AI Biosciences
Repurposes open-source 3D printers into low-cost, automated molecular diagnostic instruments (e.g., µTitan) for point-of-care and space-based sample preparation and DNA amplification.
- CEO / Founder
- Season Sze-Shun Wong
- Team Size
- 11-50
- Stage
- Early Stage
- Total Funding
- $2.75M
- Latest Round
- Grant
- Key Investors
- NASA; CDC; NIH; BU Photonics Center
Technology & Products
Key Products
µTitan (microgravity-compatible automated Sample Processing Instrument); Versatile Sample Preparation Platform (VSPP); Handheld Surface Sampling Pen (SSP); PrintrLab incubator (3D printer-based CO2 incubator)
Technological Advantage
AI Biosciences' µTitan is a microgravity-compatible, automated Sample Processing Instrument (SPI) that handles six samples per ~20-minute run. The company is developing a point-of-care molecular diagnostics system with CLIA-waived tests, lab-quality results, true sample-to-result workflow, <25 min turnaround, low-cost device/cartridges, and PCR or isothermal technology. No patents or independent verification are mentioned on the website.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Reduces the cost of automated molecular diagnostics by leveraging commodity 3D printer hardware (e.g., ~$500 printers) instead of $50,000+ commercial instruments, enabling rapid, low-cost sample preparation and DNA amplification in resource-limited and microgravity environments.
How They Differentiate
AI Biosciences repurposes open-source 3D printers into integrated sample prep and amplification devices (µTitan, PrintrLab), combining DNA extraction and isothermal amplification in one platform—unlike Opentrons' liquid-handling robots or Chai's standalone qPCR instruments. The system is microgravity-compatible and validated for point-of-care use in peer-reviewed diagnostics studies.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Point-of-care diagnostics providers, space agencies (NASA), research laboratories, global health organizations
Industry Verticals
Medical diagnostics; Aerospace/space health; Biotechnology research; Global health
Competitors
Opentrons Labworks; Chai Biotechnologies
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Secured $300,000 NIH SBIR award; selected for NASA SBIR 2025-I program; accepted into SPACE-H Space Health Accelerator Cohort 1 (Starburst Aerospace); listed as NIH OALM vendor; presence in Synapse (PatSnap) database with 9 news items and 17 literature references; hiring activity (forensic DNA research scientist role); multiple interns and engineers employed (2018-2024).
Major Milestones
2012: Founded in College Station, TX; 2016: Publicized 3D-printed PCR thermal cycler for infectious disease detection; 2017: Received NIH/HHS SBIR Phase II award; 2021: Published µTitan 3D-printed sample prep evaluation in Journal of Molecular Diagnostics; 2022: GHIT Fund collaboration with Eiken Chemical for Chagas disease; 2024: Awarded $899,999 by NASA via SPACE-H accelerator; 2024: Planning seed round after first paying customers
Notable Customers
Government/agency partners: NASA (SBIR 2025-I award for handheld surface sampling pen), NIH (SBIR award for point-of-care technologies), HHS (Zika supplemental funding support). Industry sectors served: molecular diagnostics, point-of-care testing, space-based sample preparation, forensic DNA analysis (job posting for forensic DNA research scientist).
Funding rounds
- Grant$60,0002014-04Source: BU Photonics Center Annual Report
- Grant$689,607Source: NIH Awards by Location and Organization
- Grant$1.1MSource: GovTribe
- Grant$899,999Source: LinkedIn Post / NASA SBIR