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Sense Biodetection has raised $63.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Sense Biodetection has raised $63.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Sense Biodetection has raised $63.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Sense Biodetection's investors include OurCrowd, Moshe Yanai.
Sense Biodetection is a molecular diagnostics company developing instrument-free, handheld tests that deliver lab-quality results in minutes for infectious diseases, targeting healthcare professionals and patients in decentralized settings like doctors' offices, pharmacies, and community facilities.[1][2][3] Its flagship Veros platform enables rapid detection of pathogens such as COVID-19, influenza, RSV, and sexually transmitted infections, solving the problem of instrument-dependent diagnostics that limit point-of-care access and timely treatment.[3][6] The company serves frontline caregivers by providing easy-to-use, single-use tests that amplify nucleic acids without complex hardware, improving patient outcomes, reducing costs, and enabling widespread testing.[1][4]
Sense raised €14 million in 2019 to advance its technology, launched Veros COVID-19 in Europe and South America after CE Mark approval in 2022, and demonstrated growth through investor backing from Koch Disruptive Technologies, Cambridge Innovation Capital, Earlybird Health, and Mercia Asset Management.[2][3][6]
Founded in Cambridge, UK, Sense Biodetection emerged from a vision to decentralize healthcare diagnostics, with early focus on instrument-free molecular tests as an alternative to PCR.[2][6] The idea stemmed from recognizing barriers in machine-based systems, leading to proprietary amplification technologies for handheld, single-use products; CEO Harry Lamble highlighted this in 2019 funding announcements, positioning Sense for infectious disease applications like flu.[2] Pivotal early traction included the €14 million raise in 2019 from a syndicate led by Earlybird Health, fueling product development.[2]
By 2022, under CEO Timothy Still, Sense achieved CE Mark for Veros COVID-19 and launched in select markets, expanding facilities to Oxford (HQ), Cambridge, and Milford, MA.[3][6][7] This momentum culminated in its acquisition by Sherlock Biosciences, integrating Sense's tech with CRISPR tools.[6][7][8]
Sense rides the point-of-care diagnostics trend, accelerated by COVID-19, where demand for decentralized, rapid testing outpaces central-lab constraints amid global health threats and resource-limited settings.[2][3][6] Timing aligns with post-pandemic shifts toward accessible molecular tools, countering instrument barriers that hinder adoption in primary care.[1][2] Market forces like rising infectious disease burdens (flu, RSV, STIs) and healthcare cost pressures favor its low-cost, scalable model, potentially lowering systemic expenses while enabling precise, immediate decisions.[3][4]
Through acquisition by Sherlock Biosciences, Sense influences the ecosystem by merging its chemistry and manufacturing with CRISPR tech, advancing consumer-facing diagnostics for respiratory, sexual health, and outbreak response—democratizing lab power globally.[6][7][8]
Post-acquisition, Sense's Veros platform will expand within Sherlock, accelerating multiplex tests for diverse pathogens using combined CRISPR and amplification tech, targeting global consumer markets.[6][7][8] Trends like AI-enhanced reads, outbreak preparedness, and at-home testing will shape its path, evolving from COVID focus to a broad infectious disease portfolio. This positions the combined entity to redefine diagnostics, fulfilling Sense's original vision of testing anywhere to transform care access—bridging lab precision to everyday use.[1][6]
Sense Biodetection has raised $63.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $50.0M Series B in April 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2021 | $50.0M Series B | OurCrowd, Moshe Yanai | |
| Oct 1, 2019 | $13.0M Series A |
