Atantares Biosciences Secures Tens of Millions in Angel+ Round to Advance Molecular Chip-Driven Semiconductor Biotechnology

Xinsu Technology was founded in 2021, with the vision of leveraging semiconductor technologies such as integrated circuits to develop molecular chips, thereby enabling high-throughput synthesis and detection of molecules including DNA, RNA, and proteins.Xinsu Technology is the first company in China to develop molecular chip-based DNA synthesis technology, and has completed tens of millions of yuan in Angel+ round financing, led by Qiming Venture Partners.FreeS Fund, co-invested by Neux Capital.

The 21st century is the century of biology, or more precisely, the century of molecular biology. The understanding and manipulation (such as synthesis and detection) of biological macromolecules like DNA, RNA, and proteins constitute essential foundational capabilities. After 70 years of development, the feature sizes of Integrated Circuits (ICs) have reached the nanometer scale (“3nm,” “5nm”), which is on the same order of magnitude as biological macromolecules. Semiconductor technology based on integrated circuits provides the highest-throughput, lowest-cost, most functionally diverse (mechanical, thermal, optical, electrical, and magnetic), and most sensitive tools for molecular manipulation. Leveraging molecular-scale integrated circuits, Shanghai Xinsu Medical Technology Co., Ltd. builds upon previous “biochips” (microfluidics and Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems, i.e., MEMS) to develop and realize the vision of “molecular chips,” continuously advancing the semiconductorization of biotechnology.Xinsu, built on high-throughput DNA synthesis, is gradually expanding into the synthesis and detection of high-throughput RNA and proteins, with the ambition to become the Medtronic or Thermo Fisher Scientific of the molecular biology era.

As an upstream sector of the life sciences industry, DNA synthesis plays a pivotal role in serving areas such as basic scientific research, cell factories, synthetic life, nucleic acid vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, and DNA data storage. The inherent high integration and multifunctionality of integrated circuits can provide ultra-high throughput and sensitivity, significantly reducing the cost of DNA synthesis. Furthermore, by extending downstream from its DNA synthesis platform and leveraging its comprehensive synthesis process management system and capabilities in developing automated instruments, Shanghai Xinsu Medical Technology Co., Ltd. can further expand into applications with substantial growth potential, such as mRNA drug development and single-molecule detection.

Since establishing its presence in the Suzhou Industrial Park in the fourth quarter of 2021, Xinsu Technology has completed proof-of-concept validation and developed a prototype desktop high-throughput DNA synthesizer for high-throughput DNA synthesis technology. Leveraging its self-developed gene synthesis platform and end-to-end automated management system, Xinsu Technology has successfully established a suite of technical methodologies and built fully automated platforms for sequence analysis, sequence optimization, and order management.Currently, Xinsu Technology has begun providing services to biotechnology companies and research institutes, with business offerings including primer synthesis, gene synthesis, subcloning, site-directed mutagenesis, strain library preparation, and various combined services.

Schematic Diagram of a Desktop High-Throughput DNA Synthesizer

The team at Xinsu Technology hails from prestigious institutions such as MIT, UC Berkeley, Washington University in St. Louis, Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, and Nanjing University, as well as world-leading companies including Intel, Thermo Fisher, and Berkeley Lights. The team possesses extensive research and industrial experience in biotechnology, integrated circuits, MEMS, and microfluidics. Co-founder Zhao Xin graduated with the top academic ranking from the School of Physics at Peking University and subsequently pursued his Ph.D. at MIT, focusing on semiconductor devices and circuits. Co-founder Wu Dan graduated from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT and has over a decade of research and industry experience in ultrasound imaging, biochemistry, cell manipulation, and microfluidic technologies. He independently developed a high-throughput, high-sensitivity point-of-care (POC) immunoassay platform for sepsis detection, which has been adopted by the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research to monitor cytokine release syndrome in patients undergoing CAR-T therapy. Over the past six months, the team has expanded from its initial three members to more than thirty.Possesses interdisciplinary R&D capabilities (covering integrated circuits, MEMS, microfluidics, organic chemistry, biochemistry, surface chemistry, biosensing, molecular biology, and other specialized fields) as well as DNA synthesis service capabilities.

Dr. Kan Chen, Partner at Qiming Venture Partnersstated: “In the era of synthetic biology, digital biology, and gene and cell therapy, Xinsu Technology is dedicated to leveraging semiconductor technology to empower DNA synthesis, mRNA synthesis, and single-molecule detection, applying these capabilities to foundational laboratory applications, synthetic biology, and cell and gene therapy. The company boasts robust R&D capabilities, a first-class team, and extensive industry experience. We are confident in the company’s prospects and look forward to Xinsu Technology establishing its foothold in China to build a world-leading technology platform.”

Ma Rui, Partner at FreeS Fundstated: “Xinsu Technology is dedicated to leveraging semiconductors to empower healthcare. The combination of chips and microfluidics can provide truly high-throughput, ultra-sensitive detection capabilities and highly integrated, portable hardware for biological applications, serving as the intelligent infrastructure for biotechnology. Since completing its previous funding round, the company has overcome various challenges posed by the pandemic, assembled a world-class R&D, engineering, and service team, advanced chip design and tape-out, and successfully implemented its services, demonstrating strong execution capabilities and vibrant vitality. Congratulations to both new and existing shareholders. We look forward to and are confident that Xinsu will be able to synthesize DNA that is cheaper, higher quality, and longer in chain length, thereby empowering more companies in synthetic biology and frontier biotechnologies.”

Xu Jing, Founding Partner of Neux Capitalstating: “The 21st century will be the era of molecular biology, with integrated circuits serving as a critical infrastructure of this age. The founding team of Xinsu Technology possesses a global perspective and extensive interdisciplinary R&D experience. Their world-class third-generation DNA synthesis technology fills a gap in China’s related fields, while their chip-based approach to DNA synthesis ensures that core capabilities in integrated circuit design and process manufacturing are firmly held in-house. Neux Capital is optimistic about Xinsu Technology’s innovative explorations in the field of DNA synthesis and looks forward to their contribution of more independently developed products to the advancement of synthetic biology in China.”

About Qiming Venture Partners

Qiming Venture Partners, established in 2006, has successively set up offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou, Hong Kong, Seattle, Boston, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Currently, Qiming Venture Partners manages ten U.S. dollar funds and six RMB funds, with total assets under management exceeding US$6.2 billion. Since its inception, the firm has focused on investing in outstanding early- and growth-stage companies in sectors such as TMT and Healthcare.

To date, Qiming Venture Partners has invested in more than 430 high-growth innovative enterprises. Among them, over 170 have achieved exits through listings on exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), NASDAQ, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the Taipei Exchange, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, as well as through mergers and acquisitions. More than 40 of these companies have become industry-recognized unicorns and super unicorns.

FreeS Fund is committed to mobilizing all available capital, technology, and resources to invest in outstanding startups and help them grow into great enterprises with long-term social and commercial value. Established in 2015, FreeS Fund focuses on early-stage and early-growth investments, targeting deep tech, TMT/consumer, and biomedicine. The firm seeks investment opportunities across various sectors, including lifestyle, education, finance, intelligent manufacturing, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and new drug R&D. Its portfolio includes innovative companies such as 360 Finance (NASDAQ: QFIN), Three Squirrels (300783.SZ), Uber (NYSE: UBER), Huasheng Haoche, Unity, Club Factory, QingTao Development, ZhaoGuan Electronics, NextVPU, SoundAI Technology, Xtalpi, Galaxia Microelectronics, Bluepha, JiuZhou YunJian, Singleron, UBRAIN, VisionICs, and Changmugu Medical. Emphasizing long-term value, research-driven strategies, and innovation, FreeS Fund has garnered widespread recognition. Much like entrepreneurship, the investment journey is a marathon; FreeS Fund firmly believes that being right is more important than being easy.

Neux Capital has been committed to building an early-stage incubator platform at the intersection of “AI + Life Sciences,” focusing on identifying and nurturing startups in the biotechnology sector to drive exploration and innovation at the frontiers of life sciences. Neux Capital concentrates on areas such as innovative biologics and therapies, gene editing, synthetic biology, AI-driven biological computing platforms, brain-computer interfaces, and biochips. By employing systematic and deep-incubation methodologies, it aims to achieve breakthrough innovations in biotechnology. To this end, it has established an investment network spanning China and the United States, connecting with top-tier laboratories and elite project teams from prestigious institutions including Harvard University, MIT, Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, Tsinghua University, Peking University, and the University of Science and Technology of China. The firm is dedicated to attracting outstanding overseas students to return to China for entrepreneurial ventures, thereby contributing top-tier, fresh talent to the long-term development of China’s biotechnology industry. Neux Capital aspires to leverage China’s rich academic and industrial foundations to usher in a new age of discovery in intelligent life sciences.