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DataJoint Secures $4.9 Million Seed Funding

DataJoint, a cutting-edge computational database and artificial intelligence platform, recently announced the successful closing of a $4.9 million seed funding round. The platform is specifically designed to optimize data management and accelerate research across various domains, including neuroscience, oncology, and systems biology. The funding round was co-led by prominent investment firms including Nina Capital, based in Barcelona, Inoca Capital Partners from Salt Lake City, and Austin-based Capital Factory, along with other existing investors.

This diverse investor base underscores the international business potential of DataJoint's innovative platform. Currently, the company serves a variety of clients and partners spanning multiple countries, which highlights the global relevance of their technology. With this funding, DataJoint plans to scale operations, enhance its proprietary SaaS platform, and expand its market reach to commercial life sciences and pharmaceutical companies in both the United States and Europe.

DataJoint offers a unique value proposition that harmonizes multimodal data sources and enables complex AI/ML workflows. This strategic approach positions them well to introduce new capabilities and address critical inefficiencies in data management and reproducibility faced by research laboratories worldwide.

Founder's Vision

The story of DataJoint began with its Chief Technology Officer, Dimitri Yatsenko, whose career in technology was rooted in Ukraine before he moved to the United States in the 1990s to study computer science. Early in his career, Yatsenko focused on database development for public safety and later transitioned to a dot-com startup, gaining firsthand experience of the importance of robust engineering and rigorous data models. Subsequently, he led a team at GE Medical Systems, specializing in surgical imaging and navigation, areas where precision and quality control are paramount.

His journey continued at Ripple Neuro, where his passion for neuroscience deepened, inspiring him to pursue a PhD at the Baylor College of Medicine. During his doctoral studies, he co-founded nView Medical, another AI and medical imaging company. It was during this intersection of engineering and scientific discovery that Yatsenko recognized a critical gap in research data management and AI model development—observations that provoked the inception of DataJoint, merging engineering discipline with modern scientific research challenges.

Transforming Data Management in Life Sciences

Today, DataJoint's platform is already utilized by over 100 laboratories across the United States and Europe, including renowned institutions such as Johns Hopkins, UCSF, Harvard, and UCL. By automating the structuring, processing, and analysis of data, the platform tackles critical issues such as fragmented data management, low reproducibility, and limited collaboration in research environments. As the company extends its services to pharmaceuticals, DataJoint remains committed to collaborating with Academic Medical Centers, the original environment where its platform was incubated and validated.

Jim Olson, CEO of DataJoint, expressed optimism about the future, stating, "This investment enables us to expand our reach and continue providing transformative solutions to researchers and organizations in the life sciences. With the support from Nina Capital, Inoca Capital, and Capital Factory, we are well-positioned to scale our platform and deliver advanced AI and data harmonization capabilities to a broader market.”

Support from Investors

Marta G. Zanchi, founding partner of Nina Capital, emphasized the unique capabilities of DataJoint's platform, commenting, "DataJoint's computational database is a revolutionary solution for data management and AI enablement in life sciences. Its capacity to optimize workflows and enhance reproducibility makes it a crucial tool for advancing scientific discovery and innovation. We're pleased to support the team in their mission to transform research and accelerate healthcare progress."

Inoca Capital’s Managing Director, Chris Sheffert, highlighted the commercial potential: "DataJoint's platform is uniquely positioned to tackle the substantial challenges faced by commercial life sciences and pharmaceutical companies. From managing vast amounts of complex data to extracting actionable insights using AI, the opportunities for adoption within these industries are immense. We’re excited to partner with DataJoint to help scale their transformative technology.”

About DataJoint

Founded to address inefficiencies in academic and pharmaceutical research laboratories, DataJoint provides a unified database infrastructure that harmonizes multimodal data sources into automated workflows. The company's SaaS platform is based on an open-source system, with plans to achieve SOC2, HIPAA, and ISO27001 compliance to serve a growing customer base in academia and industry.

About Nina Capital

Nina Capital is a specialized venture capital firm based in Barcelona, investing exclusively at the intersection of health and technology. Since its inception in 2019, the firm has supported 52 companies across 18 countries, aiding founders whose innovations are set to transform healthcare through data and computational capabilities.

About Inoca Capital Partners

Based in Salt Lake City, Inoca Capital Partners is a private equity firm focused on collaborating with strong management teams to foster growth and create long-term value. Their expertise spans sectors like Data + AI, Cloud, and Health/IT, providing strategic investment and mentorship to help businesses achieve ambitious goals.

About Capital Factory

Capital Factory, located in Austin, Texas, is a hub for entrepreneurs outside Silicon Valley, connecting emerging companies that are changing the world with investors, customers, and talent. Since 2010, it has been the most active investor in Texas, as reported by Pitchbook.

About PharmStars

PharmStars is a member-based startup accelerator focused on the digital health sector within the pharmaceutical industry. They leverage their expertise to bridge the gaps between pharmaceutical companies and startups, facilitating collaborations that lead to faster adoption and greater success for innovative solutions beyond molecular therapies. More information is available at www.PharmStars.com.