Galatea Bio, a leader in AI-driven genomic research and clinical genetic testing has secured $25 million in funding to drive discoveries in next-generation genetic analysis, biomarker discovery, and multi-omics disease modeling. Committed to enabling precision health at scale for all, Galatea Bio is expanding its Biobank of the Americas into the Galatea Global Biobank, a landmark initiative to sequence 10 million participants worldwide, with a focus on individuals of non-European ancestry, to unlock new insights into human health.
Founded in 2021 by Carlos D. Bustamante, Ph.D., a world-renowned population geneticist, Stanford faculty member, and alumni of the investigator program at Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Galatea Bio is addressing one of the most pressing challenges in genomics – the need for comprehensive, predictive datasets from global populations. To date most genomics datasets are based on patients with European ancestry. To achieve its mission, the company develops novel data science tools and operates a College of American Pathologists (CAP)-accredited biobank to store patient samples from collaborating medical centers, and a CAP-accredited clinical genetic testing laboratory.
“Galatea Bio envisions a future where healthcare is accessible to all and tailored to each individual’s genetic makeup and predicted future disease trajectory,” said Bustamante, CEO and President, Galatea Bio. “By analyzing a broad spectrum of genetic, longitudinal health records, and real-world evidence data from multi-ancestry populations, Galatea is generating new insights into the biological processes that underlie health and disease – a process we are committed to accelerating. This work represents a critical step toward truly personalized healthcare on a global scale.”
Galatea has received $25 million in funding to date, backed by F-Prime, Helios Digital Ventures, Digitalis Ventures, AME Cloud, CEI Ventures, Alexandria, Founders Collective, Stanford President’s Fund, and HBM Genomics. The funding will support the expansion of high-throughput sequencing, AI-powered genomic analysis, and industry partnerships. Using the funding, the company will expand its first-in-class clinico-genomics platform to integrate multi-modal data and AI-driven applications to refine genetic risk analysis for Mendelian and complex diseases, biomarker discovery, and clinical trials optimization.
At the center of this effort is the Galatea Global Biobank, designed to overcome the limitations of existing genomic datasets by providing a richer, ancestry-aware reference population for scientific research, Galatea Bio is expanding its existing biobank to include whole genome and whole exome sequencing from 10 million participants enriched with non-European ancestries, paired with longitudinal clinical data and real-world health evidence.
By utilizing AI-enhanced ancestry inference, Galatea Bio is developing proprietary best-in-class polygenic risk scores and improving disease modeling for drug target discovery in cardiometabolic diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, immune diseases, cancer, and other complex diseases.
The company recently launched the StrataRisk Polygenic Risk Score API, designed to improve the accuracy of genetic risk predictions for individuals of non-European ancestry. By adjusting the Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) – a measure that estimates an individual’s inherited risk of developing certain diseases based on their genetic profile, the tool aims to provide more consistent and clinically meaningful results for all patient populations. It addresses a key limitation of traditional PRS models, which were largely developed using European genetic data and often yield less accurate results for individuals of other ancestries.
“Galatea Bio is already a well-established leader in genomics, with a strong foundation of collaborations driving innovation in research and personalized medicine,” Muzammil Mansuri, Venture Partner, F-Prime. “Their approach unlocks the full potential of genetic data at scale, transforming how we understand and apply genomics to human health. We’re excited to support their journey as they continue to expand their impact and shape the future of genomic innovation.”
“Africa holds the richest tapestry of human genetic variation on Earth yet remains mostly absent in global genomics research. This gap not only limits our understanding of human biology but obscures pathways to medical breakthroughs that could benefit humanity globally,” said Wale Ayeni, Managing Partner, Helios Digital Ventures. “Galatea Bio is uniquely positioned to illuminate these intricate genetic patterns using AI and multi-omics integration, creating a new paradigm that could transform precision medicine worldwide.”
Galatea Bio is at the forefront of genetic research and analysis, with strategic partnerships and IP in-licensed from Stanford University and the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative. These collaborations enable the company to stay ahead of the curve in genome analysis while continuously innovating new methods to interrogate and interpret genomic data. Galatea Bio has secured partnerships with industry leaders including Illumina and Oxford Nanopore to advance the Galatea Bio Global Biobank and eventually characterize the 10 million participants.
The company also has established collaborations with health systems including Baptist Health – South Florida, which serve patient populations enriched for non-European ancestries, to improve precision and personalized medicine for all ancestries. These partnerships add high-quality clinical and real-world datasets.
Operating from a CAP-accredited, high-complexity NGS laboratory in Miami, Galatea Bio provides full-service sequencing, molecular diagnostics, and AI-enhanced genomic analysis. The company’s proprietary platforms Galaxy-bio™ and Gnomix AI™, enhance ancestry-aware polygenic risk scoring, pharmacogenomics, and disease prediction models, ensuring that genomic research translates into actionable healthcare solutions.
Galatea Bio also announces key leadership team appointments: Jeff Gulcher, MD, PhD, joins as Chief Medical Officer, and Francisco M. De La Vega, D.Sc., as Chief Technology Officer. In addition, Muzammil Mansuri, PhD (formerly of Sanofi, Gilead, and Flagship Pioneering) and Wale Ayeni, Managing Partner at Helios Digital Ventures have joined Galatea Bio’s Board of Directors.
About Galatea Bio
Galatea Bio is a biotechnology company advancing precision medicine through AI-driven data analytics and genomic research on large-scale patient populations, enriched in non-European ancestry. By integrating clinical genomics, a proprietary biobank, and AI-enabled algorithms, Galatea Bio accelerates biomarker and drug target discovery, enhances clinical diagnostics, and supports biopharma partnerships. With a global network spanning research institutions, healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical companies, Galatea Bio develops ancestry-informed diagnostics and data solutions that improve patient outcomes and drive therapeutic innovation. The company is based in Miami, FL. For more information, visit www.galatea.bio.
