Lausanne, Switzerland-based Debiopharm Innovation Fund, the strategic investment arm of Swiss biopharmaceutical company Debiopharm, has announced the launch of a new seed funding.
The fund plans to invest in up to 15 seed-stage startups annually, focusing on digital health and cancer care innovation. This move aims to transform pharmaceutical research and development by supporting early-stage companies and advancing digital solutions in cancer treatment.
Thrilled to help young Seed startups
Debiopharm Innovation Fund aims to address challenges faced by startups, such as limited access to capital and complex regulatory environments. Debiopharm also offers valuable expertise.
The Fund plans to assist startups through their Series A financing rounds, making it a key focus of their activities.
Debiopharm Innovation Fund has made its first two seed investments with two more imminent. It has invested in Tune Insight, a Swiss startup that specialises in privacy-preserving data collaboration for training AI models, and Neuroute, a UK-based startup simplifying clinical trial processes through a no-code AI clinical development platform.
Marc Cikes, Managing Director of Debiopharm Innovation Fund, says, “We believe that precision medicine starts with precision R&D, moving away from generic approaches to more personalised, biomarker-guided development.”
“We envision patient-centric clinical trials, with more patients able to access novel treatments earlier. Last, we imagine the emergence of AI-powered care, enabling earlier diagnosis, more precise prognosis, and truly individualised treatment pathways,” adds Cikes.
“Startups will have the ability to grow into scalable investment-ready companies”
Debiopharm Innovation Fund will focus on investing in the next generation of pharmaceutical research and development, accelerate drug development, promote patient-centric clinical trials through technology solutions, and utilise digital platforms for personalised insights from clinical data.
Cikes says, “At Debiopharm, we foresee a future where data sets the stage for the entire value chain of drug development, from generating novel drug designs to predicting clinical trial outcomes. The future of healthcare will be redesigned by AI-driven care and the companies behind those innovations.”
“Despite tremendous advancements in treating cancer patients and the disease, there is still much more to discover in how we diagnose, treat, and cure cancer patients and by utilising Debiopharm Innovation Fund’s extensive knowledge and expertise, startups will have the ability to grow into scalable, investment-ready companies that will have a lasting impact on patients worldwide.”
Debiopharm Innovation Fund has invested in 15 AI and digital health companies since 2017. As of September 2023, the Fund is extending its influence by initiating a new seed financing activity, reinforcing its dedication to driving innovation in AI and digital health sectors.
01
From port to startup fort: How Lars Crama is ‘Making it Happen’ in Rotterdam