Sequoia China Launches Its First Intelligent Healthcare Accelerator with Dual Focus on Genomics and Brain Science

11Month17Day,“Sequoia China Intelligent Healthcare Accelerator” in Zhangjiang, ShanghaiFormalAnnouncement of Launch.Chen Mingbo, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government、Hang Yingwei, District Mayor of Pudong New Area; Zhang Ying, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization; Hou Jin, Full-time Deputy Director of the Shanghai Office for Promoting the Construction of a Science and Technology Innovation Center; Wu Qiang, Deputy District Mayor of Pudong New Area, Shanghai;Neil Shen, Founding and Managing Partner of Sequoia China, along with multiple experts from the research, industry, and medical sectors, jointly witnessed the inauguration ceremony.

This marks the first specialized accelerator in the field of intelligent healthcare launched by Sequoia China since it began investing in the healthcare sector 16 years ago. Currently, the accelerator comprises two major platforms: the “Sequoia China Intelligent Healthcare Genomics Incubator (Illumina Technology-Driven)” and the “Sequoia China Brain Science Incubation Center,” which focus respectively on the vertical niches of genomics and brain science.

Group Photo of Guests at the Genomics Incubator Launch Ceremony

Among these initiatives, the Sequoia China Smart Healthcare Genomics Incubator (powered by Illumina technology) aims to provide state-of-the-art, high-specification independent laboratories and shared sequencing platforms through a model combining an “open innovation experimental platform + incubation enablement + investment.” Laboratory management and related services will be provided by Shenzhou Medical, a leading Chinese enterprise in medical big data and artificial intelligence. Additionally, the incubator offers diversified, customized acceleration modules, access to top-tier industry expert mentors, and funding from Sequoia China’s venture capital funds, providing comprehensive support to incubated companies for breakthroughs and development in innovative genomics applications.

Group Photo of Guests at the Inauguration Ceremony of the Brain Science Incubation Center

Sequoia China’s Brain Science Incubation Center will focus on the specialized field of “brain science,” regarded as the ultimate frontier of life sciences. The Incubation Center will engage in deep collaboration with research institutions and clinical experts to build an internationally leading platform for brain science technology research and industrial incubation, accelerate the commercialization of technological products, and contribute to advancing the intervention, diagnosis, and treatment of brain disorders.

Address by Neil Shen, Founding and Managing Partner of Sequoia China

Neil Shen, Founding and Managing Partner of Sequoia China, announced the official launch of Sequoia China’s first specialized accelerator focused on intelligent healthcare, underscoring the firm’s confidence in nurturing industry development and its commitment to standing alongside entrepreneurs. “Guided by a ‘semi-public welfare’ philosophy, we aim to support and accompany more innovative intelligent healthcare enterprises as they grow in China, actively contributing to Shanghai’s efforts to build a world-class biomedical industry cluster and further fostering the vibrant growth of the innovation ecosystem in the healthcare sector.”

Francis deSouza, President and CEO of Illumina, Delivered a Remote Address

Francis de Souza, President and Chief Executive Officer of Illumina, delivered congratulatory remarks via video for the establishment of the Genomics Incubator. He stated that as a global leader in gene sequencing and microarray solutions, Illumina had previously set up two genomics accelerators in the San Francisco Bay Area of the United States and in Cambridge, United Kingdom. He expressed confidence that the newly launched Genomics Incubator would build on the remarkable achievements of the past seven years and foster more genomics startups with breakthrough scientific and technological innovations.

Address by Academician Mu-Ming Poo

Academician Pu Muming, Academic Director of the CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology and Director of the Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, as well as Mao Ying, President of Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, also expressed their expectations for the establishment of the Brain Science Incubation Center. Academician Pu stated, “Brain science is one of the most prominent fields in 21st-century frontier science; however, progress has been relatively slow due to the complexity of the system. On one hand, we need to strengthen basic research; on the other, we must accelerate translation toward practical and application-oriented outcomes. Today, we see the Brain Science Incubation Center serving as a vital link in this process. In the future, we hope to foster stronger collaboration between research institutions and universities engaged in technological R&D and entrepreneurs, along with more robust incubation mechanisms.”

Dean Mao Ying stated, “From basic scientific research to clinical diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and further to the future development of brain science, this constitutes a highly robust industrial chain. The next step is to make greater contributions to industrial translation by achieving a better understanding of the brain. We are confident that the Brain Science Incubation Center will incubate more products with promising prospects for clinical application.”

First Batch of Genomics Companies Makes Debut and Receives Notification of Selection

During the inauguration ceremony, Neil Shen, Founding and Managing Partner of Sequoia China, and Qing Li, Global Vice President and General Manager of Greater China at Illumina, presented plaques to the Genomics Mentorship Program. Li stated that the official launch of the Sequoia China Smart Healthcare Genomics Incubator (powered by Illumina technology) underscores Illumina’s commitment and responsibility to the development of China’s biogenetics sector, and represents a key component of Illumina’s ongoing localization strategy. “We look forward to leveraging this platform to better serve the growth of China’s biotech innovation ecosystem and join hands with Chinese entrepreneurs in exploring the vast frontiers of life sciences.”

To better support the growth of incubated enterprises, the Genomics Incubator has assembled a distinguished mentorship team. The inaugural cohort of mentors includes Li Qing, Global Vice President and General Manager of Greater China at Illumina; Wang Sizhen, Co-founder of Genetron Health; Zhu Yeqing, Executive Director and CEO of New Horizon Health; Li Ruiqiang, Founder and CEO of Novogene; Xiong Lei, Founder and Chairman of 3D Medicines; Shao Yang, Founder and CEO of Geneseeq; Xia Han, CEO of YuGuo Bio; Zhou Wenhao, Vice President of Children’s Hospital of Fudan University; and Du Jie, Deputy Director of the Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases. Representatives from three inaugural incubatees—Xueji Bio, Moleculin Biotech (MoZhuo Bio), and Suizhenda Biotechnology—also made their debut at the launch ceremony. Following a period of intensive closed-door training, these three companies will officially move into the Genomics Incubator.

First Batch of Brain Science Enterprises Makes Debut and Receives Notification of Selection

In the realm of brain science incubation, Sequoia China will partner with Zhongke Weiguang to jointly build a digital therapeutics technology platform for brain-related diseases. Leveraging Zhongke Weiguang’s profound expertise in optics and electronic system integration, the collaboration aims to develop more efficient photoacoustic therapeutic products for Alzheimer’s disease. BrainCo (Bo Rui Kang), a leading domestic brain-computer interface company and portfolio company of Sequoia China, has also established its minimally invasive implanted closed-loop feedback stimulation technology platform at the Brain Science Incubation Center. Liu Xun, General Manager of Sequoia China Incubator, and Chen Xuanze, Investor at Sequoia China, presented acceptance letters to representatives of the brain science startups admitted into the incubator. The Brain Science Incubator also boasts a strong lineup of mentors. The inaugural cohort includes Pu Muming, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Mao Ying, President of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University; Hong Bo, Secretary of the Party Committee of Tsinghua University School of Medicine; Lu Bai, Editor-in-Chief of “The Intellectual,” recipient of the NIH Director’s Award and the Ray Wu Prize; and Li Chengyu, Director of Major Tasks and Achievement Transformation at the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Frontiers in Genomics: A Roundtable Discussion

Roundtable Dialogue on Brain Science Research, Applications, and Industrialization

Life has its source, thinking knows no bounds. We believe that by leveraging the platform of Sequoia China’s Intelligent Healthcare Accelerator, along with its surrounding innovative capabilities and global experience, more entrepreneurs in the intelligent healthcare industry will realize their dreams more rapidly, continuously driving forward cutting-edge technological innovation.