Member Company Start-ups in the News - select articles

Forward BIOLABS Announces 15 Biohealth Startups as Forward Membership Winners

Forward Memberships support early-stage biohealth companies with lab space, resources, and community to accelerate innovation 

Madison, WI, [12/10/2024] –- Forward BIOLABS, with support from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2024 Forward Membership Program. 

The Forward Membership Program awards early-stage startups a variety of memberships with access to Forward BIOLABS’ fully equipped co-working laboratory and office, complemented by shared resources and a vibrant community. The awards help startups transition from concept to commercialization more efficiently by providing the essential equipment, resources, and connections needed to thrive in the competitive biohealth industry.  


Cell Logistics: Improving treatment for heart disease

Cell Logistics is developing a novel therapy that helps the heart heal after a heart attack, preventing further pathological changes that lead to heart failure. Cell Logistics began as a discovery in the UW-Madison Department of Medicine and sprouted into a company with the mission to commercialize a product to aid in the treatment of heart disease. Eric Schmuck, Ph.D.; Amish Raval, M.D.; and Peiman Hematti, M.D. cofounded Cell Logistics, Inc. in 2016. Alex Vodenlich, M.S. joined the team in 2018 as President and CEO.


AyrFlo Innovation Labs, Inc. 2024 Wisconsin Innovation Awards’ Biotechnology category with “smartAYRpatch'“

MADISON, WI (October 9, 2024) – Last night, eight winners were honored from a pool of 31 finalists and over 200 nominees at the 2024 Wisconsin Innovation Awards, held at the Memorial Union in Madison. The event celebrated the state’s most innovative products and services across eight diverse industry categories. Winners were selected by a panel of 14 experts representing various sectors including technology, food, healthcare, agriculture, nonprofits, education, and government.


Funding announced for companies launched by UW-Madison researchers

Assistant Prof. Eric Schmuck, director of research for the Center for Biomedical Swine Research and Innovation, will work with Madison’s Cellular Logistics to test a biomaterial for its ability to reduce damage following heart attacks and restore cardiac function. The announcement notes the resulting data will be “crucial” as the company submits filings to the FDA for an initial human trial. 

One awardee, radiology Prof. Scott Reeder, is getting funding to improve cardiac MRI imaging through a project with Calimetrix, a biotechnology company based in Madison. The effort aims to boost early detection and treatment monitoring for cardiovascular disease, with a goal of “ensuring consistent and accurate” quantitative cardiac imaging, the release shows. 


Axio BioPharma Launches Protein Manufacturing Services

Axio BioPharma, a trusted innovator and provider of high-quality recombinant proteins, is excited to announce that it is now accepting recombinant protein manufacturing projects. Located within Forward BIOLABS at 504 South Rosa Rd., Suite 200, Madison, WI, Axio BioPharma is poised to meet the growing demands of the biopharmaceutical industry.


Cellular Logistics, Allele Biotech Enter into Collaboration

Cellular Logistics Inc. (CL) in Madison, Wisconsin, and Allele Biotechnology Inc. (ALLELE) in San Diego, California, have entered a collaboration to develop regenerative medicine products to treat ischemic heart disease. The relationship has been recently bolstered by the Catalyze award that Cellular Logistics received from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The award will accelerate the developmental studies toward clinical grade manufacturing of the company’s lead product, Solus™, at ALLELE’s stem cell dedicated cGMP facility in San Diego.


UW-Madison grads create Happy Scratch to help pets fight allergies

Happy Scratch, a nutritional supplement for cats and dogs with seasonal or food allergies, began in the laboratory of the late UW-Madison animal science professor Mark Cook, who discovered the allergy-fighting technology with molecular toxicologist Jordan Sand about 10 years ago. The two patented their discovery in conjunction with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. Now, Sand has teamed up with veterinarian Maria Dashek, who he met while the two were working in Cook’s lab, to commercialize the discovery and open a manufacturing facility in Middleton. The first orders of Happy Scratch will be available through their Madison-based startup Cold Water Technologies early next year.


Happy Scratch, a pet dietary supplement from Cold Water Technologies that stops itching fast, is available for pre-order

Happy Scratch, a new supplement that quickly stops the pesky itching caused by dermatitis in cats and dogs, is now available for pre-order from Cold Water Technologies. Up to 15% of pets develop itchy, rashy skin because their immune systems can't stand up to the inflammation caused by seasonal, contact and food allergies. When sprinkled on food daily, Happy Scratch naturally adds back an essential element of pets' immune systems, stops the itching, and gives pet owners peace of mind that they're doing all they can for their pet's comfort and happiness.


Madison startup Child Health Imprints won the 10th annual Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce Pressure Chamber contest Tuesday night Downtown at the Majestic Theatre.

The contest brings together five local startups that pitch for five minutes in front of national investors and a live audience. The winning company receives a "golden suitcase," representing its reserved spot in meetings to be led by the Chamber with top Silicon Valley investment firms this fall, the Chamber said. The Pressure Chamber competition was also held during Forward Fest, Wisconsin's largest technology and entrepreneurship festival.


Forbes Under 30 Science 2023: Margaret Lumley, ChloBis Water

One big source of water to meet growing demand is obvious: the ocean. But traditional desalination plants consume huge amounts of energy. Margaret Lumley founded ChloBis water to reimagine water desalination from the ground up, using principles of electrochemistry to take salt out of water and generate electricity at the same time.


Cellular Logistics Awarded Second NIH Phase I SBIR grant

Cellular Logistics has been awarded a $337,000 SBIR grant from the National Institutes of Health to further evaluate the functional immune and angiogenic (blood vessel growth) responses of the company’s Cardiac Fibroblast Matrix product, CFX™ Solus, for the treatment of early post-myocardial infarction, more commonly known as a heart attack.


Immuto Scientific receives $2.5M SBIR Phase II grant from National Institutions of Health

This 3 year grant will allow us to expand our R&D efforts to push the boundaries of structural mass spectrometry and advance drug discovery against challenging targets.


Madison.com: Startup's battery concept could assist in solving Wisconsin's salt pollution problem

In a UW-Madison chemistry department lab, an array of roughly 26 beakers test a local startup’s device concept that could help solve Wisconsin’s salt pollution problem in a renewable way.


ChloBis Water’s Margaret Lumley among 39 new Activate Fellows who are on a mission to build a cleaner, safer society

The Activate Fellowship will empower these #innovators with the time, resources, and mentorship to develop as leaders and mature their ideas as they start their entrepreneurial journeys.


Cellular Logistics Seeking New Round of Financing

Cellular Logistics, creating a new way to restore heart function and help patients with heart damage, is launching a new financing round to advance its product, Tandem™, to the next stage of product development, and moving toward human clinical testing.


Series C Funding Brings the UPSIDE of Meat One (Giant) Step Closer

Featuring UPSIDE Foods (who recently acquired Cultured Decadence) in UPSIDE Foods Press Release


Finalists in Gov’s Biz Plan Contest Offer Innovation in Health, Environment, More

Featuring ChloBis Water in Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest.


From Fontana to Grantsburg, 55 Entries Advance in 2022 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest

Featuring Chlobis Water in Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest.


Madison-based Cultured Decadence acquired by UPSIDE Foods

Featuring Cultured Decadence in Biz Times.


With $14M award, Madison companies join forces to create mobile COVID test

Featuring Flambeau Diagnostics in Madison.com.


Why the Founders of Cultured Decadence Moved Their Company to Madison, Wisconsin – and You Should Too

Featuring Cultured Decadence in Livability.


FLAMBEAU RAPIDX SEEKS FDA APPROBAL FOR MOBILE TESTING PLATFORM

Featuring Flambeau Diagnostics in WisBusiness.


Cellular logistics joins Forward BIOLABS

Featuring Cellular Logistics in Cellular Logistics Press Release.


Madison company trying to develop gene therapy for type 1 diabetes

Featuring Endsulin in Wisconsin State Journal.


Tom Still: Attracting ‘smart money’ from elsewhere will help Wisconsin companies grow

Featuring Cultured Decadence in Wisconsin State Journal.


AbCellera and Empirico Announce Strategic Multi-Target Antibody Discovery Collaboration

Featuring Empirico Inc. in Business Wire.


Mock lobster: Lab-grown seafood company Cultured Decadence claws in $1.6 million in investments

Featuring Cultured Decadence in The Cap Times.


Madison firm developing lab-grown seafood raises $1.6M in pre-seed round

Featuring Cultured Decadence in Wisconsin Inno.


Cellular Logistics Wins NIH SBIR Grant Award

Featuring Cellular Logistics in Cellular Logistics Press Release.


Startup Gregor Diagnostics advances novel diagnostic technology

Featuring Gregor Diagnostics in University of Wisconsin-Madison News.


US Capital Global Securities Launches $7MM Preferred Stock Offering for Dianomi Therapeutics, Inc.

Featuring Dianomi Therapeutics in Globe Newswire.


Forward BIOLABS member startups Dianomi, Genteuri, AyrFLo, and CPS were selected as winners based on their technology’s potential to address COVID-19 impacts on health

Featuring Dianomi, Genteuri, Ayrflo, Complete Phytochemical Solutions in Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation News.


COVID-19 continues to transform Madison-area biotech companies

Featuring Genteuri in Wisconsin State Journal.


Gentueri Inc. Receives FDA Facility Registration and Device Listing

Featuring Genteuri in Cision PR Newswire.


Strategies to Improve mRNA-based Therapies

Featuring Dianomi Therapeutics in EIN Presswire.


The Fi Global Startup Innovation Challenge 2020: Finalists announced!

Featuring Cultured Decadence in Fi Global Insights.


NIH RADx initiative advances six new COVID-19 testing technologies

Featuring Flambeau Diagnostics in National Institutes of Health News Releases.


Supported by UW–Madison’s Discovery to Product (D2P) office, startups show resilience in an unprecedented time

Featuring Ayrflo in University of Wisconsin-Madison News.


Wisconsin Startups to Watch in 2021

50+ WI tech startups that should be on your radar heading into 2021. Despite a global pandemic impacting broad parts of our nation’s economy, Wisconsin tech startups continued to launch new products, create new jobs and attract Venture Capital to the state in 2020…


Madison biotech company using $10M in recent funding to build therapeutics

Featuring Vascugen Inc in Wisconsin Inno.


Cultured Decadence Wins Pressure Chamber

Featuring Cultured Decadence in Madison Startups.


Your next lobster dinner could come from a lab in Wisconsin

Featuring Cultured Decadence in Wisconsin Inno.


gener8tor selects six startups for Madison accelerator

Featuring Cultured Decadence in BizTimes.


Ideadvance Seed Fund expands female-owned entrepreneurship in Wisconsin

Featuring Cultured Decadence in Center for Technology Commercialization.


Gentueri Inc. to develop COVID-19 oral testing kits

Featuring Genteuri in WisBusiness.


Madison startup developing drugs based on bones, teeth has new WARF license

Featuring Dianomi Therapeutics in Wisconsin State Journal.


Dianomi Therapeutics Exclusively Licenses Nucleic Acid Technologies from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF)

Featuring Dianomi Therapeutics in CISION PR Newswire.


Empirico scores $660M deal with Ionis and lands a series A-2 fundraiser

Featuring Empirico Inc in Empirico Press.


EMPIRICO RAISES $17M, INKS 3-YEAR ANTISENSE COLLABORATION WITH IONIS

Featuring Empirico Inc in Xconomy.


20 Wisconsin Startups to Watch in 2020

Featuring Gregor Diagnostics in Wisconsin Inno.


NANOSUR LLC AWARDED COMPETITIVE GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Featuring Nanosur LLC in Nanosur News.


Making drugs more effective: Madison startup Dianomi Therapeutics draws a $3 million investment

Featuring Dianomi Therapeutics in Wisconsin State Journal.


Gregor Diagnostics Raises $900K to Develop New Prostate Cancer Test

Featuring Gregor Diagnostics in Xconomy.