For decades, researchers have struggled with inconsistent, labour-intensive cell culture processes, limiting the widespread adoption of organoids in drug development. As regulatory bodies like the FDA shift towards alternatives to animal testing, the demand for reproducible, high-throughput organoid models has never been greater. mo:re addresses this challenge with its technology, providing a fully automated solution that simplifies and standardises cell culture studies.
This Hamburg-based life science startup has raised €2.3M in seed funding to commercialise its cutting-edge laboratory platform, which automates complex 3D cell culture workflows. High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) led the round, with additional investment from Innovationsstarter Fonds Hamburg (IFH), Gilson Inc., NEDGEX, Nidobirds Ventures, and private investors R&R Medical and Martin Blüggel. The valuation was not disclosed to TFN.
The funding will accelerate the market launch of the company’s first product and support the development of further organ models. It will also commercialise its automated 3D cell culture platform, aiming to transform drug development by providing reproducible, high-throughput organoid models and reducing reliance on animal testing.
Breaking barriers with 3D cell culture platform
Unveiled at SLAS 2025 in San Diego, the world’s premier laboratory automation trade show, mo:re’s innovative platform streamlines the planning, cultivation, and analysis of 3D cell cultures. Unlike existing solutions, which only address isolated steps of the process, mo:re’s device covers all relevant workflow stages, ensuring unparalleled reproducibility and scalability. The user-friendly system eliminates the need for specialised expertise in organ-specific biology, making advanced cell culture techniques accessible to a broader range of researchers.
Lukas Gaats, CEO of mo:re, emphasised the impact of this funding on the company’s growth: “With this funding, we want to establish our presence in the market and continue building our team. Now it is time to focus our resources on developing further scientific applications to unlock the potential our platform has to offer together with our customers as well as our internal R&D lab.”
Dr Christian Kannemeier, Senior Investment Manager at HTGF, highlighted the company’s potential: “The team of mo:re is poised to execute on its vision to provide easy access to a standardised way of performing 3D cell culture and obtain reproducible results for researchers worldwide.”
Striving for comprehensive 3D cell culture automation
mo:re was co-founded in 2023 by Lukas Gaats and David Hackenberger, who met during their MBA studies at TU Hamburg in 2018. Lukas, who holds an MBA and an MSc in biomedical engineering, first identified the market need during his research at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), where he validated an automated spheroid culture platform with several academic institutions.
David, an expert in automation and production engineering, holds an MBA and an MSc in mechanical engineering. As CTO, he oversees product development, ensuring the seamless integration of automation and biological workflows. Their platform also incorporates AI for organoid quality prediction, allowing researchers to identify potential issues early in the development process.
The inspiration behind mo:re stemmed from a clear gap in the industry: existing lab automation solutions lacked the comprehensive approach needed to standardise organoid research. By addressing these inefficiencies, mo:re aims to establish a new benchmark for cellular modelling, ultimately accelerating drug discovery and reducing reliance on animal testing.
A growing market with vast potential
Investors see immense value in mo:re’s technology, recognising its potential to reshape laboratory automation. Stefanie Höhn, Senior Investment Manager at IFH, stated: “Our investment in mo:re reflects our confidence in their visionary product to tackle cell culture challenges. Their platform can redefine the landscape of non-animal methods in the life science industry.”
Dirk Freystadt, SVP Corporate Development at Gilson Inc., also underscored the importance of verifiable data in drug discovery: “Verifiable data in drug discovery and development are crucial for accelerating creation of new and effective pharmaceuticals. mo:re’s innovative technological approach provides an important step toward standardising organoid growth, significantly enhancing their quality. This will not only improve the speed and reliability of drug discovery but also deliver more consistent results for research, ultimately reducing the reliance on animal testing.”
Shaping the future of 3D cell culture
mo:re’s fully integrated platform stands apart from competitors, such as lab automation and bioprinting companies, by offering the only comprehensive solution for automating tissue culture. While others tackle isolated aspects of the process, mo:re ensures a seamless, end-to-end workflow, eliminating bottlenecks and inconsistencies.
Over the next three to five years, the company aims to dominate the 3D cell culture niche, providing best-in-class organoid models for various organs. Expansion plans include scaling operations across Europe and the US, further cementing mo:re’s position as a leader in automated cell culture solutions. With increasing demand for high-throughput, reproducible organoid models, mo:re is set to play a key role in the evolution of drug development and laboratory automation.
The post Automating 3D cell culture: mo:re secures €2.3M to transform drug development appeared first on Tech Funding News.