Sunflower Therapeutics
Automated, small-footprint systems for protein manufacturing.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | investor | €0.0 | round |
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
* | $3.0m | Early VC | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
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Sunflower Therapeutics, a Public Benefit Corporation founded in 2018, provides automated, small-footprint protein manufacturing systems designed to reduce the complexity and cost of producing biologics. The company was co-founded by CEO Dr. Kerry R. Love, Kathryn Golden, and Dr. J. Christopher Love. Dr. Kerry Love's career, including managing programs for DARPA and the Gates Foundation focused on improving vaccine manufacturing, shaped her drive to make medicines more accessible. This led to the creation of Sunflower Therapeutics to address the capital-intensive and complex processes traditionally involved in bringing biologic medicines to market.
The company's business model centers on selling its proprietary equipment and providing related services to biomanufacturers, academic institutions, and startups globally. This includes clients in biopharma, vaccine development, and the alternative protein sector for food products. Its core technology utilizes microbial hosts like Pichia pastoris and an innovative method of continuous perfusion fermentation, which allows for more efficient and higher-yield production compared to traditional methods. The product lineup includes the Daisy Petal™, a benchtop system for R&D labs, and the larger Dahlia Petal™ system for bulk protein manufacturing, both managed by a GMP-compliant software suite. These systems are designed to be modular, fully integrated, and automated to simplify the entire process from discovery to commercial-scale manufacturing.
As a women-owned and led Public Benefit Corporation, Sunflower Therapeutics is committed to increasing the global accessibility of health and wellness products. The company has engaged in projects with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and has secured partnerships with firms like SK bioscience to develop accessible vaccines. It has raised funding through multiple rounds, including a $3M SAFE agreement in late 2024 to support the commercial launch of its perfusion fermentation systems.
Keywords: protein manufacturing, continuous biomanufacturing, perfusion fermentation, biologics production, automated bioreactors, microbial hosts, accessible vaccines, alternative proteins, bioprocessing solutions, small-footprint manufacturing