MiLaboratories, a startup based in San Francisco with an R&D facility in Bilbao, Spain, has secured $10 million in Series A funding. The funding will be used to advance its computational biology platform. This platform is designed to help biologists more efficiently process, analyze, and aggregate large sets of genomic data generated by next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology.
This could play a crucial role in the development of new vaccines, cancer treatments, and other medical advancements. For the past four years, MiLaboratories has been developing a platform that incorporates data visualization and generative AI to enhance usability. The platform also serves as a marketplace where scientists can distribute specialized computational tools in the form of apps.
This expands its utility for the genomics research community. The primary users of this platform are bioinformaticians—scientists with expertise in biology, computer science, and mathematics. CEO Stan Poslavsky explains, “It’s a ‘no code’ style approach for biologists.
We also release an open source SDK (software development kit) allowing bioinformaticians to build real applications.” He highlights the inefficiency in the current methods of analyzing genomic data, which creates friction in the development of modern therapies. MiLaboratories aims to alleviate the grunt work of genomic data processing typically performed by bioinformaticians. This enables them to focus on creating complex algorithms that drive scientific progress.
Poslavsky notes, “Bioinformaticians are actually spending a lot of time just doing a monkey job of running the software for biologists.
Enhancing genomic data processing tools
To process this data, you need to have Linux machines, go over SSH, run complicated software tools to get the analysis done and get the insight from the data.”
On Thursday, MiLaboratories unveiled its software development kit (SDK) to the public, which has been in alpha and beta testing for several years.
Currently, around 300 labs have been using the beta version, and approximately 20 apps are available on the platform. The Series A funding round was led by Madrid-based Kfund with participation from Acrobator Ventures, EGB Capital, Courtyard Ventures, Somersault Ventures, Speedinvest, and Ten13. The funds will be used to further develop the platform and invest in community building.
“The key reason for raising money is just to plug more hands into the development of our platform. We are hiring more engineers and developer advocates,” Poslavsky emphasized. MiLaboratories offers its software for free to academic users while adopting a paid model for commercial users.
Currently, the startup is approaching 100 paying customers, including major pharmaceutical companies like Moderna and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Addressing the challenges of developing the computational biology platform, Poslavsky pointed out the immense amount of data generated by NGS, which required careful attention to processing efficiency. MiLaboratories has patented a technology that allows for highly optimized calculations, purportedly achieving 10x efficiency compared to other computational workflows.
Competition in this space includes Seqera Labs and its Nextflow software, along with various open source tools for NGS processing. However, MiLaboratories believes its platform offers a more accessible route to data insights for researchers. The startup aims to continue focusing on community engagement and the propagation of its technology in the academic arena.
They encourage the development and integration of new applications on its platform.
April Isaacs is a news contributor for DevX.com She is long-term, self-proclaimed nerd. She loves all things tech and computers and still has her first Dreamcast system. It is lovingly named Joni, after Joni Mitchell.
