Bulgaria's LAUNCHub Ventures invests in GlycanAge

GlycanAge will use the fresh funding to strategically shift from the longevity space to the broader diagnostics market, advancing its mission to redefine personalised preventative healthcare, LAUNCHub Ventures told SeeNews in an emailed statement, without disclosing the size of its investment.

The financial injection will also allow GlycanAge to establish a clear regulatory strategy and product pipeline in order to develop disease-specific prognostic biomarkers.

The startup is additionally backed by a $140,000 grant from Emirati state-owned fund Mubadala’s accelerator programme HUB71 and $220,000 from an EU artificial intelligence (AI) grant, aiming to bridge the gap between diagnostics and AI.

GlycanAge, built upon twenty years of glycobiology research and $40 million in grant funding, provides a biological age test using glycan biomarkers for early prevention strategies for consumers and healthcare professionals. The startup's co-founder and chief scientific officer, Gordan Lauc, started the Human Glycome Project in 2017, aiming to revolutionise disease detection, patient stratification and therapy monitoring.

"Investing in GlycanAge represents our commitment to health and longevity in Europe. The innovative work in glycobiology is redefining personalised care, promising a future where health is tailored and proactive. We are excited to back Nikolina Lauc and Dr Gordan Lauc's vision, making longevity a reality for all," LAUNCHub Ventures managing partner Lyuben Belov said.

LAUNCHub Ventures, with a current fund of 74 million euro, focuses on early-stage tech startups in Central and Southeastern Europe and diaspora founders in global technological hubs.

($ = 0.9287 euro)