Y Combinator is a startup accelerator that invests in a large number of startups twice a year. It created a new model for funding startups. Twice a year, the company invests a small amount of money ($150k) in a large number of startups. The startup accelerator works intensively with the companies for three months, to get them into the best possible shape and refine their pitch to investors. Each cycle culminates in Demo Day when the startups present their companies to a carefully selected, invite-only audience.

Y Combinator

Established in 2016 and based in Silicon Valley, FoundersX is a deep-domain winner with investment focus on deep tech, enterprise AI and digital infrastructure. We outcompete with our deep-dive research capacity. We are an early investor in multiple tech unicorns with several home runs, and have over 20 high growth companies valued at over $100M. We have highly competitive deal flows and high hit rate. Our firm is featured on the WSJ and Business Insider as a pioneering tech VC.

FoundersX Ventures

Emles Advisors operates as an asset manager dedicated to find and deliver investment opportunities.

Emles Advisors

Scientia Ventures invests in early to mid-stage technology companies that target computational biology and chemistry, the digitization of medicine, and digital therapies as well as traditional drug development companies at the cutting edge of the life sciences.

Scientia Ventures

Playground Global is an early-stage venture capital firm backing technical and scientific founders with deep engineering expertise, a collaborative environment, and a first-hand understanding of the intricacies of deep tech. Established in 2015 and headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, Playground’s mission is to transform ambitious ideas into impactful businesses that benefit humanity and the planet.  We invest in areas that span across next gen compute automation, energy transition and engineered biology. Playground has been an early – and frequently first investor – in companies that include PsiQuantum, Relativity Space, Ultima Genomics, MosaicML (acq. by Databricks), d-Matrix, and Strand Therapeutics.

Playground Global

M12 - Microsoft’s venture fund, invests in early-stage enterprise software companies with a focus on AI, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, developer tools, vertical SaaS, and Web3/Gaming. Since 2016, M12 has invested in over 100 companies, helping startups accelerate growth with unparalleled access to Microsoft.

M12 - Microsoft's Venture Fund

1910 Genetics

1910 Genetics is a biotechnology company integrating AI, computation, and biological automation to improve drug development. The company establishes an understanding of the molecular basis of disease to the granularity at which the world understands sickle cell anemia. This understanding drives their integration of artificial intelligence (AI), computation, and biological automation to accelerate the design of small molecule and protein therapeutics.

1910 Genetics is a biotechnology company founded in 2018 that is focused on accelerating drug discovery through the use of AI, computation, and laboratory automation. The company has developed a multimodal AI platform that can design both small molecule drugs, which make up 90% of currently approved drugs, as well as large molecule therapeutics.

1910 Genetics and Microsoft link to enhance pharmaceutical R&D

Microsoft partners with Boston biotech to build 'drug discovery on steroids'

Microsoft and 1910 Genetics Partner to Build the Infrastructure Layer for Drug Discovery and Development Using AI and High-Performance Computing

Microsoft and 1910 Genetics are discovering data's hidden gems

Microsoft, 1910 Genetics eye biopharma breakthroughs

Microsoft and 1910 Genetics partner to turbocharge R&D productivity for the pharmaceutical industry

1910 Genetics Appoints Patrick Genestin as Chief Business Officer

1910 Genetics Appoints Desney Tan from Microsoft to Board of Directors

Microsoft and 1910 Genetics Partner to Build the Infrastructure Layer for Drug Discovery and Development Using AI and HPC

Microsoft and 1910 Genetics to enable AI-driven drug discovery

Targeting complex diseases with complex molecules

Large-molecule Therapeutics

Accenture Invests in Sam Altman and Y Combinator Backed BioTech Startup 1910 Genetics

Microsoft

1910 Genetics partners with Microsoft to revolutionize drug discovery using advanced AI and high-performance computing.

Artificial intelligence is identifying and testing new therapies faster than ever.

AI Drug Discovery

SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) companies providing their ML platform to other pharma companies for drug discovery services such as target selection, validation and lead optimization.

1910 Genetics is a biotechnology company founded in 2018 that is focused on accelerating drug discovery through the use of AI, computation, and laboratory automation. The company has developed a multimodal AI platform that can design both small molecule drugs, which make up 90% of currently approved drugs, as well as large molecule therapeutics.
1910 Genetics generates three proprietary data streams at scale to address the pharmaceutical industry's data scarcity problem - computational data using atomistic modeling and simulations, wet lab proxy biological data using next-generation sequencing, and wet lab ground truth biological data from biochemical, cellular, and in vivo assays. The company's state-of-the-art laboratory, powered by robotics and automation, integrates this massive parallel data with AI in an iterative loop for training and testing drug candidates.
For pharmaceutical R&D teams, 1910 Genetics' platform significantly reduces the time and cost of designing novel lead molecules across various therapeutic targets like proteases, kinases, transmembrane receptors, and disease areas such as neuroscience, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. In March 2024, the company announced a five-year commercial agreement with Microsoft to integrate its drug discovery platform with Azure Quantum Elements, a cloud-based system that uses AI and high-performance computing to accelerate scientific discovery.

Innovent Biologics is a leading biopharmaceutical company founded in 2011 with the mission to develop and commercialize innovative and affordable medicines. The company focuses on oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, autoimmune disorders, and ophthalmology. As of March 2024, Innovent has ten approved products in the Chinese market, including TYVYT (sintilimab injection), BYVASDA (bevacizumab injection), SULINNO (adalimumab injection), and others. The company's core product, TYVYT, is an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody approved across seven indications, making it the most widely approved PD-1 inhibitor in China.
Innovent has a robust pipeline with three new drug applications under review, four assets in Phase III or pivotal trials, and 19 molecules in early clinical development. The company's innovative pipeline spans various modalities, including bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and RNA therapeutics. In oncology, Innovent is advancing the next-generation immunotherapy combinations with ADCs, such as the CLDN18.2 ADC (IBI343) and the EGFR/B7H3 bispecific ADC (IBI3001). The company's metabolic pipeline includes mazdutide, a first-in-class GLP-1R/GCGR dual agonist in late-stage development for weight management.
Innovent has a strong emphasis on global innovation, with its Innovent Academy delivering eight novel molecules into IND-enabling stage in 2023. The company has established large-scale manufacturing facilities in Suzhou and Hangzhou to support global supply. Innovent collaborates with over 30 global healthcare leaders, reinforcing its commitment to advancing biopharmaceutical innovation worldwide.

Innovent Biologics

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 ADC Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for treating cancer. The company's ADCs leverage highly potent and targeted pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer technology, which causes the ADCs' antibodies to bind to specific tumor cell surface antigens. Once internalized, the potent PBD dimer is released inside the cell, creating covalent cross-links between the DNA strands, disrupting cell division without triggering DNA repair mechanisms.
 
 
 
 
 ADC Therapeutics' lead product candidate, Zynlonta, received FDA approval in April 2021 for treating adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy. The company is also advancing a deep pipeline of other PBD-based ADCs targeting hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. As of May 2021, ADC Therapeutics reported revenues of USD 38.2 million, reflecting initial sales of Zynlonta.
 
 
 
 
 In March 2022, ADC Therapeutics acquired US commercial rights to Overrkey Biological's anti-HER2 ADC Overena, broadening its cancer treatment portfolio. The acquisition aligned with the company's strategic focus on expanding globally with its PBD-based ADC technology.
 
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ADC Therapeutics

Sirnaomics is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of RNA therapeutics. The company focuses on innovative drugs for indications with unmet medical needs and large market opportunities. Sirnaomics utilizes two proprietary delivery platforms: the Polypeptide Nanoparticle Formulation (PNP) and the second generation of GalNAc conjugates called GalAhead.
Sirnaomics has established a robust pipeline of drug candidates, with several products in clinical and preclinical stages. The company's lead clinical product, STP705, has demonstrated positive results in Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma in situ (isSCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Additionally, STP705 is being explored for focal fat reduction in the medical aesthetics field. Another promising candidate, STP707, is a PNP formulation consisting of two siRNAs targeting TGF-β1 and COX-2 for intravenous treatment of solid tumors. STP707 has shown promising results in a Phase I basket clinical study, exhibiting stable disease response in 74% of evaluable patients.
Sirnaomics achieved a significant milestone by advancing STP122G, the first candidate utilizing the GalAhead technology, into clinical development. STP122G targets Factor XI for anticoagulation therapeutics and is currently undergoing Phase I clinical trials.
In March 2023, Sirnaomics' subsidiary, RNAimmune, received IND clearance from the FDA to initiate a Phase I clinical trial for RV-1770, an mRNA vaccine targeting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Additionally, RNAimmune obtained FDA clearance for a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine booster candidate, RV-1730.
Sirnaomics has established its manufacturing facility in China, enabling the transition from a biotech company to a biopharmaceutical corporation. The facility has successfully produced a full GMP batch of STP707 for human injection and is expected to support the company's clinical pipeline.
In July 2024, Sirnaomics announced the completion of IND-enabling studies for STP125G, an siRNA therapeutic targeting Apolipoprotein C3 (ApoC3) for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The positive results from non-human primate studies support the filing of an IND with the FDA.

Sirnaomics

Sesen Bio is a late-stage clinical company that previously focused on developing targeted fusion protein therapeutics for cancer treatment. Its lead product candidate, Vicineum, is a locally administered targeted fusion protein composed of an anti-epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) antibody fragment tethered to a truncated form of Pseudomonas exotoxin A for the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).
In February 2021, the FDA accepted Sesen Bio's Biologics License Application (BLA) for Vicineum to treat BCG-unresponsive NMIBC, granting Priority Review. However, in August 2021, the company received a Complete Response Letter from the FDA, requiring an additional Phase 3 clinical trial for potential resubmission. Following discussions with the FDA in March 2022, Sesen Bio aligned on most elements for the trial design and planned to meet again in mid-2022 to finalize outstanding items.
On July 15, 2022, Sesen Bio made the strategic decision to voluntarily pause further development of Vicineum in the US due to the incremental timeline and costs associated with the additional Phase 3 trial. The company shifted its primary focus to consummating a strategic transaction to maximize shareholder value while seeking a partner for Vicineum's further development.
In September 2022, Sesen Bio announced a pending merger with Carisma Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing immunotherapies based on engineered macrophages. This merger was approved by Sesen Bio's stockholders in March 2023, with the combined company operating under the name Carisma Therapeutics Inc. and trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker "CARM".
Upon closing the merger in March 2023, Sesen Bio declared a special cash dividend of USD 75 million (around USD 0.36 per share) to its stockholders and issued them Contingent Value Rights (CVRs) entitling them to potential proceeds from the sale of Vicineum and other assets, as well as a USD 30 million milestone payment under the Roche Asset Purchase Agreement.

Sesen Bio

ACELYRIN, INC. is a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformative medicines for immunology and inflammatory diseases. The company's lead product candidate is izokibep, a next-generation inhibitor of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) designed to overcome limitations of monoclonal antibodies. Izokibep is being evaluated in multiple late-stage trials for moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and noninfectious uveitis.
In March 2024, ACELYRIN reported positive top line data from a global Phase 2 billion/3 clinical trial of izokibep in PsA, meeting the primary endpoint of ACR50 at 16 weeks with high statistical significance. The trial also demonstrated robust clinical responses for higher hurdle endpoints like ACR70, PASI100, and composite measures, indicating izokibep's potential to provide clinically meaningful benefits. Additionally, ACELYRIN announced differentiated long-term 32-week data from a global Phase 2 billion trial of izokibep in HS, showing rapid, dose-ordered improvement across multiple disease manifestations, including HiSCR100 achieved earlier than reported by other IL-17 inhibitors.
ACELYRIN's other late-stage asset is lonigutamab, a subcutaneously delivered monoclonal antibody targeting IGF-1R being investigated for the treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED). In March 2024, ACELYRIN announced positive proof-of-concept data from a Phase 1/2 trial, demonstrating rapid improvements in proptosis and clinical activity score within three weeks after the first dose.
As of December 31, 2023, ACELYRIN had cash, cash equivalents, and short-term marketable securities totaling USD 721.3 million, providing a runway to support key late-stage data milestones and registrational studies across multiple indications. In January 2023, ACELYRIN acquired ValenzaBio, adding lonigutamab and other immunology assets to its pipeline.

ACELYRIN

Companies that develop engineered proteins that can target specific proteins or cells in the body

Companies that develop large molecules that can be used to target specific RNA molecules in the body, either to silence or replace them

Companies that develop large molecules that combine the targeting ability of monoclonal antibodies with the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy drugs

Companies that develop large molecules that can be used to replace or supplement deficient or malfunctioning proteins in the body

Companies specializing in peptide-based treatments leverage short amino acid chains, known as peptides, to target and modulate various biological processes for therapeutic applications

AL/ML used to identify potential drug targets, and support protein engineering and optimization

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 Biotechnology company 1910 Genetics, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), has received a funding from investment firm Accenture Ventures. The exact investment amount remains undisclosed. The funds will complement 1910 Genetics' AI drug discovery initiatives.
 The company plans to use the investment to extend its operations and assist in its development endeavours.
 1910 Genetics catalyses small and large molecule drug discovery through its multimodal AI platform, enhanced by laboratory automation. Its exclusive Input-Transform-Output (ITO) platform marries AI with computational data, proxy biological data from wet labs, and ground truth biological data from wet labs, aiming at delivering effective drug candidates across a wide range of therapeutic areas.
 
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1910 Genetics

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