Stories

PITTSBURGH, PA—Cernostics, a biotech firm that uses AI and spatial biology to identify the presence or development of esophageal cancer in tissue biopsies, has been acquired by Castle Biosciences for $30 million. Well done Pittsburgh! MILWAUKEE, WI—Digital health platform provider Medicardia raised $3M in post seed funding. The company’s platform features embedded telehealth, remote patient monitoring…

$118M for addiction care model ANN ARBOR, MI—Circumstances created by the pandemic dramatically increased the risk factors associated for substance use. WorkIt Health is establishing a new model for addiction care with health care and technology partners. According to a press release, 84% of Workit members stay in the program longer than 30 days, compared…

COLUMBUS, OH—With just over two months left in the year, Ohio’s startups and high-growth technology companies have for the first time topped $2 billion in venture capital investment. The Columbus region represents two-thirds of that. KANSAS CITY, MO—TripleBlind, the private data sharing company that offers a proprietary cryptographically-enforced solution, has received $24 million in an oversubscribed…

High Alpha helps launch two innovative startups INDIANAPOLIS, IN—There’s a lot going on at High Alpha. Two innovative startups have launched out of the Indy-based venture studio. First, is an e-commerce platform designed for independent culinary artists. The platform, created by Castiron, provides users with a customizable website builder, built-in food-specific product information such as ingredients and…

Duke to develop pan-coronavirus vaccine DURHAM, NC—Researchers from Duke University have received a grant to roll out a next-generation coronavirus vaccine. The $17.5 million grant, which came from The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), will enable a team at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute to further develop work that they did on…

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN—Abilitech Medical, which creates assistive technology to help those with upper-limb neuromuscular weakness or injury, raised $2.9 million in capital thought a convertible note. Thirteen investors took part in the raise, which includes debt and equity. ALSO IN EDEN PRAIRIE—In collaboration with researchers at the Mayo Clinic, a life sciences company has successfully completed the first…

CINCINNATI, OH—CinCor announced the completion of a $143 million Series B financing round. This will support the continued development of a treatment for hypertension, primary aldosteronism and chronic kidney disease. The financing was led by General Atlantic, with participation from new investors Perceptive Advisors, BVF Partners, venBio Partners, Adage Capital Management, Omega Funds, Rock Springs…

New digital manufacturing tech center CARMEL, IN—Telamon Robotics and Purdue University Manufacturing Extension Partnership have partnered to open the Digital Manufacturing Technology Center at Telamon’s headquarters in Carmel. The center provides companies with one location for attending demonstrations of advanced manufacturing technologies, interactive workforce training, hands-on simulations and more. Opportunities in national security ST. LOUIS,…

At-home COVID test gets emergency use authorization BURLINGTON, NC—The FDA granted an emergency use authorization for an at-home COVID-19 and flu test kit by Labcorp. Users swab their nose and mail in a sample, getting results back roughly one to two days after the test kit is received. Novir wins innovation award MILWAUKEE, WI—COVID-19 test…

ST. LOUIS, MO—People with REM sleep behavior disorder act out their dreams (if they’re running in a dream, they might move their legs). A team at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mayo Clinic, and The Neuro of McGill University has received a five-year grant expected to total $35.1 million to develop biomarkers…

NASHVILLE, TN—Construction finance platform Built Technologies announced $125 million in Series D funding at a valuation of $1.5 billion. Lead investor TCV, along with Brookfield Technology Partners, 9Yards Capital, XYZ Venture Capital and HighSage Ventures, will join existing investors. COLUMBUS, OH—Software startup Aware has raised an additional $50.5 million, just nine months after a $12 million round. Aware…

Astrobotic’s first mission to the moon PITTSBURGH, PA—Astrobotic, a lunar logistics company, is looking at next year’s calendar to set a date for sending the first commercial mission to the moon and the first American spacecraft to soft land there since the Apollo missions. (We interviewed Astrobotic’s CEO, John Thornton, earlier this year.) Exploring quantum technologies URBANA-CHAMPAIGN,…

Twice-daily pill to treat COVID CHAPEL HILL, NC—Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill say a twice-daily pill – molnupiravir – could change the way COVID-19 is treated. Strong clinical trial results showed the experimental antiviral drug reduced hospitalizations and deaths by half in people recently infected with coronavirus. Merck Co. is seeking emergency authorization…

CLEVELAND, OH—A revolutionary technology developed by MediView holds “the promise of X-ray vision for surgeons” using augmented reality. The tech allows a health care professional to wear glasses that let them see inside a patient without an incision or open operation, based on 3D patient-specific holograms of internal anatomy (taken from previous or intra-operative imaging). NASHVILLE,…

Big win in Kentucky KENTUCKY—The Bluegrass State has landed the single largest economic development project in its history, a $5.8 billion investment by Ford Motor Corp. and South Korea-based SK Innovation to build two battery manufacturing plants in Glendale in Hardin County. The plants are expected to employ 5,000 people. The project will not only…

KANSAS CITY, MO—FoxPoint Trucks, LLC, a technology enabled, specialty finance truck leasing company has raised $85 million of capital to support its continued expansion. Gordon Brothers, a global investment firm, supplied the capital infusion. ST. LOUIS, MO—Online training platform Nerdy went public on the New York Stock Exchange. Nerdy, which went public by merging with…

Changing treatment for COVID patients MADISON, WI—A new pharmaceutical therapy created by biotech Nano RED could change the way doctors treat patients with COVID. The therapy binds to surface proteins on lung cells that the virus typically latches onto. Then, when a viral particle comes across the lung cells, it finds all the binding sites taken.…

COLUMBUS, OH—The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes has allocated $16 million toward a seven-year, multicenter research project led by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine that will compare inpatient rehabilitation treatments for traumatic brain injuries (TBI). MADISON, WI—DotCom Therapy, which offers mental health, speech and occupational therapy to children through a virtual therapy solution, has…

RALEIGH, NC—AgBiome, a company that discovers and develops innovative biological and trait products for crop protection, has landed $116 million in a funding round co-led by Blue Horizon, Novalis LifeSciences and multiple new and existing investors. The latest investment gives AgBiome over $200 million in total funding to date. PITTSBURGH, PA—Cascadia Capital, a Seattle-based investment banking firm…

Taxi to Takeoff COLUMBUS, OH—Taxi to Takeoff Aviation Academy is a new program offered to high school students enrolled in Ohio State’s College Credit Plus program to introduce them to the inner workings of careers in aviation. Aside from pilot training, the academy will cover aerospace engineering and maintenance, airport management, and logistics. Madison could be…