Helico is developing a platform to produce therapeutic compounds and medicines in plants, with the long-term goal of creating 'edible medicine'. Its first target is insulin, and the company sees relevance in investor Wolfgang Leitner's Andritz experience in industrial insulin purification. Helico is building a proprietary computational platform for synthetic biology research using modern modelling tools and AI-based prediction algorithms to accelerate research and validation. The startup operates from GMO-certified labs at the Outset Ventures deep-tech facility in Auckland and has New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority approval for R&D using genetically modified organisms. The AUD $1.8 million seed raise will extend R&D and increase staff headcount, aided by New Zealand's new 'green' list visas for specialist hires. While R&D is based in New Zealand, Helico plans to scale production overseas in Australia or the United States where regulatory frameworks for larger GMO production are better known. Its long-term aim is to develop a seed bank of different drugs that can be licensed to grow medical supplies in confined greenhouses globally, addressing supply-chain resilience highlighted by COVID.

Total raised

$1M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

May 2022