The NATO Innovation Fund has invested in Portal Biotech, co-leading a $35 million Series A round to bolster defenses against biological warfare. Portal Biotech focuses on portable AI-powered diagnostic devices for pathogen detection. These devices offer quick identification of biological threats on-site, a necessity for defense and security according to NATO representatives. Established in 2022 with over $1 billion for investments, the fund aims to address growing concerns over synthetic biology and biowarfare risks, highlighted by vulnerabilities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, Portal received an $8 million contract from DARPA for therapeutic development.
Ana Bernardo-Gancedo, senior associate at NATO Innovation Fund, stated, "We believe it is absolutely imperative that we are able to detect, monitor, and create countermeasures."
Portal's CEO, Andy Heron, mentioned, "It allows you not just to detect what you did know was out there, but it allows you to detect what you didn't know."
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