Nucleate works with emerging founders who leverage life sciences to transform industries

Key figures

Number of past
participating companies

Million USD
funds raised to date

Number of
jobs created

“Nucleate was an incredible opportunity to get hands-on experience learning the components of building a biotech as well as unparalleled access to mentors and resources. It’s an absolute must if you’re interested in biotech entrepreneurship.”
CAROLINE DAUGHERTY
HBS • SEORX

“I joined Nucleate to get exposure to early stage life company formation. The program connected me with my now Wayne, and offered us a risk-free way to validate our It gave us an opportunity to develop our story, practice it and receive invaluable feedback from the most investors in the space.”

HUNTER GOBLE
HBS • KARIVEZ

“Nucleate was an incredibly educational and eye-opening experience. Each session was led by biotech superstars and I learned so much from my team of MBAs/PhDs. I gained hands-on experience in many different aspects of the start-up process from pitching to VCs to building an operational budget. I would highly recommend the experience to anyone looking to jump into a career in biotech!”
JULIA PIAN
HBS • MANIFOLD BIO

“Nucleate Bio is rigorous and tough, but the materials the work produces are invaluable. Anyone serious about a startup should try hard to get into this program.”

JONATHAN RITTICHIER
WYSS INSTITUTE • ENPLUS ONE BIOSCIENCES

“The Nucleate program has been an incredible tool to refine our business model, building a solid network, and crafting a convincing pitch deck. I would recommend it to any scientist willing to explore the potential impact of her/his work in the biotech market.”
DANIELE FORESTI & EVERETT FROST
HMS & WYSS - HBS • ACOUSTICA BIO

“The Nucleate Program was instrumental in connecting our team to mentors who genuinely cared about our progress. Additionally, the regular events with industry experts and venture capitalists helped us ensure that we were framing our problem, solution, market, and milestones in a context that would be appealing to future funding sources. By the end of the program, we had constructed a strong pitch deck that led to several additional opportunities. On a personal note, I greatly enjoyed connecting with the other researchers and MBA students, many of whom I may never have met if not for the Nucleate Program.”

DANIELE FORESTI & EVERETT FROST
HMS & WYSS - HBS • ACOUSTICA BIO

“Nucleate was key to providing a scaffold for the team to get out of the lab and put together a viable business model. Some of the highlights of the program included mentorship from experienced biotech operators and company builders, feedback prioritizing application areas from the mapping experts at RA Capital, and finally putting it all together to pitch a mix of investors from both traditional biotech models and newer accelerators.”
GLEB KUZNETZOV & PIERCE OGDEN
HMS & WYSS • MANIFOLD BIO

“Nucleate helped launch our research idea into an exciting commercial opportunity! The value of Nucleate lies in its great leadership, extensive life sciences connections, and structured programming which was critical for the development of our business strategy and pitch to prospective investors.”

NATALIE FERGUSON & IVANA SHUI
HMS & HBS • SALVOS

“Nucleate is the reason Asan Therapeutics exists – this program is not just how we met but what enabled us to develop and chase dreams of entrepreneurship. We have had access to so many incredible mentors and opportunities that continue to help us shape our venture.”

ANANYA ZUTSHI & MORTEZA SARMADI
HBS & MIT • ASAN THERAPEUTICS

Current cohort

3DDiagnostix	San diego Launched 2022 Diagnostics	3D DiagnostiX aims to produces and develop transformative diagnostic tools for protein structure characterization and for early detection of Alzheimer’s and other misfolding diseases in which the protein structure is altered.
3DOE	Boston Launched 2022 Therapeutics	3D bioprinting platform using matrix compaction and sacrificial ink to create perfusable, high-density engineered tissue; initially targeting vascularized fat tissue free flaps for reconstructive surgery
Abacus Bio	Baltimore Launched 2022 Platform	Abacus Bio is building a deep learning platform for rapid development of next-generation antibody therapeutics.
Acurasset Therapeutics	Boston Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Small-molecule therapeutic for hepatitis B with the differentiated approach of inhibiting cccDNA formation and transcription to terminate the virus life cycle within liver cells.
Aephoris	Boston Launched 2022 Eco	Tolerance-enhanced oleaginous yeast for high volume cellulosic diesel.
Altaios	All locations Launched 2022 Platform	Altaios is early-stage disruptor with the mission to bring simple and more accurate women's health diagnostic tools integrated with telehealth.
Altuna	Bayarea Launched 2022 Platform	Leveraging DNA sequencing to perform multiplexed protein quantification, quantifying dozens of proteins in over 10,000 patient samples in a single run, and reducing the cost of protein detection 10-100 fold
Aperture Biosciences	Boston Launched 2022 Medical Devices	Near-real-time molecular analysis platform using repeated staining with antibody-associated fluorochromes; targeting quantification of the types and abundance of cancer and immune cells in tumor microenvironments
Ascent Bio	New haven Launched 2022 Platform	A robust AI-based platform for the generation and highly controlled optimization of diverse classes of therapeutics
Biosens8	Boston Launched 2022 Medical Devices	Biosensor engineering platform using bacterial allosteric transcription factor - quantum-dot FRET and electrochemical transduction techniques; targeting ovulation confirmation in fertility medicine
Biospoke	New york city Launched 2022 Platform	Chromosome synthesis at unprecedented scale for precision gene circuit engineering.
BioSynthetica	San diego Launched 2022 Platform	Our technology consists of a bacterial genetic circuit for the inducible synchronized delivery of any molecule of interest for applications in the microbiome space.
Biped Therapeutics	New york city Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Next-generation proteolysis targeting chimeras.
Bonsai BioForge	Boston Launched 2022 Eco	Engineered microbes for efficient biomanufacturing
CacheDNA	Boston Launched 2022 Platform	Building the next generation of DNA-based storage and computing: cheaper, more robust, more energy efficient, long-term storage and random access of DNA, making the world’s molecular data more widely accessible and useful.
Calliope Biofoundry	New haven Launched 2022 Platform	A platform for redesigning microbes using synthetic biology, and harnessing their unique capabilities for applications in therapeutics, materials, energy, food, and agriculture
Cerebrus Biosciences	Bayarea Launched 2022 Platform	Overcoming gene therapy hurdles with a novel class of gene editors
Cogito Biosystems	Los angeles Launched 2022 Medical Devices	Focused ultrasound delivery of RNA therapeutics
Coral Therapeutics	Boston Launched 2022 Platform	Therapeutic target discovery platform combining lung-organoids with graph-based AI algorithms to predict and experimentally validate target candidates; initially working in lung cancer.
Correlimmune	New york city Launched 2022 Diagnostics	Novel strategy for dried blood spot testing, targeting COVID and other urgent diseases.
curIT Biotech	Los angeles Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Anti-CD64 human cytolytic fusion proteins (hCFPs) for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia
DNAli Data	Research triangle Launched 2022 Platform	DNAli Data has developed new technologies to write and access data in DNA molecules. This project will create a next-generation data storage technology using DNA as the information substrate.
Dominant Therapies	Boston Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Antiviral therapeutic using a preferentially expressed, or dominant, mRNA encoding a fusion-modified protein that degrades the viral genome to combat viral evolution; initially targeted to SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19)
DoriVac	Boston Launched 2022 Platform	Vaccine development platform leveraging DNA origami nanotechnology to stimulate stronger immune response; targetable to both malignancy (e.g., cancer) and infectious disease
Encreto Therapeutics	Boston Launched 2022 Platform	Organoid-based endocrine drug discovery platform using human GI stem cells coupled with high-throughput screening for inducers of enteroendocrine cell function, initially targeting obesity and type 2 diabetes
FluoroLife	Boston Launched 2022 Medical Devices	Optical imaging device leveraging differential fluorescence-lifetime to better distinguish tumor margins from healthy tissue; initially targeting solid tumor resection
Gammunity	Los angeles Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Memory CAR-Gamma delta T cells against solid tumors
Graph Bio	Bayarea Launched 2022 Platform	Using AI applications to identify suitable patients for clinical trials based on health records
Healcisio	San diego Launched 2022 Medical Devices	Healcisio seeks to improve patient care through the early prediction of sepsis using clinically actionable deep learning.
Hybridex Biosciences	New haven Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Synthetic nucleic acid technology capable of fine-tuning CRISPR/Cas9 cutting and reducing off-target editing.
HydroGene	Baltimore Launched 2022 Medical Devices	HydroGene developed a non-viral gene therapy system leveraging hydrodynamic delivery of DNA through endoscopic procedures.
Hypermelt	Baltimore Launched 2022 Diagnostics	HyperMelt developed a sensitive microfluidics platform for detection of extremely rare DNA from non-invasively collected samples, such as tumor-derived DNA for early cancer detection or sepsis-inducing bacteria in blood.
Immunobac Therapeutics	Boston Launched 2022 Platform	Antibacterial target identification platform leveraging transposon library screening and machine-learning methods to inform complement-directed host-informed therapies (i.e. targeted antibodies)
InGel Therapeutics	Boston Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Bioinspired hydrogel platform engineered for the sustained release of therapeutics in the eye, with tunable stiffness and low immunogenicity; initially targeting macular degeneration and geographic atrophy
INIA Biosciences	Boston Launched 2022 Medical Devices	Ultrasound device for modulating inflammation paired with biomarker-based monitoring system feeding an AI-driven treatment optimization algorithm. Initially targeting organ rejection and chronic inflammatory disease
Innervate	Boston Launched 2022 Therapeutics	IL-3 therapeutic for microglia survivability and neuronal fiber regeneration; initially targeting neurotrophic keratitis with potential application to broader neuropathic pain and neurodegeneration
IrNex	Research triangle Launched 2022 Medical Devices	Irnex-Inc has developed phase-incrementing MR Spectroscopic Imaging (pi-MRSI) technology for fast biomarker imaging to improve cancer detection specificity and monitor treatment responses.
Junevity	Bayarea Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Rejuvenating old skin cells through gene therapy by targeting novel genes without causing cancer
Kalia Health	Research triangle Launched 2022 Medical Devices	Kalia Health designed the Kal-PDx strip, a non-invasive, rapid, at-home diagnostic kit for early detection of preeclampsia (PE). Early PE detection allows for a safer pregnancy
Kova Dx	Bayarea Launched 2022 Diagnostics	Computer-vision based point-of-care diagnostic and monitoring for sickle cell disease and other blood disorders
Kovo Biosciences	San diego Launched 2022 Platform	Kovo Bioscience is pioneering the development of highly specific antiviral therapies to prevent and treat viral infections using our novel RNA-targeting platform.
Lipid X	Bayarea Launched 2022 Platform	A novel vaccine platform for increased immunity to highly mutagenic viruses
Lucem	Bayarea Launched 2022 Platform	Revolutionizing tissue, cell, and receptor targeting with photoswitch based drug delivery
Lymphagen	Los angeles Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Retinoic acid to prevent post-surgical lymphadema
MacPatch	Boston Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Macrophage modulation platform leveraging cell-adhesive polymer matrix to deliver IFN-y for polarizing macrophages into target phenotypes; initially targeting hepatic fibrosis
Micro-Niche	Research triangle Launched 2022 Platform	Micro-Niche developed a biochemical technology called IDE (Inducible Directed Evolution) that creates useful mutations in E. coli bacteria, including improving the yield of enzymes and colonization in the mammalian gut.
MIDAS	Boston Launched 2022 Eco	Material recovery from municipal solid waste incinerated ash
MyoArete	All locations Launched 2022 Therapeutics	MyoArete is a startup focused on developing a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) targeting utrophin using small molecule medicines
NAD Oncology	New york city Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Small molecule therapeutic company targeting breakthrough understandings of oncometabolism against solid tumors.
Nascent Genomics	San diego Launched 2022 Diagnostics	Nascent Genomics is leveraging sequencing of the entire nascent transcriptome to develop next generation diagnostics and identify novel biomarkers for disease.
Neurocure	Research triangle Launched 2022 Platform	Neurocure developed DANNCE, an AI platform for quantifying behavior and detecting neurological movement disorders in humans and animals using scalable 3D movement analysis. Our high throughput and data driven approach will allow for more objective diagnosis of disease, earlier detection of disease, evaluating the efficacy of pharmacological agents, and the ability to quantify a subject’s response to treatment.
Nitro Bio	All locations Launched 2022 Platform	Nitro Bio is a platform technology startup that leverages live vaccine response enhancement through selectively modifying residues on surface expressed antigens with immunogenic groups
Optimer Biotech	New york city Launched 2022 Platform	Discovery engine combining advanced biophysical modeling and high-throughput screening.
Orafay	Los angeles Launched 2022 Medical Devices	Microneedle therapy for the treatment of reverse gum deterioration
OrganOmics	Bayarea Launched 2022 Platform	We have engineered 3D human tissues that better mimic tissues of the human body for drug discovery
Osteologic	New york city Launched 2022 Platform	Drug discovery leveraging bone-targeted therapeutics for novel systemic delivery.
Paracyte Bio	Boston Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Parasite-drived immunomodulatory therapeutic platform selecting candidates from AI-predicted libraries with high-throughput screens; initially targeting complement inhibitors and cytokine binding proteins
Perform Ab	Baltimore Launched 2022 Platform	PerformAb developed a technology to screen antibodies on the surface of yeast cells against mammalian cells expressing the target membrane proteins and applied for targeted therapeutics.
PlanTure	San diego Launched 2022 Eco	Crop genomics to reduce plant breeding times
Plantwriter	Bayarea Launched 2022 Eco	Machine learning and CRISPR/Cas9 to exponentiate the pace of crop improvement
Project Sparkle	Boston Launched 2022 Platform	Revolutionary new binder platform technology leveraging non-standard amino acids. Initial application development includes faster research tools, improvements upon existing technologies, and novel diagnostics.
Prompt Diagnostics	Baltimore Launched 2022 Diagnostics	Prompt Diagnostics is developing a portable sample-to-answer platform for rapid, low-cost detection of disease biomarkers and infectious pathogens.
PulseFlex	Boston Launched 2022 Medical Devices	Wearable, low-power blood pressure monitor using a piezoelectric nanofiber array for pressure sensing and a machine learning algorithm for analysis of the spatial-temporal waveforms of a near-surface artery
ReBreathe	Los angeles Launched 2022 Platform	G-protein coupled receptor stimulation for opioid addiction treatment
Reel Seafoods	Boston Launched 2022 Eco	Cell-based seafood with 3D bioprinting to improve texture and scale
Resistorium	Bayarea Launched 2022 Eco	Novel plant immune receptors that will protect crops from pests and diseases
Rugged Bio	Boston Launched 2022 Eco	Non-model microbes to improve bioproduction
Sapien Biosciences	New york city Launched 2022 Platform	Better models of human disease and screening platform using prime editing.
Sonocure	Research triangle Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Sonocure developed a transformative topical and non-invasive therapy to eradicate wound infection using novel antibiotic adjuvants and ultrasound-stimulated phase-change agent.
StoneFish Bio	Bayarea Launched 2022 Platform	Uses a novel subset of natural killer cells to generate a cell product with high levels of cytotoxicity, tumor infiltration, and cytokine secretion to address current limitations of solid tumor immunotherapies
Sun Serum	San diego Launched 2022 Eco	Sustainable alternatives for growth factors leveraging the diversity within the plant kingdom
Switch Bio	Los angeles Launched 2022 Platform	Conditional Guide RNA for Gene Editing and Drug Discovery.
Talos Tx	San diego Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Talos Tx is building small molecule therapeutics targeting key, undrugged mechanisms for patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
Tenacity	Boston Launched 2022 Platform	Genetic circuit platform resistant to epigenetic silencing, enabling synthetic biology within cell therapies to function over longer time scales than traditional methods. Initially targeting CAR-T exhaustion
uPROCESSOR Therapeutics	Boston Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Genetic switch platform for conditional expression of therapeutic microRNA tied to biomarker presence or absence; initially targeting solutions to CAR-T inactivation and cytokine release syndrome
UTR Therapeutics	New york city Launched 2022 Therapeutics	Platform science that controls mRNA stability and overwrites target expression.
Vitra Labs	Bayarea Launched 2022 Platform	Leveraging novel stem cell induction protocol to revolutionize in vitro fertilization
Wake Therapeutics	Bayarea Launched 2022 Platform	Generating new therapeutic strategies by identifying and targeting RNA regulatory elements
Woodpack	Boston Launched 2022 Eco	New naturally compostable plastic film with multi-use application

3DDiagnostix

3DOE

Abacus Bio

Acurasset Therapeutics

Aephoris

Altaios

Altuna

Aperture Biosciences

Ascent Bio

Biosens8

Biospoke

BioSynthetica

Biped Therapeutics

Bonsai BioForge

CacheDNA

Calliope Biofoundry

Cerebrus Biosciences

Cogito Biosystems

Coral Therapeutics

Correlimmune

curIT Biotech

DNAli Data

Dominant Therapies

DoriVac

Encreto Therapeutics

FluoroLife

Gammunity

Graph Bio

Healcisio

Hybridex Biosciences

HydroGene

Hypermelt

Immunobac Therapeutics

InGel Therapeutics

INIA Biosciences

Innervate

IrNex

Junevity

Kalia Health

Kova Dx

Kovo Biosciences

Lipid X

Lucem

Lymphagen

MacPatch

Micro-Niche

MIDAS

MyoArete

NAD Oncology

Nascent Genomics

Neurocure

Nitro Bio

Optimer Biotech

Orafay

OrganOmics

Osteologic

Paracyte Bio

Perform Ab

PlanTure

Plantwriter

Project Sparkle

Prompt Diagnostics

PulseFlex

ReBreathe

Reel Seafoods

Resistorium

Rugged Bio

Sapien Biosciences

Sonocure

StoneFish Bio

Sun Serum

Switch Bio

Talos Tx

Tenacity

uPROCESSOR Therapeutics

UTR Therapeutics

Vitra Labs

Wake Therapeutics

Woodpack

Past cohorts

Glyphic Bio	Boston Launched 2021 Platform	Protein sequencing platform for detection and identification of low-expression proteins, potentially including novel therapeutic targets.
AptaBridge	Boston Launched 2021 Therapeutics	Aptamer design platform enabling linkage of monospecific components to create multi-specifics or alter pharmacokinetics, targeting immunoncology.
Kano Therapeutics	Boston Launched 2021 Platform	DNA engineering platform leveraging M13 bacteriophage for scalable construction of gene-length ssDNA, targeting therapeutic production.
Concerto Biosciences	Boston Launched 2019 Therapeutics	Patented, data-driven platform for engineering microbial communities with useful properties.
NextRNA	Boston Launched 2019 Platform	NextRNA is transforming the non-coding RNA therapeutic space and is shifting the concept of undruggable into druggable.
Manifold Bio	Boston Launched 2019 Platform	A novel experimental platform that generates pharmacological measurements on millions of therapeutic protein variants in parallel.
Acoustica Bio	Boston Launched 2019 Platform	Improving clinical care of millions of patients by reformulating existing intravenously-delivered drugs in a subcutaneous form, using a patented acoustophoretic printing approach.
Beacon Biomimetics	Boston Launched 2020 Medical Devices	Developd PhonoGraft, a novel device composed of a synthetic, biodegradable elastomer that can restore biomimetic stiffness in the tympanic membrane to improve hearing outcomes.
PionEar Technologies	Boston Launched 2020 Medical Devices	Developing a new generation of fluid-guiding and biocontamination-resistant tympanostomy tubes that allow antibiotic drops to penetrate the middle ear more efficiently.
Limax Bio	Boston Launched 2021 Diagnostics	Tissue adhesive combining high strength, high adhesion energy, and biocompatibility for wound healing across multiple tissue types.
Ilesa Bio	Boston Launched 2021 Therapeutics	Biotherapeutic for shielding native gut microbiota from antibiotics, for prevention of dysbiosis-related inflammatory and metabolic disorders.
Crisscross Nano	Boston Launched 2021 Diagnostics	Diagnostic platform leveraging DNA nanostructures for rapid, low-cost detection of nucleic acids and proteins, initially targeting infectious disease.
Carmel Medicine	Boston Launched 2021 Therapeutics	Therapeutic neural growth factor (NGF) addressing the historically dose-limiting side effect of pain, initially targeting peripheral neuropathy.
PhageLink	Boston Launched 2021 Medical Devices	Genetically engineered, biocompatible hydrogel that is customizable for broad therapeutic applications in drug delivery and 3D printing in vivo.
Kumuda	Boston Launched 2021 Platform	In silico drug discovery platform analyzing protein interaction, structure, and drug target homology across the human genome to discover drug targets.
MicroLife	Boston Launched 2021 Eco	Creating a stable probiotic spray using a patented silk and trehalose technology to deliver an engineered microbe microenvironment.
Syntrophia	Boston Launched 2021 Eco	Creating assay kits to continuously monitor and supercharge biomanufacturing and fermentation processes using FISH-TAMB mRNA imaging technology.