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§ Private Profile · Seattle, WA, USA
Provides human stem cell platforms for drug discovery, building functional human tissue models for cardiac and neuromuscular R&D.
Based in Seattle, Washington, Curi Bio develops human stem cell-based platforms that integrate cells, systems, and data to accelerate preclinical drug discovery. The company provides biopharmaceutical researchers with specialized hardware, including the Mantarray and Nautilus platforms, to build and measure functional human tissue models for cardiac and neuromuscular disease applications. By utilizing these induced pluripotent stem cell technologies, drug developers can generate predictive efficacy data and reduce their reliance on animal models. The enterprise operates with a team of 29 employees and has secured over $16.8 million in total funding, supported by lead investor Dynamo Capital. The firm expanded its scale by acquiring Silene Biotech in 2019 and is currently led by Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Geisse. Originally operating as NanoSurface Biomedical, the organization was founded in 2015 by Elliot Fisher and Deok-Ho Kim.
Curi Bio has raised $26.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Curi Bio has raised $26.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Curi Bio has raised $26.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Curi Bio's investors include DreamCIS, Dynamk Capital, DS Asset Management, UTC Investment.
Curi Bio has raised $26.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $10.0M Series B in December 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2, 2025 | $10M Series B | Dreamcis | — | Announced |
| Dec 1, 2021 | $10M Series A | Dynamk Capital | DS Asset Management, UTC Investment | Announced |
| Mar 1, 2021 | $6M Series A | Dynamk Capital | — | Announced |
Curi Bio is a Seattle-based biotechnology company that develops human-relevant platforms integrating induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cells, 3D engineered tissue models, biosystems for functional analysis, and AI/ML-enabled data analytics to accelerate drug discovery and preclinical testing.[1][2][4] It serves pharmaceutical and biotech researchers by providing predictive models for cardiac, skeletal muscle, neuromuscular, and metabolic diseases, solving the problem of inaccurate animal models and early-stage preclinical data through structurally mature, human-specific tissues that deliver clinically relevant functional readouts like contractility, electrophysiology, and calcium transients.[1][2][3] Recent growth includes a $10 million Series B funding round closed in December 2025 to scale tissue production, expand lab capabilities, increase assay capacity, and broaden into more tissue types such as ALS modeling.[1][4]
Founded in 2015 as NanoSurface Biomedical, Curi Bio (rebranded from its former name) emerged from University of Washington research, leveraging expertise in cell and tissue engineering.[4][7] Key figures include CEO and management team members like Chief Science Officer Nicholas Geisse, with a Scientific Advisory Board featuring experts from Johns Hopkins, University of Washington, and industry leaders such as the former CMO of AskBio (Bayer) and President of ASGCT.[8] The idea stemmed from advancing drug discovery via human iPSCs reprogrammed into disease-relevant cell types like cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle cells, organized into 3D microphysiological systems for better biological mimicry.[1][2] Early traction built through proprietary platforms like Mantarray for contractility analysis and NanoSurface plates for tissue maturation, evolving into a full workflow spanning preclinical drug development, culminating in the 2025 Series B to fuel expansion.[1][3][4]
Curi Bio stands out in biotech tooling through its integrated, end-to-end platform emphasizing human iPSC-derived models over animal testing:
Curi Bio rides the wave of human-on-a-chip and organoid technologies, addressing the 90%+ preclinical failure rate in drug development by replacing animal models with iPSC-based systems that capture human genetic diversity and organ-level interactions.[1][2] Timing aligns with surging demand for human-relevant data amid regulatory pushes (e.g., FDA Modernization Act 2.0 favoring non-animal testing) and AI-driven drug discovery, amplified by post-2020 biotech funding resurgence.[1][4] Market tailwinds include explosive growth in cell therapy, gene editing (e.g., CRISPR for neuromuscular diseases), and precision medicine, where Curi's contractile/excitable tissue focus supports cardio-oncology, rare diseases like ALS/DMD, and metabolic disorders.[1][5] It influences the ecosystem by partnering with pharma for R&D workflows, de-risking pipelines, and enabling scalable assays that feed AI models for better hit-to-lead decisions.[2]
Curi Bio's $10M Series B positions it to dominate human tissue platforms, with near-term priorities on automating production, expanding cardiac/metabolic/neuromuscular models, and boosting partner assay throughput.[1][4] Trends like AI integration for predictive analytics, multi-organ chips, and non-animal regulatory mandates will propel growth, potentially capturing share in the $5B+ preclinical tools market. Its influence may evolve from tooling provider to ecosystem enabler, powering breakthroughs in regenerative medicine and personalized drugs—cementing its role as a cornerstone for human-centric biotech innovation.[1][2]