BT395845

Transforming cancer detection by offering a highly accurate, affordable, and non-invasive solution that addresses a crucial gap in healthcare. With its proprietary AI-powered urine test, it can detect early-stage urologic cancers, significantly reducing the need for invasive procedures.

Backed by a team with deep industry expertise, validated technology, and partnerships with top-tier research institutions, the company is on track for rapid growth. The $3M seed funding will accelerate the development of additional cancer tests and scale commercialization, positioning it as a leader in cancer diagnostics. Given the growing demand for cost-effective, early detection solutions, this presents an exceptional investment opportunity with high potential for significant returns.

Overview

Industry: Biotechnology, Cancer Diagnostics
Founded: 2024
Mission: Revolutionizing urologic cancer detection with a non-invasive, highly accurate urine test using mass spectrometry and AI to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) linked to prostate, kidney, and bladder cancers.

Problem & Solution

Problem: Late-stage detection of bladder and kidney cancers leads to high mortality rates and expensive treatments. Current diagnostic methods are invasive and costly.
Solution: The company has developed a non-invasive, affordable, and highly accurate urine test that detects early-stage urologic cancers. Inspired by studies showing that dogs can smell cancer, the test uses mass spectrometry and AI to identify cancer-specific biomarkers at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods.

Market Potential

Target Market: For-profit and cancer-specialty hospitals.
Market Size:

→ Total Addressable Market (TAM): $10B
→ Serviceable Available Market (SAM): $1B
→ Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM): $100M, focusing initially on urologic cancers.
Growth Rate: Market growing at 4% CAGR due to increasing global cancer incidence and demand for non-invasive diagnostics.

Product / Service

Core Product: A non-invasive urine-based diagnostic test that uses mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and AI to detect early-stage urologic cancers, such as prostate, kidney, and bladder cancers. This test is highly accurate, cost-effective, and scalable, offering a significant advantage over invasive or blood-based diagnostics. The internal cost per test is under $50, making it accessible for widespread use in hospitals, with plans to expand into other cancer types like lung, pancreatic, and breast cancers.
Core Features:

→ Urine-based diagnostic test detecting prostate, kidney, and bladder cancers.
→ High accuracy at a lower cost compared to blood-based diagnostics.
→ Internal cost per test under $50, making it scalable and affordable.
→ Plans to expand into detecting pancreatic, lung, ovarian, cervical, and breast cancers.
Technology Stack: GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) and AI/ML algorithms for cancer detection.
Development Stage: Market-ready with initial commercial launch.
Intellectual Property: First broad patent filed, with additional patents in progress for cancer diagnostics.

Business Model

Revenue Streams: Licensing model for hospitals with a subscription fee (e.g., $100K/year) plus a per-test fee of $30.
Sales Channels: Direct sales through personal networks, industry events, and conferences. Targeting hospitals and healthcare systems initially.
Customer Acquisition: Leveraging the Chief Commercial Officer’s network in the healthcare sector to accelerate market penetration.
Customer Retention: Annual meetings with healthcare executives to ensure continued usage and demonstrate cost savings and improved patient outcomes.

Financials

Current Financials:

→ Burn Rate: $35K/month base, with $50K for developing each new cancer test.
→ Funding to Date: $300K raised through angel investors.
→ Runway: 4 months remaining without new funding.
Projections:

‍1-Year: Targeting 1-2 major hospital deals to become self-sustaining.
‍Breakeven: Expected within 18 months.

Competitive Advantage

Unique Selling Proposition (USP): The only affordable, non-invasive diagnostic tool for detecting prostate, kidney, and bladder cancers using a simple urine test.
Barriers to Entry: Competitors face higher costs and complexity with invasive or blood-based tests, while the company offers a cost-effective, accurate alternative at just $20 per test compared to $2,000 for some competitors.

Team

Founders:

CEO: Led high-growth tech companies, driving strategy and product development.
‍CSO: Expert in diagnostics, with multiple successful startup exits.
‍COO: Extensive experience scaling startups across industries, with successful exits.
Advisors:

→ Scientific advisor specializing in GC-MS and cancer detection.
→ Strategic advisor with 20+ years in tech leadership and business growth.

Traction

Key Metrics:

→ Over 1,000 samples analyzed, far exceeding the industry average of 50-60 samples at this stage.
Milestones:

→ Partnerships with Duke Cancer Institute and other major research centers.
→ Validated tests for bladder and prostate cancers, with future plans to expand into additional cancer types.
Awards: Secured ~$1M in investment through a prominent global competition and received a $50K public health grant.

Risks & Mitigation

Market Risks: Slow adoption of new diagnostic methods in healthcare.
Operational Risks: Dependence on hospitals following standard operating procedures (SOPs) for testing.
Financial Risks: Dependence on external funding for product development and commercialization.
Mitigation: Strong partnerships with healthcare institutions, a clear commercialization strategy, and adherence to regulatory guidelines.

Funding Requirements

Amount Sought: $3M seed round.
Use of Funds:

• Expand product development for additional cancer types (lung, pancreatic, breast, etc.).
• Sales and marketing to commercialize urologic cancer tests.
• Hiring key personnel in sales, operations, and product development.
Runway: 18 months with the new funding.

Exit Strategy

Potential Exit: Acquisition by major diagnostics companies (e.g., LabCorp, GRAIL) is the most likely exit strategy. An IPO is also possible as the company scales and commercializes its products.
Timeline: The next round of financing is expected to bring the company to an acquisition within the next few years.