- Nautilus Biotechnology, a company that is pioneering high-throughput and low-cost platform for analyzing and quantifying the human proteome, announced it has raised $76 million
Nautilus Biotechnology, a company that is pioneering high-throughput and low-cost platform for analyzing and quantifying the human proteome, announced it has raised $76 million in an oversubscribed Series B offering (closed on May 18, 2020). Including this round of funding, Nautilus has raised over $100 million.
The Nautilus platform is going to deliver single-molecule sensitivity quicker, cheaper, and more completely than is possible with existing technologies. And this deeper and richer understanding of proteins will enable a dramatic acceleration of basic science research, significantly improve the success rate of therapeutic development, and speed the adoption of personalized and predictive medicine.
This round of funding was led by Vulcan Capital, which is the company founded by late Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Paul Allen. Along with Vulcan, Perceptive Advisors, Bezos Expeditions, and Defy Partners were new investors in the Series B round. And previous investors AME Cloud Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Bolt, and Madrona Venture Group also participated in the round. This round of funding will be used for accelerating the development of Nautilus’ proprietary proteomics platform and the expansion of scientific and engineering staff across a variety of levels and disciplines.
Nautilus was founded in 2016 by Sujal Patel (founder and CEO of Isilon Systems, a company acquired by EMC in 2010 for $2.6 billion) and Parag Mallick, PhD (Associate Professor of Radiology at Stanford University and a member of Stanford’s pioneering interdisciplinary biosciences institute BioX and the Canary Center for Cancer Early Detection).
This leadership team is combining their entrepreneurial and research backgrounds to solve the challenge of more easily and completely quantifying the proteins that drive every aspect of human physiology. That limitation is known for impeding scientific and pharmaceutical R&D. And Nautilus’ platform will enable a more comprehensive understanding of cellular and organismic biology.
Key Quotes:
“Existing proteomics technologies are slow, expensive, incomplete, and lack the sensitivity to deliver deep and meaningful insight into biological processes. Bringing together Parag’s breakthrough science with my deep understanding of large-scale IT has enabled us to approach the problem in a fundamentally new, more holistic way. Our value derives from a unique, interdisciplinary combination of biochemistry, computer science, and substantial business experience.”
– Nautilus co-founder and CEO, Sujal Patel
“The potential of proteomics has not been fully realized because of the limitations of current analysis methods,” said Lee Hartwell, PhD, President and Director Emeritus of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. A greater resolution of the proteome will make it possible for the entire scientific and pharma R&D communities to undertake a wider range of high-value scientific inquiries, thereby accelerating both their research and the benefits that can accrue to human health.”
– Lee Hartwell, PhD (President and Director Emeritus of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center), 2001 co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, and member of Nautilus’ Scientific Advisory Board
“Advancing scientific research and technology is at our core. With over a decade of experience investing in biotech and proteomics innovation, we believe that a reimagining of proteomics is long overdue. Nautilus has put together a special team with the vision, creativity, and experience to achieve that breakthrough, and execute on their vision.”
– Stuart Nagae, Director of Venture Capital at Vulcan Capital
