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Based in Farmington, Connecticut, Encapsulate develops automated tumor-on-a-chip systems that grow patient-derived cancer cells on proprietary biochips to test the efficacy of various chemotherapy drugs. The medical device company provides oncologists and cancer care providers with precision medicine tools to determine the most effective personalized treatment regimens outside the human body. Operating with a team of four employees, the enterprise previously secured a $500,000 prize from NASA for space-based technology research and recently placed second at the Entrepreneurship World Cup Global Finals out of over sixteen thousand applicants. In November 2024, the firm closed an oversubscribed $1.8 million seed funding round backed by lead investors Connecticut Innovations, Blackwood Healthcare Breakthroughs Capital, and Ambit Health Ventures. Encapsulate was officially founded in 2018 by University of Connecticut graduate students Armin Rad, Leila Daneshmandi, and Reza Amin.
Encapsulate has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round.
Encapsulate has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Encapsulate has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in May 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2024 | $2M Seed | — | Ambit Health Ventures, Blackwood Healthcare Breakthroughs, Connecticut Innovations | Announced |
Encapsulate has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Encapsulate's investors include Ambit Health Ventures, Blackwood Healthcare Breakthroughs, Connecticut Innovations.
Encapsulate is an early-stage biotech startup developing precision cancer treatment technologies, including the nCapsule biochip and nCapsulizer system. These tools enable rapid growth of patient-derived microtumors to test treatments, mimicking the human body for personalized oncology analysis[1][2]. The company serves cancer researchers, clinicians, and patients by accelerating drug testing from tumor biopsy to viable therapy options, solving the problem of slow, imprecise cancer modeling that delays effective treatments[1][2]. Founded by UConn engineering graduates, Encapsulate has gained momentum through accelerators like MassChallenge, CTNext awards, Hartford’s Digital Health program, and a $500,000 NASA/Boeing ISS grant for zero-gravity testing, positioning it for clinical and space-based breakthroughs[1][2].
Encapsulate was founded in 2019 by three University of Connecticut School of Engineering graduate students: Hesam Rad, Leila Daneshmandi, and Reza Amin, who combined their expertise in bioengineering and materials science[1][2]. The idea emerged during UConn innovation workshops on user-driven entrepreneurship, where Rad and Daneshmandi speculated on creating biochips to grow authentic patient microtumors for precision cancer therapy[1]. Pivotal early traction included NSF I-Corps training, Innovation Quest, UConn’s Technology Incubation Program, and CTNext’s Entrepreneur Innovation Award; within three years of conception, they advanced to clinical studies and won the ISS/Boeing “Technology in Space” prize, enabling biochip launches to the International Space Station[1][2].
Encapsulate rides the precision oncology wave, where patient-specific tumor models address the 90%+ failure rate of cancer drugs in trials by enabling ex vivo testing[1]. Timing aligns with advances in microfluidics, CRISPR, and space biotech, amplified by NASA's push for microgravity research that reveals novel cellular behaviors unavailable on Earth[2]. Market forces like rising cancer incidence, personalized medicine demand, and medtech accelerators (e.g., Hartford Digital Health) favor scalable biochips over animal models, which are ethically fraught and less predictive[1][2]. The company influences the ecosystem by pioneering "tumor-on-a-chip" for space, potentially standardizing autonomous cancer platforms for remote or orbital labs.
Encapsulate's ISS validation and clinical pipeline signal imminent commercialization, with biochips launching summer post-2023 and MVP scaling ahead[1][2]. Trends like AI-driven drug discovery and orbital manufacturing will amplify its edge, evolving it from UConn spinout to global medtech leader. Expect partnerships with pharma giants for personalized therapies and expanded microgravity applications, cementing its mission to revolutionize precision cancer care from Earth to space.
