Houdini Bio was founded in 2025 out of Cambridge research and applies machine learning-driven software to redesign therapeutic DNA so it avoids silencing by the cell's defence machinery. The company aims to increase durability of gene and cell therapies by predicting and engineering DNA sequences that bypass the HUSH complex. Houdini Bio reports preclinical data showing more than tenfold increases in gene expression relative to current leading approaches and says it reached technical milestones in a third of the expected time. Founders include Jonathan Cohen-Gold, who discovered the molecular workaround during his PhD at the University of Cambridge, and Lee Dunham, formerly of the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult. Financially, the startup has secured roughly £1.5M via a mix of non-dilutive grants and an oversubscribed pre-seed round. Houdini Bio plans to use the funds to grow its team and establish co-development partnerships with pharmaceutical companies.

Total raised

$2M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Jun 2026