Bangalore-based biotechnology company, Cambrian Bioworks has secured $1.45 million in seed funding. The company builds cutting-edge solutions for the rapidly expanding next-generation sequencing (NGS) and molecular diagnostic markets. The round was spearheaded by the Irani family office, which has invested in several private ventures across the globe. The round also saw participation from the company’s CEO and co-founder, Vaibhav Hegde.

Hari Prasad of Kyra Ventures, representing the lead investor, commented: “We’re very excited to back Cambrian Bioworks in their mission to elevate medical diagnostics in India. This team is building products for niches that solve fundamental problems in healthcare delivery.”

“Molecular diagnostics is crucial for precise diagnosis, disease subtyping, and therapy selection in cancer care,” said Vaibhav Hegde. “This funding marks a significant milestone in our journey.”

The funding will accelerate the development of Cambrian’s automated molecular diagnostics platforms, bolster R&D efforts, expand the team, and support forays into international markets.

The news follows the recent launch of Cambrian’s nucleic acid extraction platform, Manta. A purpose-built automation, Manta provides high-quality DNA/RNA for genomics and PCR testing in hospitals and laboratories. Building on this, Cambrian aims to enable widespread access to automated devices for liquid biopsy testing and targeted sequencing.