• Molecular Assemblies

  Participated · Seed · Dec 2016

  Molecular Assemblies develops an enzymatic DNA synthesis platform that combines advanced chemistries with engineered enzymes to produce synthetic DNA. The company has been collaborating with Codexis since June 2020, with Codexis applying its CodeEvolver® platform to improve DNA polymerase enzymes that are critical for enzymatic synthesis. MAI reports the enzyme engineering phase is nearing completion and says subsequent enzyme improvements are on track to unlock the potential of enzymatic DNA synthesis. The recent capital is intended to accelerate MAI’s go-to-market strategy as the company moves toward commercialization. Codexis holds a seat on MAI’s board and is now the company’s second-largest shareholder, reflecting the depth of the partnership. The SynBio Innovation Accelerator, a collaboration between Codexis and Casdin Capital, enabled this investment as its second early-stage company backing. Molecular Assemblies is a private life sciences company based in San Diego, CA. It is developing an enzymatic DNA synthesis technology designed to power the next generation of DNA-based products. The company’s core offering centers on an enzymatic DNA synthesis platform intended to enable new DNA-based applications. Molecular Assemblies recently closed an oversubscribed $24 million Series A financing. The financing included significant investments from Agilent Technologies, iSelect Fund, Codexis, Alexandria Venture Investments and Argonautic Ventures, with LYFE Capital joining the syndicate. The article does not disclose revenue, user metrics, or other operating metrics. Molecular Assemblies is a San Diego-based biotech developing an enzymatic DNA synthesis technology designed to power next-generation DNA-based products. Its scientists pioneered a two-step enzymatic DNA synthesis process that can deliver pure, sequence-specific DNA on demand, without a template, and can scale to longer DNA sequences. The proprietary process uses aqueous, non-toxic reagents and requires minimal post-synthesis purification and processing. Enzymatic synthesis can write long, pure DNA, which the company says is required to unlock synthetic biology applications such as personalized medicines (including CAR-T and CRISPR gene editing), advanced agricultural and industrial products, and DNA-based data storage. Led by President and CEO Michael J. Kamdar, the company intends to use its latest funding to advance its proprietary synthesis platform. Molecular Assemblies raised $12.2M in a Series A and plans to apply the capital toward technology development and commercialization of DNA-based products. Molecular Assemblies is a San Diego-based developer of a proprietary enzymatic DNA synthesis technology intended to power DNA-based products. Its patented enzymatic method aims to enable the reading and writing of DNA for industries including industrial synthetic biology and precision medicine. The company also targets emerging applications such as DNA information storage, nanomachines and bio-based electronics. Led by president and CEO Michael J. Kamdar, Molecular Assemblies focuses on advancing its platform to serve those markets. The company raised seed financing to expand its team and advance development of its enzymatic synthesis technology. The announced seed round totaled $2.3M.

• Phi Optics

  Participated · Seed · Nov 2013

  Phi Optics designs and manufactures imaging devices based on Quantitative Phase Imaging (QPI), a label-free quantitative technology with nanoscale sensitivity. Its core product focus is optical microscopes for faster, more sensitive imaging of live cells and tissues. The company secured $250,000 in seed funding to support development and commercialization of its patented QPI-based instruments. Phi Optics also received a Phase 1 SBIR award from the National Science Foundation, which funded a feasibility study to translate the QPI technology from a university lab to a commercial product. It has established strategic partnerships with Agilent Technologies and Carl Zeiss Microscopy to aid commercialization and product development. The company commercializes technology developed in Professor Gabriel Popescu's laboratory and was founded by Drs. Gabriel Popescu and Catalin Chiritescu. Phi Optics is located in the EnterpriseWorks incubator in the University of Illinois Research Park in Champaign, Ill.

No current team members are available.