IndieBio New York Cohort: 10 Innovative Companies

IndieBio's Focus on Challenging Scientific Frontiers

Many prominent accelerator programs allocate resources to addressing complex scientific challenges, and the companies dedicated to solving them. However, for SOSV’s IndieBio, this constitutes the core of their mission.

Our previous coverage of IndieBio highlighted companies engaged in diverse projects, ranging from medicated lozenges for gum disease to innovative vertical farms for sustainable shrimp production, and even initiatives focused on bee conservation.

Although IndieBio’s upcoming Demo Day is still several months away, the participants for their latest New York cohort have been chosen and are actively tackling a new wave of problems. These include combating opioid dependence, enhancing crop resilience in the face of climate change, and developing improved, environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional leather.

A conversation with Julie Wolf, Chief Science Officer at IndieBio NY, provided insights into the work of each company within this new cohort. The following is a detailed overview of each company, presented in alphabetical order:

Innovative Companies in the IndieBio NY Cohort

Ceragen: This company is developing a microbe-based “inoculant” designed to boost crop yields in hydroponic greenhouse environments. Utilizing beneficial bacteria, the product aims to enhance plant heat resistance and promote root development. The team reports yield improvements of as much as 20% in tomato crops, meaning increased fruit production rather than simply larger fruit size.

HelEx: HelEx is creating what they describe as an “intelligent GPS for gene-editing,” with the goal of accelerating and improving the safety of CRISPR-based gene therapy development.

Inso Bio: Originating from a team at Cornell University, Inso Bio is focused on streamlining the processes of genomic sequencing and sample handling. They are transforming a traditionally “multi-step, high touch” procedure – often resulting in significant lab backlogs – into a self-contained hardware solution.

Kinoko Labs: This company is pioneering whole-cut meat alternatives – such as steaks and cutlets – cultivated from fungus. They utilize fungal mycelium to replicate the taste and texture of conventional meats. Currently, both chicken and steak prototypes are under development.

Kutanios: Kutanios is developing a peptide-based product for topical application, intended to prevent sun-induced skin damage and aging. The product is designed to be biodegradable and environmentally safe. Dr. Norman Miller, a co-founder, is renowned for his 1975 hypothesis regarding HDL’s protective role against heart disease – essentially, the discovery of “good” cholesterol.

Kyomei: According to Wolf, this team is working on a method for cultivating meat proteins (myoglobin) within plants on a large scale. This extracted protein can then be incorporated into plant-based meat alternatives to enhance their savory “umami” flavor.

Pannex Therapeutics: Addressing the escalating opioid crisis, Pannex Therapeutics is developing a non-addictive pain reliever. Their drug, PNX3, is designed to interact with and block the Pannexin 1 channel, thereby regulating the brain’s processing of ATP as a pain signal.

RizLab Health: The rise of antibiotic-resistant “superbug” infections is a significant concern, exacerbated by the overuse of antibiotics. A spin-off from Rutgers University, RizLab is creating a portable, in-office machine for rapid Complete Blood Count (CBC) tests. This aims to help doctors quickly differentiate between viral and bacterial infections, reducing unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.

TômTex: This company is creating leather alternatives from seafood waste, transforming materials like crab and shrimp shells into chitosan, a biodegradable polymer. This polymer is then processed into sustainable and cost-effective leather substitutes. The team has already received recognition from organizations including LVHM (the parent company of Louis Vuitton, Fendi, and Christian Dior).

Upright: Upright is focused on developing an oatmilk product with a nutritional profile comparable to dairy milk. They utilize concentrated oat protein – instead of pea or soy protein – to ensure the product remains hypoallergenic.