Labgenius Limited

Company description

LabGenius has developed EVA - an autonomous AI-driven evolution engine for the discovery of high-value protein components. The company uses its platform technology to develop new products in partnership with world-leading multinationals. LabGenius is based in Central London and run by a passionate team of synthetic biologists, data scientists and engineers. They engineer proteins with both enhanced and entirely novel functionality. The technology underpinning this capability integrates machine learning, gene synthesis and robotic automation.

LabGenius develops DNA library synthesis technology and leverages this technology in a number of industrial collaborations.

LabGenius is a gene synthesis company, offering the world's most advanced DNA libraries. it incorporates a database of assembly vendors who can build DNA assemblies, with costings and approaches.

Project impact

LabGenius was an early-stage biotech company with limited resources: SynbiCITE provided the critical logistical and financial support in the early stages of the company's development. LabGenius was given access to SynbiCITE's 2015 Lean Launchpad for synthetic biology, a 10-week programme which teaches participants how to develop a reproducible and scalable business model through customer discovery, run by experienced entrepreneurs and investors. The programme exposes those taking part to the realities of a start-up, allowing them to fail repeatedly and quickly until a working business model is established. Dr Field was also a recipient of a Synthetic Biology Leadership Excellence Accelerator Programme (SynBio LEAP) Fellowship awarded by SynbiCITE. The programme provides early career scientists with networking and mentoring opportunities across academic, industry, government, and public-benefit organizations. To further support the development of LabGenius' technology, SynbiCITE awarded a proof of concept grant and provided laboratory and office space, supported by state of the art analytical equipment. The location at Imperial College and the Synthetic Biology Research Hub also provides useful academic interactions and networking opportunities. SynbiCITE also provided networking support, securing LabGenius a place on a UK Technology Showcase to San Francisco, in partnership with UK Trade & Investment and the UK BioIndustry Association, giving LabGenius the opportunity to promote its technologies. LabGenius was also provided with introductions to find private (Angel) funding from investors. LabGenius has developed technology which, unlike traditional gene synthesis methods, bypasses the need for PCR and long-sequence hybridisation. Because of this, it is able to construct synthetic DNA libraries of greater complexity and size than any other commercial provider. LabGenius is able to synthesise 20x as many library designs as its nearest competitor for 1/4 of the price. In late 2015 LabGenius launched its first product: LabGene combinatorial libraries. In the time since, its product range has expanded to include more advanced combinatorial libraries, as well as scanning libraries. LabGenius' customers come from across the protein engineering spectrum, with prominent interest from antibody engineers and enzyme engineers. LabGenius will soon initiate a Series A funding round in order to expand its library synthesis capabilities and consolidate their position in the market

A one-stop shop for DNA assembly. An improved assembly method. In Oct 2019 LabGenius Ltd raised a $10m investment (https://www.forbes.com/sites/gemmamilne/2019/10/23/new-breed-of-biotech-investors-show-their-hand-with-10-million-investment-in-london-startup-labgenius/#1498232c71f1). LabGenius named as one of the hottest start-ups in London by Wired Magazine. https://www.wired.co.uk/article/best-startups-in-london-2019