R3 Bio
A biotechnology startup developing genetically engineered, nonsentient biological constructs known as 'organ sacks'—whole organ systems grown without a brain to serve as ethical alternatives to animal testing and a future source for human organ transplants.
- CEO / Founder
- John Schloendorn
- Team Size
- 1-10
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- $1.0M
- Latest Round
- Seed
- Key Investors
- Tim Draper, Immortal Dragons, LongGame Ventures
Technology & Products
Key Products
Organ sacks (brain-free organ systems), functional liver tissue with cellular architecture, solutions for blood vessel formation in engineered tissues.
Technological Advantage
Utilizes advanced CRISPR gene editing to 'knock out' brain development genes in stem cells, allowing for the growth of integrated organ systems in situ rather than isolated lab-grown organoids, which lack the systemic complexity required for accurate drug testing.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Provides high-fidelity, systems-level biological models that eliminate the ethical concerns of animal testing and the moral complexities of human cloning by removing sentience and pain perception.
How They Differentiate
R3 Bio develops 'organ sacks'—integrated, whole-body biological systems that lack a brain. This differentiates them from companies focusing on isolated organoids (which lack systemic complexity) or xenotransplantation (which faces rejection and ethical issues), by providing a nonsentient yet physiologically complete model for testing and harvesting.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Pharmaceutical companies, medical research institutions, contract research organizations (CROs), and eventually transplant hospitals.
Industry Verticals
["Biotechnology","Pharmaceuticals","Healthcare","Regenerative Medicine","Longevity & Life Extension"]
Competitors
Renewal Bio, eGenesis, Revalia Bio
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Transitioned from multi-year stealth mode to public R&D phase in March 2024; team size estimated at 1-10 employees.
Major Milestones
["Founded in 2021 by Alice Gilman and John Schloendorn in Richmond, CA.","Secured initial Seed funding from billionaire investor Tim Draper and Immortal Dragons in early 2024.","Emerged from stealth mode in March 2024 with major features in Wired and MIT Technology Review.","Established an informal collaborative relationship with ARPA-H (Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health) for biological modeling."]
Notable Customers
N/A (Currently in R&D/Pre-revenue stage)