Nusantics Pockets Funding from "Illumina" Global Accelerator Program

After following the accelerator program initiated by Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN), Nusantics which is a platform Biotech local, said it had pocketed funding from the program. It was not stated further how much funding was received. For six months, Nusantics has participated in a series of accelerator programs that focus on DNA sequencing and -based technology array.

To DailySocial, Co-Founder & CEO of Nusantics Sharlini Eriza Putri revealed that the company will use the fresh funds to continue to develop research human microbiome and its derivative products.

"Biotechnology must be global and the idea must continue to be tested and developed peer-reviewed. We can't be good at cages, we have to calibrate regularly, especially since our goal is to bring Indonesian biotechnology to the global arena."

In description Officially, during its program cycle of six months twice per year, the Illumina Accelerator provides selected startups with access to initial investment, business guidance, genomics expertise, and fully operational lab space adjacent to Illumina campuses in Cambridge or the Bay Area.

Furthermore, Nusantics also plans to establish a strategic collaboration with Illumina to conduct the latest research, especially on the human respiratory microbiome. Currently, there are more than 20 million people in Indonesia who are diagnosed with microbial related infections each year, most of which are related to respiratory problems.

Nusantics itself has previously received series A pendanaan funding with an undisclosed amount led by East Ventures. Nusantics was founded by Sharlini Eriza Putri, Vincent Kurniawan, and Revata Utama.

Focus on development

Nusantics' core business lies in its R&D capabilities. In addition to cultivating beauty products and services, Nusantics plans to collaborate with stakeholders in the health and education sectors to produce test kits to analyze and monitor microbiome profiles.

Since its inception, Nusantics' mission has been to leverage capabilities in microbiome research to develop two generations of test equipment (test kits) PCR-based Covid-19 with high sensitivity and specificity. The test equipment is able to detect various mutations of the Corona virus in Indonesia, including the viral strain that recently became an epidemic in the UK.

The first generation test kits have been distributed to 19 provinces as part of the Indonesia PASTI BISA movement in collaboration with the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT).

The company also partnered with Bio Farma in the development of a second generation test kit that cuts the test diagnosis process to three times as fast. It is claimed that this test kit has proven to be still relevant to the latest virus mutations that have detected an outbreak in the UK.

This startup introduced its technology to the beauty industry for the first time. In its lab, Nusantics Hub, the startup conducts facial swab tests for consumers to assess and assess the diversity of the skin microbiome. They also provide consulting services for the treatment of skin microbiome balance.

According to Nusantics, a diverse and balanced microbiome is essential for healthy skin, so understanding the balance of the microbiome can lead to the right choice of skin care products that suit a person's natural physical condition.