Munich – Biotech startup IRUBIS, has raised EUR 2.8m in a seed financing round. The round was led by High -Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), Verve Ventures and Ventura BioMed Investors with the participation of EIC Fund, the Initiative for Industrial Innovators and a number of business angels from the biotech industry or Munich startup scene.

IRUBIS was founded in September 2017 by Lorenz Sykora, Alexander Geißler and Anja Müller with the goal to automate the process development and manufacturing of biopharmaceutical drugs. IRUBIS innovative process analytical technology (PAT). Monipa, is based on mid infrared spectroscopy. The real-time monitoring system has been developed in close partnership with biopharma companies. The plug -and-play system simplifies the prediction of metabolites and nutrients in cell cultivations and protein quantity and quality parameters in purification. Process monitoring and control enables higher yield, better quality and shortens the overall process development. Co-Founder of IRUBIS Anja Müller says: “This seed financing round boosts our mission of making spectroscopy the state of the art in real-time process monitoring. The fresh capital enables us to scale, grow our team, increase sales and introduce the next Monipa version to the market.”

“Sensitive and robust measurements without the need for additional time – consuming calibration are a long-sought necessity for the production of biopharmaceutical drugs. IRUBIS fills this need with their innovative and reliable Monipa technology. Together with our co -investors we are excited to the scale-up happening in the next year,” says Dr. Laura Pedroza, Investment Manager at High-Tech Gründerfonds.

About IRUBIS

IRUBIS GmbH (irubis.com) is a Munich -based startup founded by Anja Müller, Alexander Geißler and Lorenz Sykora-Mirle in 2017. IRUBIS has developed Monipa to bring biological drugs faster to the market. This process analytical technology improves process development and manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals. Monipa is a mid-infrared spectrometer system that enables real-time monitoring and control of important parameters in bioprocessing. It’s single-use interface and the simplifying calibration model, revolutionizes the bioprocess industry. Monipa is already in use by key opinion leaders in the biopharma industry.

About High-Tech Gründerfonds

High–Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) is a seed investor that finances high -potential, tech-driven start-ups. With around EUR 900 million in total investment volume across three funds and an international network of partners, HTGF has already helped forge more than 670 start-ups since 2005. With the start of HTGF IV, more than EUR 400 million in fund volume will be added in the fall of 2022. To date, external investors have injected more than EUR 4 billion into the HTGF portfolio via more than 1,900 follow-on financing rounds. HTGF has also successfully sold interests in more than 160 companies. Fund Investors in the public-private partnership include the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, KfW Capital, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and many companies from a wide range of industries. www.htgf.de/en

About Verve Ventures

Verve Ventures is a network and technology-driven venture capital firm based in Switzerland. Founded in 2010 by Steffen Wagner and Lukas Weber, Verve Ventures has grown to 50 team members and has become one of the most active venture investors in Europe with around 150 science and technology – driven startups in its portfolio.

About the Ventura BioMed Investors

Ventura BioMed Investors invests in early-stage life science companies developing pioneering technologies and innovative therapies. As serial entrepreneurs with many years of experience, we help shape the long-term development of our portfolio companies and provide them access to our broad investor and business network. Ventura supports exceptional entrepreneurs with their vision to accelerate medical breakthroughs that solve unmet patient needs. (www.ventura-biomed.com)

About the EIC Fund

Established in June 2020, the European Innovation Council Fund (EIC Fund) is a breakthrough initiative of the European Commission to make direct equity and quasi-equity investments (between €500.000 and €15 million) in European high impact and deep tech start-ups and scale ups. With a long-term perspective, the EIC Fund invests in companies from any sector, across all EU member states as well as in associated countries. The EIC Fund aims to fill a critical financing gap and its main purpose is to support companies in the development and commercialization of disruptive technologies. This is achieved by crowding -in market players, and further sharing risk by building a large network of capital providers and strategic partners suitable for co -investments and follow-on funding. The Fund pays particular attention to the empowerment and support of female founders as well as the ambition to reduce the innovation divide among EU countries.

About Initiative for Industrial Innovators

The Initiative for Industrial Innovators is a cross -border financing initiative that funds disruptive, deep-tech teams and early-stage startups via fast funding instruments. It is backed by – amongst others – the European Investment Fund/ InnovFinEquity, with the financial backing of the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments and the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) set up under the Investment Plan for Europe. The purpose of EFSI is to help support financing and implementing productive investments in the European Union and to ensure increased access to finance for startups and other SMEs