Data platform offers potential for structure-based drug design

Dutch biotech CryoCloud, a start-up that has rapidly progressed from concept through accelerator programs, is now advancing development of its cloud-native cryo-EM data analysis platform having closed a €500,000 pre-seed funding round. Co-founded in 2021 by Robert Englmeier, Ilja Gubins and Boy Persoon, the company’s platform is designed to enhance the accessibility and efficiency of cryo-EM in drug development and research.

The financing round was led by Nina Capital, with significant contributions from Utrecht Health Seed Fund and ROM Utrecht Region, underscoring the confidence in CryoCloud's potential to disrupt the traditional cryo-EM landscape. Unlike predictive tools, the Nobel Prize-winning technique of Cryo-electron microscopy allows scientists to determine 3D protein structures experimentally and visualise relevant targets in their native or drug-bound state.

The Utrecht-based company’s platform can better support scientists by addressing high costs, complexity and other compute infrastructure inefficiencies, through its user-friendly web app offering scalable cloud storage and powerful data analysis workflows.

Marta-Gaia Zanchi, Founder & Managing Partner at Nina Capital remarked, "CryoCloud's innovative approach to leveraging cloud technology in cryo-EM is not just a major step for structural biology, but a testament to the transformative power of digital solutions in the life sciences sector."

The funding will be instrumental in the platforms further development, advancing data analysis features and integrating AI to optimise cryoEM data processing. This aligns with the broader industry trend towards digitalisation and automation in the life sciences, which promises to enhance research efficiency and reduce turnaround times for critical projects.

On the company’s progress, Irene van de Poll, Investment Manager at ROM Utrecht, notes “The team at CryoCloud have managed to build out their cloud-based platform in a short time and are already creating traction. Their technology can have an enormous impact on the speed of development in the life sciences sector.”

Reflecting on the importance of innovation in the field, Robert Englmeier, CEO of CryoCloud, stated, "The landscape and throughput of cryo-EM has evolved significantly in the last 6 years, yet the way data is analysed remained the same - leading to bottlenecks and creating entrance barriers. Our mission is to make cryo-EM more accessible and to streamline the research process, which is now possible with our platform."

“We are happy to invest in CryoCloud’s solutions, to make the complex and costly process of CryoEM analysis more accessible to researchers” said Timo Koopmans, Investment Manager at the Utrecht Health Seed Fund. “Their platform has the potential to greatly expand the use of CryoEM in the life sciences.”

Preparing for its next phase of growth, the company is poised to attract further investment and forge partnerships with leading companies and key opinion leaders in the field.

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