28bio

28bio operates at the intersection of organ-on-a-chip technology, human iPSC biology, electrophysiology, and preclinical neuroscience. Its competitive set includes Emulate and MIMETAS in organ-on-a-chip platforms, alongside specialized brain-organoid and neurobiology providers serving pharmaceutical research. 28bio’s differentiation is its concentration on functional neural readouts rather than morphology alone. Its portfolio spans peripheral nerve conduction, CNS network activity, myelination, neuroinflammation, seizure liability, Alzheimer’s disease, and learning-related plasticity. Products such as NerveSim, BrainSim, microBrain, CNS-3D Myelinated Organoids, and CNS-3D Plasticity Organoids give the company coverage across both PNS and CNS applications. The platform also combines living human cells with neural interfaces and assay-ready electrophysiology, potentially addressing translational gaps that conventional animal models and static cell assays leave unresolved. Its approximately $20.5 million in cumulative funding and nine-investor base indicate meaningful development support, although the company remains substantially smaller than broad platform competitors and public commercial adoption metrics are limited.

28bio’s growth trajectory shows a progression from grant-supported platform development to a broader commercial neurotechnology business. The company was founded in 2014 and received early grants, including $1.77 million in 2017 and $665,000 in 2018, followed by a $1.133 million venture round in 2019 and a $6.06 million Series A in 2021. Funding momentum resumed with $3.685 million on Nov 22, 2024 and $6.525 million on Jun 24, 2025, bringing disclosed cumulative funding to $20.49 million. Product expansion has become the clearest recent inflection point. In May and August 2026, 28bio introduced myelinated, inflammatory, Alzheimer’s, and plasticity-focused CNS-3D models, moving beyond its earlier Nerve-on-a-Chip, NerveSim, BrainSim, and microBrain products. The 2026 Endurance study milestone adds external validation around seizure-liability prediction. Leadership changes in 2024, including the arrival of CEO Alif Saleh and sales executive Stuart Gibb, suggest increased emphasis on market adoption. The company reports an employee range of 11–50, but detailed year-over-year hiring data is unavailable.