Latest news with #PortalInnovations
Business Journals
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Journals
The Beat: Meet the Fire Awards Blazer winners for 2025
Welcome to Chicago Inno's The Beat, a twice-weekly look at the people, companies and ideas that are shaping Chicago's innovation economy. The Big One This year's Chicago Inno Fire Awardees spanned fintech, quantum technology, health and biotech, and robotics. GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. Explore All Events The 25 ventures — sorted into five categories — collectively have raised millions of dollars (in some cases hundreds of millions), expanded their reach, launched new funds and otherwise made a name for themselves in the local tech scene in 2025. Now we're ready to recognize the Blazers, the standouts in each of the Fire Awards categories that truly shaped tech and innovation in Chicago over the past year. READ MORE: Meet the Fire Awards Blazer winners for 2025 More Inno news to know Pharmaceutical giant AbbVie is making a $195M investment to expand its manufacturing capacity in North Chicago. is making a $195M investment to expand its manufacturing capacity in North Chicago. Chicago startup ReloShare was featured in the No. 2 spot on this year's Inc. 5000 list. Portal Innovations launches $100M fund Chicago is ready to take its next step forward as a global life-sciences hub. That's at least what local venture-capital firm Portal Innovations is betting. The firm is launching a $100M fund geared primarily toward pre-seed and seed-stage biotech startups. The fund comes as life-sciences funding is having its moment in Chicago. While venture-capital funding for life sciences companies nationally is slightly off last year's pace, the numbers locally tell a different story. READ MORE: Chicago life-sciences funding surges as VC firm unveils $100M fund Sign up for Inno's free twice-weekly newsletter to receive the latest innovation news impacting Chicago.
Bloomberg
6 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Chicago's Bid to Become a Biotech Hub Gets $100 Million Boost
Chicago's bid to become a key driver of new technologies including life sciences is about to get a $100 million boost. Portal Innovations, which invests in biotech startups and is based in the trendy Fulton Market neighborhood, is raising the money for its third fund, said Chief Executive Officer John Flavin. The proceeds will be used to back startups spun out of universities across the country.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
LIfT BioSciences Expands U.S. Footprint with New Facility at Portal Innovations, Houston Helix Park
LIfT BioSciences Expands U.S. Footprint with New Facility at Portal Innovations, Houston Helix Park London, 25 June 2025– LIfT BioSciences, ('LIfT' or 'the Company'), a rapidly emerging biotech and the global leader in neutrophil immunotherapies, today announces it has entered into an agreement with Portal Innovations, a life sciences venture capital firm, providing LIfT with access to Portal's state-of-the-art 30,000 sq. ft. labs and office space in Houston Helix Park, Texas, one of the fastest growing life-science ecosystems in the United States. This strategic expansion significantly strengthens LIfT's transatlantic footprint, complementing its existing operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and United States, and positioning the Company to accelerate the development of its first-in-class Immuno-Modulatory Alpha Neutrophils (IMANs) designed to overcome treatment resistance in solid tumours. Alex Blyth, Chief Executive Officer of LIfT Biosciences said: 'In addition to premium lab and office spaces, Portal Innovations provides LIfT with a unique ecosystem of scientific expertise, with proximity to the highly distinguished clinical trial center in MD Anderson. It is an important milestone in our journey to deliver curative neutrophil immunotherapies to patients globally.' Zach Hightower, Director of Business Development at Portal Innovations added: 'Portal Innovations is designed to help innovative companies like LIfT move rapidly from discovery to clinical and commercial success through curated capital, best-in-class infrastructure, and access to a strong life sciences network. LIfT's novel immunotherapy approach exemplifies the innovative science that we aim to support, and we believe they will be a great fit in our collaborative environment. We look forward to welcoming them into our growing Houston ecosystem.' As part of this agreement, LIfT will benefit from Portal's fully serviced laboratory environment, tailored operational and safety support, and a robust programme of networking, investor events, and expert advisory resources, allowing LIfT to scale its U.S. operations as it advances its clinical programs. Houston Helix Park's ecosystem includes academic and clinical leaders; all of whom offer potential collaboration opportunities as LIfT advances its platform toward clinical translation. Portal's venture development model also offers access to strategic capital, providing LIfT with flexible options to support future U.S. growth. About LIfT BioSciencesLIfT Biosciences is a UK & Ireland biotech that is bringing to market a first-in-class allogeneic alpha neutrophil immunotherapy that overcomes treatment resistance in solid tumours by reconstituting immune competence. LIfT's Immunomodulatory Alpha Neutrophils (IMANs) kill in a non-antigen specific manner and turn the tumour microenvironment against the tumour to give a durable total immune response and lasting immunity. The patented breakthrough N-LIfT platform is produced using exceptional stem cells (iPSC or HSC), a proprietary enhancement media and genetic engineering. The company is preparing initiatives with a range of pharmaceutical license partners to develop a portfolio of engineered IMAN immunotherapies to destroy a range of solid tumours. See Further informationInvestors:Alex Blyth ablyth@ Media:ICR Healthcare Lindsey Neville, Namrata Taak, Evi Useh liftbiosciences@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
11-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Biotech Innovation is Privatizing: Science Venture CEO
John Flavin, Portal Innovations, Founder & CEO speaks with Romaine Bostick and Alix Steel about the outlook on investing in biotech. (Source: Bloomberg)
