Granza Bio, a San Francisco-based therapeutic delivery platform developer, raised $7.14 million in seed funding. The round was led by life science investors Felicis (which backed Midi Health and Living Carbon) and Refactor Capital, alongside participation from Y Combinator, Metaplanet, Zeno Ventures, Ritual Capital, Pioneer Fund, Oxford Angel Fund, North South Ventures, Richard Aberman, JJ Fliegelman, Eric Migicovsky, Eric Eldon, Eli Brown, Eoghan Mccabe, Benjamin Bryant, Yotam Rosenbaum, Will Olsen and Joel Meyer.
The new capital will allow Granza Bio to expand its research beyond initial experimentation and further develop its therapeutic cargo delivery system, which investors expect could eventually enable the creation of many new drug therapies.
How was the idea born?
Oncology researcher Ashwin Nandakumar and molecular immunologist Ashwin Jainarayanan crossed paths and discovered a shared passion for advancing cancer therapies. While pursuing their doctorates at separate departments in Oxford, the two researchers met through a mutual colleague and instantly connected over their academic work.
Upon graduating, the two Ashwins began working in the lab of Jainarayanan’s academic adviser, Michael Dustin, a professor of molecular immunology. Being inspired to commercialise this work, they pitched their idea to Y Combinator partner Surbhi Sarna, who convinced them of the startup’s potential.
What does the company do?
Founded in 2024 by Dr. Ashwin Nandakumar, Dr. Ashwin Jainarayanan, and Michael Dustin, Granza Bio is a biotechnology company developing a novel delivery “shell” platform to direct therapeutic cargo to specific tissues.
For their lead candidate, Granza Bio is leveraging the discovery of the immune system’s suite of weapons called attack particles. Utilising the advanced delivery platform, the company aims to target these particles against a range of diseases such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infections.
What do we think about Granza Bio?
Having developed a novel approach for delivering immunotherapy and other therapeutic attack particles to targeted areas of the body, the company caught the eye of investors, closing seed funding much faster than anticipated. By attracting top biotech backers with its groundbreaking science and ambitious vision, Granza is well-positioned to advance cancer treatment delivery through immunotherapy in the years ahead.
