Which synbio startups got funded?

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Synthetic biology startups have raised at least $137.4 million in disclosed venture funding from January 2024 through mid-2025, with breakthrough technologies ranging from genome synthesis to AI-driven protein design capturing investor attention.

The funding landscape reveals concentrated investor interest in therapeutic proteins, genome engineering platforms, and next-generation biomanufacturing solutions, with GRO Biosciences securing the largest round at $60.3 million.

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Which synthetic biology startups raised funding in 2024 and 2025 so far, and how much did each raise?

Five major synthetic biology startups secured significant funding rounds between January 2024 and June 2025, totaling at least $137.4 million in disclosed venture capital.

GRO Biosciences closed the largest round with $60.3 million in Series B funding in July 2024, co-led by Atlas Venture and Access Biotechnology. The company focuses on genomically recoded organisms that incorporate non-standard amino acids into therapeutic proteins.

Constructive Bio raised $58 million in Series A funding in September 2024, led by Ahren, OMX Ventures, and Paladin Capital Group. The UK-based startup pioneers synthetic genomics by writing entire custom genomes in living cells. Enduro Genetics secured €12 million ($12.4 million) in Series A funding in February 2025, with backing from Supernova Invest, NOON Ventures, and Sandwater for their "synthetic addiction" biomanufacturing technology.

Solena Materials raised $6.7 million in seed funding in May 2025, led by Sir David Harding, SynBioVen, and Insempra, to develop AI-driven molecular design for protein-based textiles. Myria Biosciences completed an undisclosed pre-seed round in June 2024, backed by Creator Fund and Capital Blue, for their GEMMS platform that generates natural-product-inspired drug candidates.

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Who are the top investors backing these synbio startups, and what companies have they specifically supported?

Twelve major investors have led synthetic biology funding rounds in 2024-2025, with Atlas Venture, Ahren, and OMX Ventures emerging as the most active participants.

Atlas Venture co-led GRO Biosciences' $60.3 million Series B alongside Access Biotechnology, demonstrating strong interest in protein therapeutics platforms. Ahren, OMX Ventures, and Paladin Capital Group jointly led Constructive Bio's $58 million Series A, indicating significant investor confidence in synthetic genomics technologies.

European investors show particular strength in the space, with Supernova Invest, NOON Ventures, and Sandwater backing Enduro Genetics' Series A. Sir David Harding, founder of Winton Capital, made a direct investment in Solena Materials alongside specialized funds SynBioVen and Insempra, marking notable crossover interest from traditional finance.

Creator Fund and Capital Blue supported Myria Biosciences' pre-seed round, focusing on university technology spin-outs. Notable board appointments include Nobel laureate Sir Gregory Winter joining Constructive Bio's board, and participation from Jonathon Milner, Abcam's founder, signaling strong industry validation.

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What do these funded startups actually do — what problems are they solving or technologies are they developing?

The funded startups address critical bottlenecks across synthetic biology applications, from therapeutic protein development to sustainable manufacturing and materials production.

GRO Biosciences engineers genomically recoded organisms to incorporate non-standard amino acids into therapeutic proteins, directly addressing the problem of anti-drug antibody formation that limits treatment effectiveness. Their lead asset ProGly-Uricase targets refractory gout by preventing immune system rejection of protein therapeutics.

Constructive Bio develops synthetic genomics platforms that write entire custom genomes in living cells, enabling the manufacture of novel biomolecules impossible to produce naturally. This technology opens pathways for new drug discovery targets and sustainable biomaterial production. Enduro Genetics created "synthetic addiction" technology that links microbial cell productivity to survival, preventing low-producer cells from dominating biomanufacturing reactors and ensuring consistent high yields at industrial scale.

Myria Biosciences operates the GEMMS platform, which leverages AI and high-throughput synthetic biology to generate and screen millions of natural-product-inspired drug candidates weekly, dramatically accelerating pharmaceutical discovery timelines. Solena Materials uses AI-driven molecular design to create fully synthetic protein fibers for textiles, enabling high-performance, biodegradable fabrics produced by engineered microbes using renewable feedstocks.

Which synthetic biology startup received the largest funding round, and how much was it?

GRO Biosciences secured the largest synthetic biology funding round in our dataset with $60.3 million in Series B financing, closed in July 2024.

Atlas Venture and Access Biotechnology co-led the round, with additional participation from Leaps by Bayer and Redmile Group. The funding represents the largest disclosed venture round for synthetic biology startups during the 18-month period analyzed.

The round size reflects investor confidence in GRO's genomically recoded organism platform and its potential to address significant unmet medical needs in protein therapeutics. The company's lead asset targets refractory gout, a condition affecting millions of patients worldwide who develop resistance to current treatments.

GRO's funding substantially exceeded the second-largest round by Constructive Bio ($58 million), indicating particularly strong investor appetite for therapeutic applications of synthetic biology versus other market segments. The round positions GRO to advance clinical trials and expand their platform to additional therapeutic areas.

What are the most active geographic regions or countries for synthetic biology startup funding right now?

The United Kingdom and United States dominate synthetic biology startup funding activity, accounting for four of the five major funding rounds in 2024-2025.

Are any major corporations, pharma giants, or tech firms participating in funding these startups directly or indirectly?

Major pharmaceutical companies and corporate strategics are participating through corporate venture arms and strategic partnerships rather than leading funding rounds directly.

Leaps by Bayer, the pharmaceutical giant's venture arm, participated in GRO Biosciences' $60.3 million Series B, demonstrating pharma interest in novel protein therapeutics platforms. Redmile Group, a healthcare-focused investment firm, also joined the round, indicating institutional healthcare investor engagement.

Paladin Capital Group, which has ties to Abcam through portfolio companies, co-led Constructive Bio's Series A alongside founder Jonathon Milner's direct participation. This represents indirect pharmaceutical industry engagement through successful biotech entrepreneurs and specialized healthcare investors.

No direct strategic rounds led by Big Pharma or major tech companies have been disclosed, though portfolio overlaps suggest ongoing engagement through intermediary funds. The absence of direct corporate leading suggests the technology remains in early validation stages, with corporations preferring to observe through specialized healthcare VCs before committing strategic capital directly.

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Which breakthroughs or R&D technologies are investors betting on in synthetic biology right now?

Investors are concentrating funding on four core technological breakthroughs that promise to unlock synthetic biology's commercial potential at scale.

Genome synthesis and recoding technologies represent the largest investment category, with Constructive Bio's $58 million Series A supporting full-genome writing capabilities and GRO Biosciences' $60.3 million Series B advancing genomically recoded organisms. These platforms enable programming entirely new biological functions impossible in natural organisms.

AI-driven protein design constitutes the second major investment focus, with Solena Materials raising $6.7 million to develop neural networks for bespoke protein fiber creation and Myria Biosciences securing funding for AI-powered drug discovery platforms. This convergence of artificial intelligence and biology promises to accelerate development timelines from years to months.

Synthetic addiction and cell programming technologies are gaining traction for biomanufacturing applications, with Enduro Genetics' $12.4 million Series A supporting genetic circuits that couple production to cell fitness. This breakthrough addresses the critical industrial challenge of maintaining high-yield production at scale without costly selection pressures.

Non-standard amino acid platforms represent a specialized but highly valued category, with GRO's substantial funding validating investor confidence in expanding the genetic code for enhanced therapeutic proteins that resist immune system rejection.

What are the common terms or funding conditions seen in recent investment rounds?

Recent synthetic biology funding rounds follow standard venture capital structures with equity investments, board representation, and milestone-based use of proceeds typical for deep-tech startups.

Series A and B rounds dominate the funding landscape, with investors taking board seats and securing liquidation preferences consistent with biotech venture norms. Notable board appointments include Nobel laureate Sir Gregory Winter joining Constructive Bio, indicating investors prioritize world-class scientific advisory capabilities.

Use of proceeds focus consistently on platform expansion, scale-up facility development, clinical proof-of-concept studies, and strategic partnership development. Enduro Genetics specifically allocated funding toward biomanufacturing scale-up, while GRO Biosciences targeted clinical advancement of their lead therapeutic asset.

Valuation multiples and specific terms remain undisclosed across all rounds, though the substantial round sizes relative to company stages suggest premium valuations reflecting strong investor competition for breakthrough synthetic biology platforms. Pre-seed and seed rounds show increasing institutional participation rather than pure angel funding, indicating institutional interest at earlier stages.

Which investment firms or corporate VCs are entering the synbio space for the first time, and why?

Several prominent investors made first-time entries into synthetic biology during 2024-2025, driven by the technology's maturation toward commercial applications and scalable platforms.

Supernova Invest and Sandwater emerged as new synthetic biology investors through Enduro Genetics' Series A, seeking exposure to biomanufacturing enablement technologies that promise to solve industrial-scale production challenges. These firms recognize synthetic biology's potential to transform traditional manufacturing across multiple industries.

Sir David Harding, founder of Winton Capital, made his first direct synthetic biology investment through Solena Materials' seed round, signaling crossover interest from traditional finance into materials innovation. His participation reflects growing recognition that synthetic biology can address massive markets beyond pharmaceuticals, particularly in sustainable materials and textiles.

The entry timing coincides with synthetic biology platforms demonstrating real-world applications and commercial viability, moving beyond pure research toward revenue-generating businesses. First-time investors are attracted by the combination of breakthrough science, large addressable markets, and increasing proof points for technical and commercial execution.

These new entrants complement existing specialized synbio investors like SynBioVen and established biotech VCs, indicating market expansion and validation that attracts capital from adjacent investment sectors seeking exposure to transformative biological technologies.

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What is the total amount invested in synthetic biology startups in 2024 and 2025 so far?

Synthetic biology startups raised at least $137.4 million in disclosed venture funding across the analyzed period from January 2024 through June 2025.

The total comprises $60.3 million from GRO Biosciences' Series B, $58 million from Constructive Bio's Series A, $12.4 million from Enduro Genetics' Series A, and $6.7 million from Solena Materials' seed round. Myria Biosciences' pre-seed round remains undisclosed and therefore excluded from the total calculation.

This figure represents only disclosed venture rounds from the specific companies analyzed and likely underestimates total market activity. Additional synthetic biology startups may have raised funding during this period without public disclosure, particularly seed and pre-seed rounds that often remain confidential.

The $137.4 million total reflects concentrated activity among breakthrough platform companies rather than broad market participation. The substantial average round size of $34.4 million across disclosed rounds indicates investors are making significant bets on proven technologies rather than diversifying across numerous early-stage companies.

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Are there any clear market segments within synthetic biology receiving more funding than others?

Therapeutic proteins and protein engineering dominate synthetic biology funding, capturing 43.8% of total disclosed investment with GRO Biosciences' $60.3 million Series B leading the category.

Based on recent trends and expert forecasts, what's the outlook for synthetic biology funding in 2026?

Synthetic biology funding is projected to exceed $200 million in new venture rounds by end of 2026, driven by platform maturation, corporate partnerships, and geographic expansion into APAC markets.

Continued growth in Series A and B financing appears likely as current platforms advance toward clinical trials and commercial scale-up phases. The substantial 2024-2025 rounds position companies for significant value inflection points, attracting follow-on investment and new institutional participants.

Increased corporate venture capital entry from pharmaceutical and materials giants is expected as they seek sustainable biotech innovations and strategic positioning in biological manufacturing. The absence of major corporate strategic rounds in 2024-2025 suggests pent-up demand from strategics waiting for technical validation.

Geographic expansion into Asia-Pacific synthetic biology hubs represents a key growth driver, with regional funds expected to follow Western investment leads. Emerging interest in biofoundry services, AI-augmented design platforms, and advanced chassis engineering should create new funding categories beyond current therapeutic and manufacturing focus areas.

Blended finance approaches combining equity with government grants may increase to de-risk high-impact, long-horizon synthetic biology scale-ups, particularly for climate and sustainability applications that require patient capital for technology development and commercial validation.

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Conclusion

Sources

1. LabioTech EU - Recent Biotech Fundings
2. World Economic Forum - Synthetic Biology Potential
3. Seedtable - Best Synthetic Biology Startups
4. GRO Biosciences - Series B Announcement
5. Constructive Bio - Series A Announcement
6. Enduro Genetics - Series A Announcement
7. Solena Materials - Seed Funding Announcement
8. Myria Biosciences - Pre-seed Announcement