The Illumina Accelerator has granted an undisclosed amount of investment funding to BixBio, a Cape Town-based biotechnology startup that is seeking to unlock the potential of diverse genetic data in Africa to transform precision medicine.
BixBio, a biotech startup founded in 2020 by James Ross, a bioinformatician, and Tyronne McCrindle, a molecular biologist, is focused on unlocking the potential of diverse genetic data to further develop and strengthen the precision medicine sector.
BioBix’s proprietary AI platform is used to curate and establish large genetic data sets that will aid in the discovery of disease-causing genetic variations and novel drug targets. This is a viable alternative to the current time-consuming search for disease-causing genetic variations and novel drug targets. This solution aids pharmaceutical companies in the development of new drugs.
The IT startup not only secured funding, but it was also selected as one of seven new genomic startups to join in the Illumina Accelerator’s third global funding round. The accelerator is dedicated to assisting entrepreneurs and companies in the genomic medical sector that are working to develop innovative products and solutions.
The selected seven genomic companies will receive seed investment funding as well as access to Illumina sequencing systems and reagents as part of the accelerator. They’ll also get business advice, genomics expertise, and fully functional lab space near Illumina’s campuses in Cambridge, UK, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
BixBio will spend the next six months in Cambridge, utilizing the knowledge, networks, and global reach of the Illumina Accelerator. After securing funding from One Bio Venture Studio, the innovative local biotech startup has now secured a second investment.