.

Milo Sensors

Millions of people all over the world face challenges with alcohol. One of the more traditional solutions people first consider is Alcoholics Anonymous. Through market research, we have learned that more and more non-traditional solutions are being sought out to supplement the recovery journey and we, at Milo Sensors, believe we can provide an option for the supervised or self-monitoring of alcohol consumption. Unlike other existing alcohol monitoring tools such as ankle bracelets, ION™ is designed for the wearer first, with discretion, comfort, and usability at the forefront. Common industries that benefit from similar monitoring devices, such as the criminal justice system or family law, seem to follow only after the recovery support network has failed and act as a punitive measure. In contrast, we aim to help anyone who seeks to improve their general wellness by focusing on their relationship with alcohol and then help rebuild trust with surrounding family members and supporters.

Phlaxis

Carnegie Mellon University

(UPDATE: Phlaxis received nearly $280,000 in investment, including the Moonshot Prize, a $40,000 award that recognizes unique technologies to solve global challenges. Phlaxis also participated in the second cohort of the Compass deep tech accelerator.) Between 2007 and 2017, there has been a 377% increase in the treatment of diagnosed anaphylactic reactions to food. The current standard of care is not enough to stem the tide of patients suffering the healthcare costs of food allergies. Phlaxis is an innovative immune tolerance company focused on providing a new approach to treating food allergies. Phalxis' allergen tolerance platform features proteins, or antigens, that are engineered to deliver precise, targeted allergy therapy, without the side effects of broad immunosuppression. Phalxis’ allergen-specific platform can be translated to virtually any food allergy, including the Big 8 of milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat, and soy.

Sensible Photonics

Sensible Photonics is partnering with utilities, OEMs and regulators to improve grid reliability and resilience through low-cost sensing solutions for distribution transformers and other electrical equipment. To keep pace with the growing demand for electricity and heightened threat from climate change, the grid needs to be smarter and more self-aware. At the same time, supply for distribution transformers is constrained, causing utilities to seek solutions for extending the life of these assets. Sensible Photonics fiber optic sensors provide real-time temperature readings for electrical assets and can enable the proactive prediction of required maintenance and imminent failures due to thermal runaway, resulting in improved reliability, financial savings, enhanced lifespan of equipment, operational efficiency, and safety. Future product offerings will enable real-time monitoring of additional critical parameters relevant for electrical equipment health monitoring.

RIGImmune

[Update (8.2023): The company raised $5.7 million of seed funding from F-Prime Capital, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Connecticut Innovations on December 7, 2022] Activating the innate immune system within tumors is a promising new direction in immunotherapy because it can be used against a broad spectrum of tumor subtypes and it ensures that cells throughout the tumor microenvironment become sensitized, resulting in attack and destruction by T cells. RIG-I is a particularly sensitive trigger of innate immune response in tumors, so agonists of this receptor are promising immunotherapy agents. Through a unique class of RIG-I agonists called Stem-Loop RNAs (SLRs), the scientific team is evaluating the efficacy of SLRs as immunotherapy and antiviral agents.

synLubricin

Lubrication is critical in biology for tasks such as joint flexing and eye movement, but aging and disease can reduce natural lubrication. Current lubrication solutions either exhibit a short half-life (such as cortisone and hyaluronic acid) or poor long-term bio-compatibility (such as exogenous lubricants like glycerin-mineral oil), leaving a market opportunity to develop a durable, bio-compatible lubricant. synLubricin is a stable, and scalable, long-term bio-lubricant for joints, eyes, and medical devices. synLubricin has been developed in FDA-approved human cell culture systems and is able both to resist cellular adhesion and lubricate biological surfaces, such as cartilage. synLubricin is searching for a co-founder to help develop this venture opportunity.

Aromha

Harvard University

Smell loss is an early indicator of infectious and neurodegenerative disorders. In COVID-19, for example, objective smell loss may occur in >90% of patients. Though molecular (PCR) tests are effective in diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infection, with moderate sensitivity and high specificity, they typically are costly (>$50), with long turnaround times (up to 5-7 days) and have not been as effective in controlling asymptomatic spread. The Aromha Smell Test complements molecular tests with high sensitivity and negative predictive value and can be scaled quickly to provide an important new tool to prevent community spread of COVID, with an at-home, non-invasive, safe, and cost-effective screening test that provides instantaneous results. This platform technology, developed based on 20 years of olfactory research at Harvard, can also be utilized to provide an early signal and improve care in critical neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Disease, and Traumatic Brain Injury.

BiomeSense