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Based in London, the United Kingdom, Bactobio is a biotechnology company that utilizes synthetic biology, next-generation sequencing, and machine learning to culture previously unculturable soil microbes for the discovery of novel antibiotics and agricultural biologicals. The startup operates with a workforce of approximately 30 to 50 employees and has secured over $7.3 million in total funding to scale its microbial discovery platform. Operating within the healthcare and agritech sectors, the firm focuses on commercializing its discovered microbial compounds through pharmaceutical and agricultural partnerships to combat antimicrobial resistance and improve food security. Bactobio has received financial backing from Innovate UK and attracted notable advisors and board members, including Lendable co-founder Victoria van Lennep, former Novozymes CEO Peder Holk Nielsen, and Abcam founder Jonathan Milner. The company was founded in 2020 by Dr. Daniel Hansen and Mark Wilkinson.
Bactobio has raised $4.0M across 1 funding round.
Bactobio has raised $4.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Bactobio has raised $4.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $4.0M Seed in October 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2021 | $4M Seed | — | BoxOne Ventures, Mogrify, Sana Capital, Claudio Costamagna, Hugh Grant, Jonathan Milner, Leopoldo Zambeletti, Peder Nielsen | Announced |
# Bactobio: A Biotechnology Pioneer in Microbial Discovery
Bactobio is a biotechnology company, not a technology company in the traditional sense. While it employs advanced technologies, its core business is discovering novel antimicrobials and agricultural solutions by unlocking previously unculturable microbes through genomics, machine learning, and bioengineering.[1][2]
Bactobio develops novel antimicrobials and sustainable agricultural solutions by accessing the 99% of microbes that cannot be cultured in traditional laboratory settings.[2] The company's mission is to create a safer and greener world by harvesting valuable metabolites from what it calls "microbial dark matter"—the vast untapped potential of unculturable microbes.[2]
The company serves two primary markets: healthcare (discovering novel antibiotics to combat antimicrobial resistance) and agriculture (developing natural fungicides and plant protectants).[1][3] Bactobio addresses a critical global challenge: antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which has seen related deaths rise from 700,000 to 1.2 million since the company's founding.[3] In agriculture, it tackles the need for more sustainable crop protection alternatives to conventional pesticides.[1]
Bactobio was founded in 2020 in London by co-founder and CEO Daniel and another co-founder passionate about infectious disease therapeutics.[3] The company emerged from postdoctoral research into antimicrobial drug discovery, driven by recognition of the growing AMR crisis as a "silent pandemic."[3] By November 2023, the company had grown to over 40 dedicated employees, demonstrating early momentum in building a team of specialized scientists.[3]
The founding insight was elegant: while only 1% of microbes survive the transition from nature to laboratory conditions, the remaining 99% represent an enormous reservoir of untapped chemistry that has evolved to be effective, specific, and biodegradable.[2]
Bactobio operates at the intersection of three converging trends: the antimicrobial resistance crisis, the agricultural sustainability imperative, and advances in synthetic biology and AI-driven drug discovery.[3] The timing is critical—AMR is recognized as a global health threat, and regulatory bodies are actively seeking novel antimicrobial scaffolds with new mechanisms of action.
The company exemplifies a broader shift in biotech: moving from traditional high-throughput screening to computational biology and machine learning to accelerate discovery from nature's existing solutions. By unlocking previously inaccessible microbial chemistry, Bactobio influences how the biotech industry thinks about natural product discovery and sustainable innovation.
Its work also supports the growing movement toward nature-based agricultural solutions, aligning with regulatory pressure to reduce synthetic pesticide use and consumer demand for sustainable farming practices.[1]
Bactobio is positioned to become a significant player in antimicrobial discovery during a period of urgent clinical need. The company's ability to access an entirely new class of microbes—previously considered "unculturable"—gives it a structural advantage in finding novel chemical scaffolds that competitors cannot access.
The next phase will likely involve advancing lead candidates through preclinical and clinical development, securing partnerships with pharmaceutical companies or agricultural firms, and potentially expanding its microbial collection further. As AMR becomes an increasingly pressing healthcare priority and sustainable agriculture gains regulatory and market momentum, Bactobio's dual-market strategy positions it to capture value across both sectors.
The company's success will ultimately depend on translating its impressive microbial library and technological platform into validated therapeutics and agricultural products—a transition that requires not just scientific innovation but also regulatory navigation and commercial execution.
Bactobio has raised $4.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Bactobio's investors include BoxOne Ventures, Mogrify, Sana Capital, Claudio Costamagna, Hugh Grant, Jonathan Milner, Leopoldo Zambeletti, Peder Nielsen.
