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§ Private Profile · Cambridge, United Kingdom
Protein prototyping system accelerating drug discovery for researchers.
Nuclera develops eProtein Discovery, an end-to-end multiplex protein screening system. This technology enables rapid, in-house protein design, screening, characterization, and small-scale expression in days. Employing cell-free protein synthesis and digital microfluidics, the system accelerates acquisition of assay-ready proteins, including challenging membrane proteins, for research applications.
The company was founded in 2013 by Michael Chen, Jiahao Huang, and Gordon Herling-McInroy, then PhD students at the University of Cambridge. Their insight stemmed from observing how scientific progress often stalled due to slow, uncertain protein acquisition. This directly led them to develop a solution for streamlined, dependable access.
Nuclera targets protein scientists and researchers requiring swift, reliable access to high-quality proteins. Its vision is to standardize protein access for every laboratory, empowering scientists to progress from concept to assay-ready proteins in days. This allows focus on discovery, accelerating critical advancements in human health.
Nuclera has raised $147.0M across 5 funding rounds.
Nuclera has raised $147.0M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Nuclera has raised $147.0M across 5 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $12.0M Series C Extension in January 2026.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 13, 2026 | $12M Series C Plus | Jonathan Milner, Michael Wasserman | British Business Bank, G. K. GOH | Announced |
| Oct 1, 2024 | $75M Series C | Michael Wasserman | Amadeus Capital Partners, Ayana Capital LLC, Balderton Capital, Kindred Capital VC, R42 Group, Adrien Cohen, Jonathan Milner, Michael Mccreary, IAN Connatty, Cambridge Innovation Capital, E INK, G. K. GOH, M&G Catalyst, Patient Square Capital, UNI Power Group, Verve Ventures | Announced |
| Jun 7, 2024 | $1.5M Grant | Innovate UK | — | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2022 | $16M Series B | — | Amadeus Capital Partners, Ayana Capital LLC, Balderton Capital, Kindred Capital VC, R42 Group, Adrien Cohen | Announced |
| Feb 2, 2022 | $42.5M Series B | — | Jonathan Milner, Andrea Traversone, E INK, Future Planet Capital, G. K. GOH, M&G Investments, RT Partners, The Future Fund | Announced |
Nuclera has raised $147.0M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Nuclera's investors include Jonathan Milner, Michael Wasserman, British Business Bank, G. K. Goh, Amadeus Capital Partners, AYANA Capital LLC, Balderton Capital, Kindred Capital VC, R42 Group, Adrien Cohen, Michael McCreary, Ian Connatty.
Nuclera is a US- and UK-based biotechnology company that develops the eProtein Discovery™ platform, an automated benchtop system for rapid protein expression, screening, optimization, and purification using cell-free synthesis and digital microfluidics.[1][3][4][5] It serves academic and industrial life science researchers by solving the bottleneck of protein inaccessibility—delivering assay-ready proteins, including challenging membrane proteins, in as little as 48 hours through multiplex screening of constructs, tags, and conditions.[1][3][6] The platform streamlines drug discovery, proteomics, and experimental workflows, with strong growth evidenced by £52.3 million in funding, selection for Tech Nation's Future Fifty 2024, 47th on Sifted's UK/Ireland leaderboard, new Cambridge HQ, and Innovate UK grants totaling £1.14M.[1][3]
Nuclera was founded in 2013 by PhD students at the University of Cambridge who, during their dissertations, identified protein production as the primary obstacle in biology research, prompting them to create a solution for faster access to target proteins.[3][4] Emerging from Cambridge Judge Business School's Accelerate program (Cohort 2 alumni), the company has evolved from pioneering cell-free technologies—protected by 45+ patents on eProtein™ synthesis, eDNA™ synthesis, and eDrop™ digital microfluidics—into a deployable desktop bioprinting platform.[2][3] Key milestones include securing significant venture funding (£52.3M total), expanding to 101-250 employees, opening global HQ in Cambridge UK, and recent accolades like Cyber Essentials Plus certification, driving commercialization and scale-up.[1][3]
Nuclera rides the wave of synthetic biology and automated experimentation, addressing protein production bottlenecks amid surging demand in drug discovery, AI-driven target identification, and personalized medicine.[1][3][5] Timing aligns with advances in cell-free systems and microfluidics, accelerated by post-pandemic biotech funding and tools like AlphaFold for structure prediction, making rapid prototyping essential.[4][6] Market tailwinds include engineering biology grants and UK innovation ecosystems (e.g., Innovate UK, Tech Nation), positioning Nuclera to influence proteomics workflows and reduce R&D timelines for pharma and academia.[1][3] By enabling "biology accessible to everyone" via desktop bioprinting, it lowers barriers, fosters innovation in hard-to-drug targets, and complements high-throughput bioreactors in the experimental automation landscape.[2][4]
Nuclera is poised for accelerated commercialization of eProtein Discovery™, with upcoming global expansion from its Cambridge HQ, deeper CRO partnerships, and platform enhancements via recent Innovate UK funding for advanced prototyping.[1][3] Trends like AI-protein design integration and rising membrane protein therapeutics will amplify demand, potentially scaling to broader biotech adoption and larger funding rounds. Its influence may evolve from niche accelerator to ecosystem enabler, transforming protein access from a gamble to a streamlined standard—echoing its founding mission to make biology truly accessible.[2][6]