Funded Biotechnology Startups in Berkeley
Berkeley's biotechnology segment shows sustained fundraising activity from late 2020 through December 2024, with round sizes ranging from $1M closes like N…
Berkeley's biotechnology segment shows sustained fundraising activity from late 2020 through December 2024, with round sizes ranging from $1M closes like Novel Farms and Flightpath Biosciences up to Lygos's $160M venture round in April 2022 and Carmot Therapeutics's $150M Series E in May 2023. The 20 most recent rounds span gene editing, cell therapy, fermentation-derived ingredients, and neurostimulation, reflecting the broad mandate Berkeley biotech founders apply to the term.
A notable pattern in this dataset is the prevalence of "Series Unknown" classifications even at scale — Caribou Biosciences, SonALAsense, and Lygos all carry that label despite raising nine-figure or near-nine-figure sums. Series E activity from Perfect Day ($90M, January 2024) and Carmot Therapeutics ($150M, May 2023) signals that at least some Berkeley biotechs have reached late-stage institutional financing. The two most recent closes — EditPep at $8M and SonALAsense at $46M, both in December 2024 — indicate continued investor appetite into the most recent data window.
Most recent rounds
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Frequently asked
What are the largest disclosed rounds among Berkeley biotech companies in this dataset?
The three largest disclosed rounds are Lygos at $160M (April 2022), Carmot Therapeutics at $150M (May 2023), and Caribou Biosciences at $125M (July 2023). All three were classified as Series Unknown or equivalent, suggesting late-stage or structured venture rounds rather than standard lettered financing.
Which Berkeley biotech companies raised money most recently?
EditPep closed an $8M round on December 19, 2024, and SonALAsense closed a $46M round on December 12, 2024. Both were classified as Series Unknown. The next most recent raise was BioGlyph in August 2024, though that amount was undisclosed.
What round stages appear most frequently in this dataset?
Series Unknown is the most common classification across the 20 rows, covering companies at a wide range of disclosed sizes from $1M (Flightpath Biosciences) to $160M (Lygos). Seed rounds account for four companies — MeliBio, Fauna Bio, StimScience, and New Age Meats — while Series A appears three times and Series E twice.
Are there food or alternative protein biotechs in this Berkeley segment?
Yes — Perfect Day ($90M Series E, January 2024), Novel Farms ($1M, September 2023), MeliBio ($6M Seed, March 2022), and New Age Meats ($2M Seed, February 2021) all operate in food biotech or alternative protein. Perfect Day's Series E is the largest disclosed round among them.
How much variation is there in round sizes across the companies shown?
Disclosed round sizes span from $1M (Novel Farms and Flightpath Biosciences) to $160M (Lygos), with a notable cluster between $6M and $60M. One company, BioGlyph, raised an undisclosed amount, and one row (Newomics, December 2020) carries no round-type label.
Which companies in this dataset reached Series B or later?
Four companies raised at Series B or above: Kyverna Therapeutics (Series B, $60M, August 2023), Valitor (Series B, $28M, October 2022), Carmot Therapeutics (Series E, $150M, May 2023), and Perfect Day (Series E, $90M, January 2024). Carmot and Perfect Day represent the most advanced disclosed financing stages in the dataset.
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