Diagnostics Startups funded by Y Combinator (YC) 2024

Notable Labs is building a personalized drug discovery platform to identify treatment options for relapsed and refractory cancer patients — starting with blood cancer — to address the long tail of cancer treatment. We look at a person’s actual cancer cells, test combinations of FDA approved drugs, and see which combinations kill the cancer cells and leave the healthy cells alive. We focus on combinations because cancer is often difficult to target with just one drug and starting with a single drug can lead to resistant clones or relapse. We're building a highly automated lab in Foster City running on our custom software and are currently testing relapsed/refractory cancer patients as well as samples from a variety of pharma/biotech partnerships. https://www.notablelabs.com/careers

Diassess Inc. is revolutionizing the way infectious diseases are prevented, diagnosed, and monitored by developing the tools necessary to empower people to become knowledgeable about their health. We produce inexpensive, disposable health diagnostic hardware that transforms any smartphone into a portable, real-time health-monitoring device for rapid, accessible, multiplexed analysis of bodily fluids anywhere in the world.

Today, biologists spend too much time pipetting by hand. We think biologists should have robots to do pipetting for them. People doing science should be free of tedious benchwork and repetitive stress injuries. They should be able to spend their time designing experiments and analyzing data. That's why we started Opentrons. We make robots for biologists. Our mission is to provide the scientific community with a common platform to easily share protocols and reproduce each other's results. Our robots automate experiments that would otherwise be done by hand, allowing our community to spend more time pursuing answers to some of the 21st century’s most important questions.

BillionToOne has developed a DNA molecular counter that increases the cell-free DNA diagnostics resolution by over 1,000 fold, which unlocks transformative improvements in prenatal screening and liquid biopsy for cancers. Unity Screen, BillionToOne's commercially available non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT), is the only NIPT that can assess fetal risk for both recessive conditions and aneuploidies from maternal blood. UNITY Screen continues to grow exponentially and is on its path to becoming the next standard-of-care, with an increasing number of publications showing its accuracy and advantages over other screening methods. We have also recently used our molecular counting technology to develop liquid biopsy tests, which have the potential to completely transform oncology care.

Redcliffe Labs (a unit of Redcliffe Lifetech Inc) provides diagnostics with a comprehensive portfolio approach both with routine and specialised test menus with advanced testing labs all over India. Its digital first approach with on-demand 1-hour home collection and same day report is disrupting the way diagnostics is delivered today and thus is the fastest growing in India. Redcliffe Labs is providing 3500+ tests across its wide network of labs and collection centres. The company has served about millions of Indians and is processing more than 250K+ test parameters daily. The test portfolio is very wide including routine pathology tests, advanced genetic screening, research-based DNA tests in reproductive health, cancer and wellness/fitness. The easy to interpret smart reports provide key health check-points, which can help in diagnosing and treating both chronic and acute diseases on time. Redcliffe Labs has pioneered Drone technology adoption in the diagnostic sector by opening up the first commercial corridor from Uttarkashi to Dehradun. The company currently has 30+ labs and 700+ authorised collection centres in more than 120 cities across India. Redcliffe's vision is to provide world-class diagnostic services to people across the Indian sub-continent in an affordable manner.

Scanbase makes it easy for medical companies to convert photos of rapid diagnostic tests into results. We do this by providing a simple API that any medical company can access.

In the global fight against breast cancer, Digistain stands at the forefront, offering a beacon of hope to millions. Our journey began at Imperial College London, where ground-breaking research gave birth to a technology poised to revolutionize breast cancer diagnostics. The Challenge: Every year, breast cancer affects 2.3 million individuals globally. Post-surgery, 60% of patients are advised to undergo genomic testing, an expensive and time-consuming process monopolized by a single lab in the U.S., costing around $4,000 and taking nearly two months. Consequently, only 5% undergo this vital testing. The rest, unable to access this crucial diagnostic step, often resort to chemotherapy—a treatment that, in one in four cases, is more harmful than the cancer itself. Our Solution: Digistain addresses this critical gap. Our technology transforms the current diagnostic process by enabling hospitals to analyze patient samples in-house using existing equipment, supplemented with our innovative technology. This approach offers near-instantaneous decision-making data, a stark contrast to the existing month-long waits. Central to our technology is a proprietary algorithm that identifies a unique spectral fingerprint of the tumour in the infrared spectrum, providing a personalized risk score. This score guides oncologists in selecting the most effective, individualized treatment plans, potentially reducing unnecessary chemotherapy and its harmful side effects. Impact and Potential: Our solution not only challenges the status quo in technology but also in accessibility. In a landmark government-commissioned study, Digistain demonstrated clinical evidence on par with the market leader, but at a fraction of the cost and time. Already making waves in clinical practice globally, with insurance reimbursement at leading cancer centers, our technology represents a paradigm shift in cancer care. Recognized by the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society, and Imperial College for our innovative contributions, and supported by entities like the NHS, Y Combinator, and the European Investment Bank, Digistain is more than a company—it’s a movement towards equitable, effective cancer treatment. With the potential to democratize access to life-saving diagnostics, Digistain is not just envisioning a better future for cancer patients; we are actively creating it.

Isabl has developed software that can analyze the entire genome of cancer patients. Today, when people get cancer, they get a genetic test of their tumor that analyzes only a few possible mutations. With Isabl, you run the tumor through an Illumina sequencer and get the whole genome, then our software is able to analyze all the mutations. Our breakthrough technology provides unprecedented clarity into tumor biology to aid treatment planning. This opens up opportunities for precision diagnostics, disease surveillance and biomarker discovery.

X-ZELL™ is a global start-up specialising in rare cell detection technology. Backed by Y Combinator and various high-profile angel investors from around the globe – among them Gmail creator Paul Buchheit – X-ZELL™ has developed a world-first platform technology capable of isolating and visualizing rare and abnormal cells such as Circulating Endothelial Cells (CEC). X-ZELL™’s platform technology is based on four core modules covering the entire spectrum from blood processing through to cell analysis and reporting – with every step performed in-house using patented and proprietary technology. By combining the wisdom of 4,000 years of pathologic research with X-ZELL™’s own, cutting-edge technology, X-ZELL™ ensures robust results and maximum clinical utility across a broad range of medical applications – from research through to medication management, companions diagnostics, relapse control and diagnostic decision-making. More information on www.x-zell.com and @XZELLInc

Astek Diagnostics is building a platform (Eugris) that guides physicians in prescribing appropriate antibiotics for patients with bacterial sepsis in one hour. It is done by detecting the oxygen consumption of the bacteria

Oncobox believes that many late-stage cancer patients are dying prematurely because doctors lack a data-driven tool to help them decide which drugs currently on the market would most effectively fight individual patients’ specific cancers. That’s where Oncobox comes in. Oncobox is low-cost personalized genetic profiling to help doctors decide which drug to use. In a recent study conducted by leading cancer researchers in Europe and Asia on 900 patients with various late-stage cancers, Oncobox increased the effectiveness of targeted therapies from 25% to 64%. How does Oncobox work? Over 150 targeted cancer drugs are currently on the market. But deciding which of these drugs to give to late-stage cancer patients is not a simple task. Cancer doctors are in a race against the clock. They don’t always know which medication will be most effective for their patients. Because these drugs are expensive and typically have significant side effects, they can’t just try them all. Because of these barriers, targeted cancer therapies are effective only 25% of the time, and 70% of patients with late-stage cancers die due to the toxic side effects of ineffective drugs. Oncobox Dx analyses tumor DNA, RNA, and molecular pathways using algorithms to distinguish which molecular targets are the most crucial for individual cases. Doctors receive a clinically actionable report that shows them which drugs are likely to be most effective on the patient. We actively seek partners from pharma, hospitals/clinicians, payers, and genomic centers. Feel free to contact us at hello@oncobox.com. Our team and the scientific advisory board consisting of leading scientists and researchers from UCLA, Stanford, Johns Hopkins University, Boston University, Tufts University, and Rutgers University.

Starling is building a urine diagnostic remote patient monitoring platform that seamlessly integrates into anyone's bathroom routine. By detecting early changes in a patient's urine using our toilet indwelling mass spectroscopy device, our platform is aiming to prevent hospitalizations from numerous conditions like recurrent UTIs, BPH exacerbations, or diabetes. We do this while creating significant new annual revenues for our clinician partners from remote patient monitoring reimbursements without requiring any significant changes in a staff's day to day schedule.

We are combining synthetic biology and artificial intelligence to make cancer screening as easy as a pregnancy test. Cleancard is bringing lab-grade diagnostics into the comfort of your home. Our novel method enables robust diagnostics and biomarker tracking from the urine in just 30 minutes. Our rapid at-home screens can identify prostate, bladder and ovarian cancers. We are constantly expanding the number of conditions we can detect from a single sample using our platform technology.

Leveraging AI to provide veterinarians with more accurate and affordable diagnostics.

We are developing utility-scale molecular sensing using gamified citizen science and a unique, toy-like R&D device.

At XGenomes, we are building a technology comprising novel biochemistry, hardware and algorithms for sequencing DNA. Our product will be streamlined: there is zero library preparation; we sequence directly on unadulterated single molecules of DNA; DNA extraction will be integrated with sequencing; there is no bioinformatics bottleneck. The sequence we produce will be of unprecedented accuracy due to several layers of in-built redundancy including the sequencing both strands of the double-helix concurrently. The sequence we produce will be complete, encompassing: structural as well as single nucleotide variants; long-range haplotype phase; the repetitive "dark matter" of the genome. The cost of goods (consumables) of sequencing will be <$10, which will allow us to price our product at a level that will help grow the market while still achieving >90% margin. We will start by offering access as a service to high value customers, which be followed by a razor and blade model of selling instruments and consumables.

Novel quantitative virtual microscopy for early detection of Alzheimer's disease from non-invasive MRI.

Rev Genomics is a plant biotechnology company that provides breeders, growers, and retailers with novel cultivars to differentiate themselves in high value markets.

Spot is building the infrastructure to support the future of at-home diagnostics. Our fully white-labeled platform helps brands offer lab-analyzed diagnostic tests using at-home collection kits. Companies simply order tests via our API, and we handle the rest—the collection kits, the logistics, physician authorization, and the lab integrations.

We provide high quality data for AI radiology. We're building the biggest database of labeled medical data in the world, starting with radiology images. We sell to medical companies who are training and validating AI algorithms.

Yemaachi Biotech is diversifying and expanding access to precision cancer diagnostics and therapeutics by collecting and sequencing samples from all across Africa, which is the most genetically diverse population on the planet. We then use this data to either optimize existing diagnostic tests, or help other companies discover new ones. With our research activities based in Africa, we are able to leverage access to the most genetically diverse population on the planet to build a first-of-its-kind clinical and molecular knowledgebase on cancer among African people.

We believe that no emergency should have to wait. To make this a reality we build AI that instantly reads medical scans and enables critical care teams to make diagnoses better than radiologists. This saves lives by getting emergencies to treatment immediately and by discharging non-emergent patients quickly so the next emergency doesn’t have to wait either.

Cofactor uses RNA and Predictive Immune Modeling to build better biomarkers and improve patient outcomes. Led by Jarret Glasscock and a group of expert human genome scientists,Cofactor has built a new category of diagnostic technology powered by unique and powerful RNA data models built on terabytes of data. The team recently had their technology validation peer-reviewed by the organizations that set standards for diagnostic technology (CAP, AMP) and is publishing in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. In addition, the team made news when Cancer Physicians who sit on the committee for patient treatment guidelines (NCCN) presented a clinical study using Cofactor’s technology showing superiority in predicting the patients who will respond to immunotherapy. This initial application is an acute problem recognized widely in the rapidly developing immunotherapy industry and represents north of a billion dollar TAM. After a number of recent key milestones, the team is taking the technology more broadly to 50% of cancers diagnosed in the US. Current investors include Menlo Ventures, DCVC, and Ascension Ventures (this last investor representing the funding arm for 13 National U.S. Healthcare Systems).

In a nutshell: many diseases are caused by how much your cells squeeze (asthma, fibrosis, others). We discover drugs that control how much cells squeeze, with ease, to treat disease. We use patented bioMEMS technology to turn cell strength (cells' ability to pull/ squeeze) into a quantifiable metric in drug discovery, to help find better drugs for mechanical diseases. We screen 100,000s of drugs against numerous contractile human cell types to comprehensively map human mechanobiology (the "contractome") and identify promising drug development starting points to deliver novel medicines to treat mechanically-driven diseases including asthma, hypertension, preterm labor, fibrosis, and others.

Orange Health Labs offers at-home collection of samples on-demand within 60 minutes and delivers test results twice as fast as the industry norm, across the top cities in India. With an on-demand service, patients can now avoid visiting crowded and potentially infectious collection centers. At the same time, they can get diagnosed much faster and get better treatment remotely from their own doctor

We're building the HaploHub: a SaaS platform for genetic testing labs, concierge medical practices, and payer/providers to: * predict disease risk for their patients based on proprietary or publicly available genetic models * securely host, manage, and interrogate the genetic data of their population * generate reports and run the most common inference algorithms (phasing, imputation, ibd, etc.) without writing code

MICSI is introducing AI software that doubles resolution and halves scan time. This breakthrough enables imaging centers to significantly enhance their capacity and patient throughput, potentially saving countless lives and generating an additional $2 million of revenue per MRI scanner. Our initial offering serves as a stepping stone toward the company’s larger vision of transforming the MRI into a truly quantitative instrument that is capable of providing highly reproducible data for more accurate diagnoses and patient management.

Digital health holds a lot of potential but is ignoring a growing problem: diagnostic testing. Without this data, providers and organizations will be limited in the services they can provide patients at home. Scout has developed a platform - Hub, test kits, and app - that delivers health testing at home with 10x lower development cost and 3x lower per-test price. Our patented tech also meets performance requirements for medical diagnoses and integrates with the current healthcare tech stack. Scout’s technology is poised to disrupt the outdated $33Bn diagnostic market by democratizing testing while dramatically improving the patient experience. Scout has received $16M in non-dilutive funding from the NIH and other organizations to fully de-risk our platform, and our pipeline includes a diverse test menu for primary care (e.g. respiratory and sexual health), wellness (e.g. gut health), and chronic conditions (e.g. certain cancers). We have already received FDA authorization for our platform in clinical settings and are planning to launch our flagship Scout Hub in Q1 2024.

There are over 70 million low accuracy tests done in US every year for conditions like the flu. Labsimply is using novel CRISPR enzymes to replace these with Point-of-care tests that offer PCR accuracy in 5 minutes or less.

Delee is a medical device company that developed a blood-testing device for early diagnosis of cancer and treatment monitoring through the isolation and analysis of the circulating tumor cells.

We make precision diagnostics more accessible, starting with breast cancer prognosis. Current tests that guide the use of therapy are really slow and expensive because they need to be run in complex centralized facilities. Our tests are designed to be easily run by local hospital labs, reducing turnaround time from over three weeks to a few days and for half the price.

We quantify brain health and align patients with the right treatment

Correlia Biosystems is a UC Berkeley spinoff company based in Berkeley, CA. Correlia develops innovative microscale tools that accelerate rapid quantification of biomolecules. Our versatile "SimpleScan" technology opens up new biological questions from one microliter of sample, with rapid results that allow for dynamic monitoring of protein expression profiles (rather than simple end-point measurement). Applications range from enabling next-gen proteomic data sets to point-of-care diagnostics.

Nomic is doing for protein profiling, what Illumina did for DNA sequencing. Our core technology, the nELISA, is a next-gen immunoassay platform that transforms the ELISA into a high-throughput, high-content, and high-versatility tool. Today we developed the nELISA for high-throughput drug discovery scientists, enabling them profile 100s of proteins at 10x higher throughput and 10x lower cost compared to existing solutions. We're offering the nELISA through early access programs to HTS groups in top pharmas as well as pioneering biotechs in the space. Our goal is to create a ubiquitous technology that consolidates the broad range of legacy immunoassay toolkits that scientists use today with a single platform that can carry the science end-to-end, from discovery all the way to the clinic. We're a team of engineers, biologists, and highly-skilled lab operators that are looking to grow quickly to keep up with customer demand but also to continue developing our core technology, scale our multiplexing/throughput, and build our software stack. We're hiring on a number of positions including engineering, software, biology, and ops. Come talk to us!

Over 80% of maternal mortalities were preventable with earlier intervention. Currently, doctors miss >50% of moms who have life-threatening complications and wait until labor to start doing manual risk assessments, at which point it's too late. Elythea's proprietary ML models catch life-threatening obstetric complications (like postpartum hemorrhage, preeclampsia/eclampsia, emergency c-section, preterm labor, and more) as soon as the first visit. We automatically analyze relevant demographic and clinical risk factors, flag high-risk patients, and provide evidence-based interventions, giving doctors months in advance to intervene and prevent complications from ever happening. Our global clinical studies have shown that we can catch 2-3x more complications than clinical judgment 10x sooner.

AOA Dx is developing the next frontier in early-stage cancer detection for women through our pioneering work in glycolipids and proprietary biomarker technology.

Scanwell Health makes healthcare more accessible through smartphone-enabled, at-home diagnostics. Scanwell's innovative approach lets people test from anywhere, skip the waiting room and get same-day results. By quickly diagnosing acute illnesses, chronic diseases and rare conditions, Scanwell accelerates the path to treatment. Our first product is the only FDA-cleared over-the-counter app that provides testing and treatment for urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Luminist developed a non-invasive diagnostic test for the early detection and staging of liver fibrosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Luminist was acquired in 2020 by DiscernDx.

Loop Genomics provides long-read sequencing solutions across a diverse set of research and clinical applications. Our platform for long-read DNA sequencing transforms short-read DNA sequencers into long-read sequencing machines.