The biotech industry is currently navigating a complex path, with established big pharma companies seeking new revenues to offset the massive wave of looming patent expirations. According to an EY global report, public biotech companies revenues decreased 1% from the previous year in 2022, but when factoring out COVID-19 vaccines and antiviral treatments, the industry’s revenues increased a modest 3.7%.
The report also highlights that 2023 will witness a total of five patent expirations of established biologic products worth billions of dollars in revenue. Moreover, it’s anticipated that over 20 products, which account for nearly $200 billion in annual product sales, will have their patent protection expire by 2030. This presents a significant challenge for the industry, but also an opportunity for emerging biotechs to fill the innovation gap.
This is where the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region enters the picture. There are two organizations playing a pivotal role in the support of biotech startups from CEE. The Central European Biotech Incubator and Accelerator (CEBINA) is nurturing promising projects and turning them into startups. Meanwhile, the MIT Enterprise Forum CEE’s Biotech Accelerator Program is connecting startups with established companies, providing the support needed to refine, test, and scale innovations. Adding to this momentum, X2.0 has launched its third open call for startups in the realm of health tech and biotech, offering selected startups access to €30,000 in Innovation Vouchers, as well as the chance to receive mentorship and scaling services from over 100 Impact Builders.
And indeed, CEE startups have been making some significant strides in the biotech sector. For instance, Lifebit, a Greek-born biotech AI startup, raised $60 million in 2021 to accelerate biomedical research and innovation, while Slovenian GenePlanet recently scored a €20 million Series B to improve lives with DNA discovery. Other startups like Romanian Peelhy are focusing on food safety, offering biotech solutions for pesticide-free fruits. We also have Biomyc, a young Bulgarian company, specializing in design for sustainability and biotech innovation, creating environmentally friendly and socially responsible products.
In this article, we spotlight over 50 biotech startups from the CEE region. These startups, categorized by their country of origin and listed in alphabetical order, provide a snapshot of the biotech landscape across different countries in the region.
For the purposes of this listicle, we’ve adopted a specific definition of a biotech company. These are companies that concentrate on leveraging living materials, including cells, to address a broad spectrum of challenges. They employ technology rooted in biology to establish the necessary framework for developing gene therapies, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and other biologics aimed at treating various illnesses and diseases.
In addition to traditional biotech companies, we’ve also included software companies that operate within the field of life sciences. These companies, while not directly involved in biological research or product development, provide essential tools and platforms that support and enable the work of biotech companies.
Based on our research, the biotech startup scene in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is diverse, with a wide range of startups focusing on various verticals. However, there seems to be a significant focus on healthcare-related biotech, with numerous startups developing innovative solutions in areas such as genomics, personalized medicine, and medical devices. Additionally, certain countries, such as Estonia and Poland, have a particularly strong presence in the biotech sector.
This list serves as a curated snapshot of the innovative biotech startups making waves in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region. While we’ve aimed to showcase a diverse range of companies, the fast-paced and dynamic nature of the biotech industry means there are undoubtedly more startups making notable advancements. We see this list as a springboard for further exploration within the thriving biotech ecosystem of the CEE region.
Biotech Startups in CEE: Bulgaria
BioSeek JSC
Founding year: 2017
Vertical: Software Development
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: €654K
Founders: Boyan Dimitrov, Rossen Genchev, Tsvetan Panagonov
About: BioSeek JSC is a software company building an online work environment specifically created for the needs of scientific research in the domain of Life Sciences. They offer a multi-component platform based on a semantic search engine and on a graph database which contains all the information scientists need to support their research efficiently. Scientific publications, patents, grants, drugs, diseases, authors, etc. are aggregated and indexed on the platform.
Biomyc
Founding year: 2018
Vertical: Product & packaging design
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Atanas Enev
About: Biomyc is a sustainable design and innovation company specializing in next-generation products and packaging made from mushroom mycelium and eco-materials. The company has a track record of collaborating with industry leaders such as Mercedes Benz. Biomyc’s areas of expertise include Mushroom Material Design, a technology that offers a biodegradable alternative to Styrofoam by utilizing mushroom root structures and plant waste. Additionally, they do Additive Manufacturing, which encompasses 3D printing, scanning, and simulative design.
Innova BM
Founding year: 2018
Vertical: Cosmetics, pharmacy and food supplement
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: €57K
Founders: Petia Tatarska
About: Innova BM is a biotech company developing & producing plant in vitro culture for cosmetics and medicine. The company utilizes biotechnological methods that ensure consistency in phytochemical composition, sterility, and the absence of natural impurities. Moreover, their production process fosters sustainability and environmental protection by preserving biodiversity, preventing soil degradation, minimizing waste, and implementing eco-friendly practices.
Micar21
Founding year: 2016
Vertical: Drug discovery
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Dimitar Dimitrov, Filip Fratev
About: Micar Innovation is a drug discovery factory. Micar Innovation focuses on non-clinical Proof-of-Concepts (POCs) in preclinical R&D and Hit-to-Lead (H2L) achievements in areas such as neuroscience, oncology, cardio-vascularity, dermatology, and rare diseases. Micar21 is the company’s drug discovery platform for small molecule drug candidates.
Nasekomo
Founding year: 2017
Vertical: Feed and agriculture
Company stage: Convertible
Total funding: €12M
Founders: Olga Marcenac, Xavier Marcenac, Marc Bolard
About: Nasekomo is a biotechnology company aiming at converting organic low value biomass into high value animal protein for the feed industry through the use of insects. The R&D department at Nasekomo works both independently and in partnership with renowned academic institutions and business associates. Presently, their main areas of concentration lie in genetics and automation, leading to advancements that are already progressing toward patent protection.
Printivo
Founding year: 2019
Vertical: Drug testing
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: > €500K
Founders: Spas Kerimov, Vanyo Vezirov
About: Printivo is a biotech startup that’s designing 3D human bone tissue for the purposes of drug testing, in-vitro efficacy and toxicity assays in the process of Drug Development in the Pharmaceutical industry. Their proprietary 3D-bioprinting pneumatic extrusion technology consists of the bioprinter EVE which is designed for synergy with ADAM, their bioink formulas.
VODORASLO
Founding year: 2022
Vertical: Air purification
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Denis Ivanov, Monika Dimitrova
About: VODORASLO is developing a domestic photobioreactor device for air purification using algae as the main resource. The product is an indoor air solution for homes, schools, and offices where it can purify gasses like CO2, NOX, SO2, and bigger pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, and VOCs. VODORASLO is actively engaged in a long-term project focused on material science, aiming to create innovative products derived from algae and seaweed, such as biodegradable plastics and other sustainable materials.
Biotech Startups in CEE: Estonia
ÄIO
Founding year: 2022
Vertical: Food
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: > €988K
Founders: Nemailla Bonturi, PhD, Petri-Jaan Lahtvee, PhD
About: ÄIO develops sustainable alternatives to vegetable oils and animal-based fats. They utilize proprietary yeast, capable of transforming diverse side streams into high-value ingredients abundant in lipids, proteins, antioxidants, and pigments. They specialize in providing customized solutions for the oleochemical industry.
Decomer Technology
Founding year: 2019
Vertical: Packaging and containers
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: > €280K
Founders: Mart Salumäe, Kelly Kangur
About: Based in the US and Estonia, Decomer Technology is developing a plant-based water-soluble and edible packaging material. Their plant-based material is tasteless, transparent, and hypoallergenic. It can be used across various industries such as food, detergent, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and more.
Myceen
Founding year: 2021
Vertical: Compostable and carbon negative materials
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Siim Karro
About: Part of the biotech startups in CEE, Myceen is a cleantech biotechnology company growing carbon-negative materials combining mushroom mycelium and industrial byproducts. They are currently focused on furniture and interior products.
Power Algae
Founding year: 2013
Vertical: Food and feed
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Liina Joller-Vahter
About: POWER ALGAE is a vertically integrated biotechnology company developing technologies for microalgae valorization. They offer a microalgae cultivation photobioreactor for research and lab experiments. Additionally, they offer a modular microalgae photobioreactor system created for integration into industrial chimneys to facilitate CO2 sequestration from flue gas emissions.
Vetik
Founding year: 2017
Vertical: Food and cosmetics
Company stage: Grant
Total funding: €361K
Founders: Tanel Ilmjärv
About: Vetik is a startup developing the production of a natural (marine algae based) red colorant which is healthier in comparison to the widely used colorants in food and cosmetics.
Vectiopep
Founding year: 2022
Vertical: Immunotherapy
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Kaido Kurrikoff, Piret Arukuusk
About: Vectiopep is developing a cancer immunotherapy with their mRNA delivery technology. The company was established by experts in the field of nucleic acid therapeutics.
Biotech Startups in CEE: Hungary
APPERCELL
Founding year: 2018
Vertical: In vitro electrophysiology
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Laszlo Balint Grand, PhD, Andras Bencsik
About: APPERCELL offers an in vitro platform designed to enable automatic, simultaneous, and extended monitoring of neural network activity across numerous MEA (multi-electrode array) plates. The company is also developing an innovative cloud-based solution that aims to analyze the extensive data recorded from the neural networks, leveraging machine learning to uncover novel insights and information.
MindRove
Founding year: 2017
Vertical: Human-computer interfaces
Company stage: Pre-seed
Total funding: €15K
Founders: Gergely Márton, János Csipor
About: MindRove develops EEG (electroencephalogram) & EMG (electromyography)-based biosensing devices & brain-computer interfaces. Among their products is an armband for detecting muscle movements.
SMOBYA
Founding year: 2020
Vertical: Plant Textiles
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Lidia Kuti, Almos Kuti, Réka Varga
About: SMOBYA transforms food waste into bio fabricated circular materials like microbial leather. The material is derived from bacterial nano-cellulose, produced by specific strains of bacteria. Known as the Smoby, this bio-based material boasts a macroscale structure that is directly cultivated by living microorganisms, completely free from any petroleum derivatives.
Biotech Startups in CEE: Lithuania
Biofita
Founding year: 2019
Vertical: R&D solutions for Health/Medical
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Aiste Balciunaitiene
About: Within the scope of biotech startups in CEE, Biofita offers research, experimental development, project development, and consulting for the pharmaceutical and medical industry.
Biomatter
Founding year: 2018
Vertical: Health, Sustainable Manufacturing
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: €500K
Founders: Laurynas Karpus, Vykintas Jauniskis, Donatas Repečka
About: Biomatter is a synthetic biology company that creates new proteins for health and sustainable manufacturing applications. The company has developed the Intelligent Architecture™ platform that overcomes the existing limitations in protein design and development commonly encountered with conventional engineering approaches.
Inobiostar
Founding year: 2020
Vertical: Biodegradable and reusable materials, in-situ treatment
Company stage: Grant
Total funding: €67K
Founders: Tatjana Paulauskiene
About: Inobiostar is a spin-off company of Klaipeda University. The company is focused on Research and Experimental Development services. Their projects include InnoAerogel – a waste paper-based material that is biodegradable and reusable and InoBioTech Baltija – development of a biotechnological in-situ treatment method for oil spills in the Baltic Sea.
Vivus Lab
Founding year: 2020
Vertical: R&D, 3D engineering, 3D bioprinting
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: €587K
Founders: Vygandas Rutkūnas, Eugenijus Savickas
About: Vivus Lab is a R&D services company specializing in 3D engineering and 3D bioprinting for the life sciences sector. Their R&D services and 3D technologies can be applied in areas such as oncology, orthopedics, surgery, cardiology, pharmaceutics, and medical devices.
Biotech Startups in CEE: Latvia
AImuno
Founding year: 2021
Vertical: Personalized medicine
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Valeria Kogan, Vismands Menjoks
About: AImuno is a biotech start-up with a primary focus on creating an integrative biomarker. This groundbreaking biomarker is specifically designed to differentiate between potential responders and non-responders to checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy among patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) in stages III and IV.
Amodera Lab
Founding year: 2023
Vertical: Skin conditioning, cell regeneration, wound healing
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Raivo Kreicbergs, Liga Nenaseva, Laimdota Vilcēna
About: Amodera Lab is a biotech research company that has invented a Betulin Nanofiber Technology that can be used for skin conditioning, cell regeneration, and wound healing. The technology can be used across various sectors, including cosmetology, medicine, and veterinary.
AlgaeMass+
Founding year: 2023
Vertical: Microalgal biomass production
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Ivars Vacers, Matej Peretin
About: AlgaeMass+ is developing optimization solutions for industrial-scale microalgal biomass production that enhances biochemical processes without genetic modifications or scaling the production facility. The technologies they’re developing can be used in industries like healthcare, agriculture, and environmental sustainability. They use an interdisciplinary approach, merging artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, and materials science.
Enzymity
Founding year: 2021
Vertical: Plastics circularity
Company stage: Grant
Total funding: €150K
Founders: Andrii Shekhirev, Aleksejs Kolpakovs
About: Enzymity is developing a bio-platform for breaking down polymers such as plastics and resins into monomers with the help of synthetic enzymes. These enzymes are custom-tailored for specific materials, such as PET or synthetic rubber, and are produced through genetic modification of microorganisms. The monomers which result from the process can be used to create new virgin polymers, thus reducing the need for fossil fuel derived plastics/resins. The process can be repeated numerous times without compromising the quality of the material, in contrast to the more common mechanical recycling methods.
Longenesis
Founding year: 2017
Vertical: Biomedical data for drug and treatment discovery
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: €1M
Founders: Sergey Jakimov, Emil Syundyukov
About: Longenesis is a medical technology startup company with a focus on using biomedical data to accelerate the novel drug and treatment discovery. The company offers a range of solutions that simplify data discovery and enhance patient engagement for biomedical institutions, patient organizations, and research sponsors. Their products are designed to help hospitals, doctors, and researchers by facilitating direct communication between them.
Medrego
Founding year: 2017
Vertical: Stem cell therapy
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: N/A
About: Falling under the umbrella of biotech startups in CEE, Medrego is a multi-profile company targeting the area of Life Sciences and Biotechnology. One of their main focuses is improving the well-being of animals through regenerative solutions, with a strong emphasis on stem cell therapy. Their laboratory develops stem cell treatments, gene therapy, and tailored solutions for various animals, including dogs, horses, cats, and camels.
SpirulinaNord
Founding year: 2019
Vertical: Superfoods
Company stage: Pre-seed
Total funding: €53K
Founders: Agnese Stunda-Zujeva, Kristīne Veģere, Kaspars Veģeris
About: SpirulinaNord has developed an innovative cultivation technology using photo-bioreactors with a smart automation system for growing spirulina indoors in a sustainable way. The system they use is closed to prevent environmental and microbial contamination.
Biotech Startups in CEE: Poland
Bioceltix
Founding year: 2018
Vertical: Stem cell-based medicinal products
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: €795K
Founders: Łukasz Bzdzion
About: Bioceltix develops stem cell-based medicinal products for veterinary use. Their primary focus is on implementing biopharmaceuticals based on allogeneic stem cells, primarily to serve the treatment of companion animals.
Genegoggle
Founding year: 2021
Vertical: Therapeutics based on DNA loops
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Jakub Mieczkowski, PhD, Michał Marzęcki, Marcin Kruczyk, PhD
About: Genegoggle develops precise therapeutics based on DNA loops. They have created Genegoggle Epigenetic Viewer (GEV) – a tool that serves as an epigenetic microscope, enabling the visualization and analysis of the 3D structure of DNA as it exists within the cell nucleus. GEV offers a set of functionalities, allowing researchers and scientists to delve into the intricacies of epigenetic modifications. With this tool, users can compare various types of cells, measure distances between specific genomic regions in 3D space, and gain a deeper understanding of the current state of chromatin. GEV can serve as a foundation for novel epigenetics-based initiatives, including the identification of gene editing targets, inspection of DNA damage for space travel purposes, and selective drug activation.
Genomtec
Founding year: 2016
Vertical: Genetic diagnostics
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: €5M
Founders: Miron Tokarski
About: In the catalog of biotech startups in CEE, Genomtec is commercializing molecular diagnostic products in the domain of optical systems and isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods. The flagship project of the company is Genomtec ID, which simplifies the diagnostic process by enabling point-of-care testing. The diagnostic procedures can be carried out in various settings, such as primary care clinics, pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and hospital emergency departments (ERs), without the need for complicated and time-consuming laboratory workflows managed by qualified personnel.
intoDNA
Founding year: 2017
Vertical: DNA break detection
Company stage: Grant
Total funding: €181K
Founders: Magda Kordon-Kiszala, PhD, Kamil Solarczyk, PhD
About: intoDNA offers an end-to-end process for DNA break detection with their proprietary technology, STRIDE, that provides a reliable measure of DNA damage at an individual lesion level. STRIDE has already been adopted by industry leaders in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, as well as academic groups focused on DNA damage response, cancer immunotherapy, and nuclear medicine research.
Microbe+
Founding year: 2020
Vertical: Biological tools for crop protection
Company stage: Non-equity Assistance
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Lukasz Kafel, Anna Ogar
About: Microbe+ provides farmers with a range of microbial-based solutions to protect, stimulate crop growth, and enhance yield. To optimize their biological products, they employ biological characterization and advanced biochemical profiling of metabolites.
NapiFeryn BioTech
Founding year: 2014
Vertical: Alternative proteins
Company stage: Venture – Series Unknown
Total funding: €8M
Founders: Magdalena Kozłowska, Piotr Wnukowski
About: NapiFeryn BioTech developed and patented a technology of obtaining rapeseed protein from the side-stream of the oil pressing. As the technology has been proven on a pilot scale, NapiFeryn BioTech is able to produce pre-commercial samples, which they offer to food producers for evaluation and potential integration into their products. With the aim of widespread commercialization, NapiFeryn BioTech plans to facilitate the adoption of their technology through licensing agreements. This approach allows other companies in the food industry to leverage the benefits of the technology while advancing food innovation and product development.
NanoSanguis
Founding year: 2015
Vertical: Oxygen therapeutics
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Tomasz Ciach
About: NanoSanguis is working on bringing to the market a safe and effective red blood cell substitute. The company has developed technology for producing a synthetic oxygen carrier which remains viable for at least one year of storage. The blood substitute is formulated as a full physiological, buffered fluid containing balanced minerals that are entirely compatible with the human body.
NanoThea
Founding year: 2012
Vertical: Cancer imaging and radiotherapy
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Tomasz Ciach, Magdalena Janczewska
About: Adding to the diversity of biotech startups in CEE, NanoThea aims to create products capable of higher precision and less side effects in cancer imaging and radiotherapy. They do that by closing well known radioisotopes in their polysaccharide nanoparticles and targeting system.
Nomi Biotech Corporation
Founding year: 2018
Vertical: Nutraceutical formulations
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: €244K
Founders: Marcin Jaskula
About: Nomi Biotech Corporation is a Polish-Japanese biotechnology company co-financed by the National Centre for Research and Development. They specialize in selection, research and manufacturing of proprietary and clinically potent nutraceutical formulations of plant origin that have the potential to help consumers enjoy longer and healthier lives. The company is a laureate of the “Fast Track” program initiated by the National Centre for Research and Development. Additionally, they were finalists in the “Start-up of the Year” contest in the BIOTECHNOLOGY category at the European Start-Up Days 2019 and the “Rising Star” contest during the 19th BEF Forum in Basel, Switzerland.
PioLigOn
Founding year: 2020
Vertical: Peptide drugs design platform
Company stage: Grant
Total funding: €289K
Founders: Piotr Liguzinski, Filip Liguziński
About: PioLigOn is a platform for designing peptide drugs. They have developed the VPDesigner42™ computer algorithm for swiftly designing peptide drug candidates from scratch. The algorithm allows its users to delve into an expansive chemical space simultaneously, with the capability to analyze over 10^20 molecules, each comprising 500+ amino acids.
POLTISS
Founding year: 2015
Vertical: Programmable biopolymers
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: €453K
Founders: Prof. Mirosława El Fray, Tomasz Łasecki
About: POLTISS has developed a PhotoBioCure™ technology that offers light activated, adhesive polymer biomaterials to the market. The technology is based on polymeric materials that undergo a transformation when exposed to UV radiation. Initially, the materials exist as a sticky liquid, but under the influence of UV light, they rapidly solidify into flexible solids. PhotoBioCure™ can be used in minimally invasive surgery. The technology is eco-friendly because the composition of the polymeric materials is fully degradable within a living environment, ensuring that they break down over time and are eventually replaced by natural tissue.
Real Research
Founding year: 2017
Vertical: 3D cell cultures
Company stage: Pre-seed
Total funding: €506K
Founders: Marcin Krzykawski, Phd, Renata Krzykawska
About: Real Research has created LifeGel – a protein based hydrogel for 3D cell cultures – with the aim to shift the entire 2D cell cultures into 3D. 3D cell cultures combined with microfluidics, live imaging, and genetic engineering offer expanded research applications. Researchers gain precise control over culture conditions and real-time monitoring of cellular processes within 3D environments.
Terrabio
Founding year: 2018
Vertical: Genetic analyser for the agri-food market
Company stage: Grant
Total funding: €181K
Founders: Miron Tokarski
About: Terrabio is a mobile genetic analyser for the agri-food market. The diagnostic system of the device allows you to conduct tests in the field of agriculture and food safety through a quick identification of pathogens or genetic mutations. With the Terrabio device, users can expect semi-quantitative results for pathogen presence in 15-35 minutes.
UVera
Founding year: 2018
Vertical: UV protection
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Magdalena Jander, PhD, Adam Kiciak
About: UVera tests, designs, develops and produces compounds for a broad range of industries in need of a solution against the whole spectrum of UV sun radiation. Their innovative cultivation of microorganisms from polyextremal environments enables the production, stimulation, and extraction of biomass and pure products on an industrial scale, providing cosmetic brands with access to unique and novel compounds. The company’s developments have been awarded by the European Commission of Innovation as a “Green Deal” technology.
Vaxican
Founding year: 2019
Vertical: Immunotherapeutics
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Łukasz Rąbalski, PhD, Krzysztof Łepek, PhD
About: Vaxican is developing immunotherapeutics that will work as a prophylactic vaccine against cancer. Additionally, operating under Vaxican Genomics, the company offers specialized services in the field of next-generation sequencing. As an official service provider for Oxford Nanopore Technology, Vaxican Genomics performs full genome sequencing of microorganisms and targeted sequencing of human and animal DNA/RNA.
Biotech Startups in CEE: Romania
Artificial Intelligence Expert
Founding year: 2017
Vertical: AI biomedical applications
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Alexandru Floares, MD, PhD, Dr. Carmen Floares
About: Showcasing the innovation of biotech startups in CEE, Artificial Intelligence Expert uses AI and digital automation to make early cancer diagnostics. The company is a spin-off of SAIA (an NGO).
NutriCare.Life
Founding year: 2018
Vertical: Food & dietary supplements
Company stage: Grant
Total funding: €4K
Founders: Bogdan Ivanov, Dragos Ivanov, Simona Maria Ivanov
About: NutriCare.Life provides personalized recommendations, food & dietary supplements to optimize health-based on digital & biological markers. Their online nutrition assessment offers a telemedicine feature and market place access.
Peelhy
Founding year: 2020
Vertical: Food biotechnologies
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Marius Pașculea
About: Peelhy aims to commercialize an antimicrobial bio-sticker that sanitizes the surface of vegetables and fruits with edible peel. Producers and distributors of fruits and vegetables with edible peel can use their technology to differentiate their products and enhance customer satisfaction.
Biotech Startups in CEE: Slovenia
AlgEn
Founding year: 2010
Vertical: Algae technology-based systems
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Robert Reinhardt, Borut Lazar
About: AlgEn specializes in development and system integration of algae technology based systems providing consulting and engineering services. Main activities include pilot and prototype scale algal biomass production and algal-bacterial wastewater treatment, particularly biogas digestate. AlgEn runs a laboratory for photobioreactor testing, culture growth, and analysis. They also have their own electronics and mechanical workshop to support pilot plant construction and operation.
IchorLabs
Founding year: 2017
Vertical: Non-invasive diagnostic testing
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Matjaz Vogelsang, Edo Prasnikar, Gorazd Hribar, Dominik Gaser
About: IchorLabs aims to improve current non-invasive diagnostic tests in the areas of oncology, prenatal diagnostics, and infectious diseases. The company provides an innovative technology that enables high-yield separation of all genetic biomarkers from body fluids, supporting liquid biopsy testing with high detection sensitivity.
Microbium d.o.o.
Founding year: 2015
Vertical: Detection and elimination of microbes in water and industrial materials
Company stage: Grant
Total funding: €74K
Founders: Gregor Zupin
About: Microbium d.o.o. delivers methods for detection of bacteria in various industrial raw materials and end products. By offering near real-time detection capabilities, they enable industries to proactively manage microbial risks and maintain the quality and safety of their products.
Niba Labs
Founding year: 2021
Vertical: Gene therapy analytics
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: David Dobnik, Polona Kogovsek, Mateja Urlep
About: Among the biotech startups in CEE, we find Niba Labs that specializes in cell & gene therapy analytics. NibaLabs is a spin-out of The National Institute of Biology (NIB). They develop simplex or multiplex dPCR assays, enabling absolute quantification of target sequences or sequence integrity testing for multiplex assays. Their proprietary multiplex dPCR assay platform, NibaPlex®, streamlines the custom development of advanced multiplex assays, facilitating investigations into the sequence integrity of target genomes.
Biotech Startups in CEE: Slovakia
DNA ERA
Founding year: 2018
Vertical: DNA analysis
Company stage: Pre-seed
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Michaela Šišková, Jakub Šiška
About: DNA ERA makes DNA analysis with the aim to reveal genetic predisposition to various diseases. In order to ensure up-to-date information, they have a team of geneticists, data analysts, doctors, nutritional experts, sports trainers and a partnership with a German certified laboratory.
ekolive
Founding year: 2018
Vertical: Ecological bioleaching
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Darina Štyriaková, Jaroslav Šuba
About: ekolive is a provider of an EU/ETV certified eco-innovative bioleaching method (InnoBioTech®) for processing waste/minerals/soil using bacteria. This method has applications in soil and mineral cleaning and the production of unique biome stimulants. These biomes stimulants combine liquid natural minerals, probiotic and plant growth-promoting bacteria, numerous proteins, organic acids, alcohols, and microalgae can address various agricultural challenges. Through inexpensive and safe biotechnological removal using heterotrophic bacteria (bioleaching), ekolive addresses both organic and inorganic environmental problems sustainably, offering in-situ and ex-situ bioremediation solutions.
Glycanostics
Founding year: 2017
Vertical: Cancer diagnostics
Company stage: Grant
Total funding: €2M
Founders: Jan Tkac, PhD., Tomas Bertok, Ph.D.
About: Glycanostics aims to establish glycan-based, accurate, affordable and non-invasive tests for cancer diagnostics in early stages. With their patented technology, doctors can make informed decisions about the necessity of biopsies or follow-up checks after biopsies.
Mabpro
Founding year: 2016
Vertical: Cancer Immunotherapy
Company stage: Grant
Total funding: €307K
Founders: Jaromir Pastorek
About: Mabpro offers personalized cancer immunotherapy for aggressive hypoxic tumors with blockbuster potential. They have developed two core therapeutic assets – humanized monoclonal antibodies targeting different cancer use-cases. Additionally, they have established a companion diagnostic and are actively working on developing advanced patient stratification protocols.
Nitroterra Technology
Founding year: 2018
Vertical: Microorganisms-based fertilizers
Company stage: Seed
Total funding: €907K
Founders: Radoslav Bonk
About: Nitroterra Technology uses a proprietary technology that helps produce effective microorganisms-based fertilizers in a controlled and energy efficient manner. The solution can enable farmers to grow more nutrient-dense food and decrease the use of synthetic fertilizers.
Ovogene
Founding year: 2020
Vertical: AI egg donor bank
Company stage: N/A
Total funding: N/A
Founders: Uliana Dorofeyeva
About: Ovogene is an AI egg donor bank. The company performs Oocyte NGS Screening, which determines aneuploidy of oocytes via first polar body biopsy. This technology increases the probability of becoming pregnant from the first attempt.
