Kascaid

Kascaid is a molecular diagnostics technology company developing a platform for rapid, lab-quality molecular measurements at the point-of-care. Founded in 2025 and headquartered in San Carlos, CA, the company aims to decentralize diagnostics by moving them outside of traditional hospital settings. The co-founders, CEO Kavya Swaminathan, Ph.D., CPO Austin Burnett Hall, and CSO Scott Ferguson, Ph.D., bring together extensive experience in diagnostics R&D, proteomics, and biomarker discovery from their time at companies like Freenome and PrognomiQ. Kavya Swaminathan's background is in the proteomics of infection and immune dysregulation, Austin Burnett Hall specialized in sample integrity for biomarker accuracy, and Scott Ferguson has a history of developing cancer detection tests using advanced biomarkers.

Kascaid's core technology taps into interstitial fluid to generate quantitative biomarker data on-demand. Its first product is a single-use research patch that uses microneedle sampling and lateral flow detection to measure inflammatory biomarkers, with results readable via a smartphone. This device is designed to provide a denser, minimally invasive dataset on flare dynamics during clinical trials, initially focusing on rheumatoid arthritis. The platform's goal is to enable healthcare providers and researchers to streamline workflows, improve diagnostic precision, and accelerate clinical trials by providing on-demand insights into the immune system. By capturing high-frequency, longitudinal data, Kascaid intends to create a new category of inflammatory biomarker data that does not currently exist.

The company's business model targets clinical trials, where more convenient and frequent sampling can reduce participant dropout and the richer data can enable smaller, faster studies. Long-term, Kascaid plans to expand into autoimmune disease management, envisioning a future where passively collected, real-time immune data informs treatment decisions and health optimization, much like continuous glucose monitors have for diabetes care. The company has received early-stage VC funding from investors including 2048 Ventures, Boost VC, Draper Associates, and others.

Keywords: molecular diagnostics, biosensor, interstitial fluid, immune monitoring, point-of-care, biomarker data, clinical trials, autoimmune disease, diagnostic equipment, microneedle, lateral flow detection, inflammatory biomarkers, proteomics, immunology, real-time data, health-tech, medical device, drug development, clinical management