Indiana Becomes Bioscience Hub with New Startup Cohort Launch

INDIANAPOLIS — A new initiative led by IU LAB and Plug and Play, a prominent venture capital firm, aims to position Indiana as a key player in the bioscience sector. The program has selected twelve startups for its inaugural cohort, reflecting a growing focus on innovation in healthcare and biotechnology.

One of the standout companies is Intero Biosystems, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The firm specializes in creating miniature human organs for preclinical testing. Founder and CEO Charlie Childs explained, “We make miniature human organs for preclinical testing, so anything that you test on animals – like chemicals or drugs or food – you can test on our organs instead of using animals and get a more human-relevant response.” Childs recently pitched her business to the cohort selection team, expressing enthusiasm about the support her venture will receive.

Childs emphasized the importance of the initiative for the Midwest, stating, “They’re concentrating so hard in that area on getting the resources that we so desperately need in the Midwest. I think it’s really exciting, and it really bodes well for a booming biotech startup ecosystem in the Midwest.” She underscored that Indianapolis is taking a leading role in this transformation.

Another selected startup, Modella AI, focuses on harnessing artificial intelligence to improve the accuracy of medical diagnoses. Founder Jill Stefanelli shared that their technology interprets medical images, particularly in the field of pathology. “We’re very focused in the field of pathology, really helping to improve diagnostic accuracy, but also informing potential prognosis and what type of drug a patient might respond to, all from images,” Stefanelli noted.

Stefanelli highlighted the potential impact of the resources provided through the program, stating, “This has the opportunity to really shorten the turnaround time, making sure that nothing was missed. You know, really helping every single patient, no matter where they live.”

With the launch of this cohort, the crossroads of America is poised to become a significant destination for groundbreaking science and innovation. The selected startups represent a diverse range of bioscience applications, each with the potential to transform healthcare.

The full list of the startups chosen for this inaugural cohort includes:

– AGED Diagnostics
– Amplicore
– Amplified Sciences
– Door Pharma
– Grannus Therapeutics
– Intero Biosystems
– Modella AI
– OmniSpirant Therapeutics
– OsseoLabs
– OsteoCure Therapeutics
– Scioto Biosciences
– Synch Neuro

As Indiana embraces this new era of bioscience investment, stakeholders are hopeful that the initiative will foster a thriving environment for startup growth and innovation in the Midwest.