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Bridging Innovation and Investment
Crowdfunding partnership opens new opportunities for early-stage CGT developers
A client-centric collaboration with BioTech Social aims to allow early-stage cell and gene therapy (CGT) developers to raise up to $5 million per year via the BioTech Funding Portal, enhancing access for Charles River Incubator (CIP) and Accelerator (CAP) Program participants.
Curated for life science companies, the investment crowdfunding platform aligns with our mission to accelerate development and enable therapies to reach patients more quickly, because every moment matters.
"The mission of the BioTech Funding Portal is to harness the power of non-accredited investors to support research that might otherwise go unfunded – despite it addressing clear, unmet medical needs," said Neva West, PhD, CEO of BioTech Funding Portal. "Through our partnership with the CIP and CAP programs, we aim to help selected applicants cross the notorious funding 'valley of death' that so often threatens innovative, early-stage companies."
"We're thrilled to explore this collaboration that will open up an exciting new funding pathway to bridge innovation with the right audiences and investors. This dynamic approach would streamline the delivery of medicine to patients," added Kerstin Dolph, Corporate Senior Vice President, Global Manufacturing, Charles River, in a press release announcing the collaboration. "We're always working to equip our clients with the tools and opportunities they need to fast-track drug development and therapies."
Incubating Promising Drug Developers
Committed to expediting the development of life-changing therapies for patients in need, explore our inaugural Incubator Program cohort, including Gordian Bio, NVI Therapeutics, Adjuva Bio, and NanoPalm.
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Catalyzing CGTs from Discovery to Commercialization
Established in 2024, CIP and CAP are designed to help developers establish a strong foundation for commercial viability, bridging the gap between basic science and human studies. Embedded within a unique concept to cure portfolio, program benefits include consultative regulatory and quality expertise, access to laboratory space, equipment, and now crowdfunding support.
- CIP – Incubates biotechnology developers in the discovery phase, 24+ months from Investigational New Drug (IND) or Clinical Trial Application (CTA) submission.
- CAP – Accelerates advanced therapy developers 18-24 months from IND or CTA submission.
CIP participant, Chih-Wen Ni, Founder and CEO, NVI Therapeutics, commented: "As a new pharmaceutical company, there are many aspects where you need consulting support. For instance, navigating regulations and conducting preclinical studies require expert assistance. Charles River is a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) and their support is invaluable. I look forward to utilizing it to guide my company through the entire process."
Building on the success of the inaugural CIP cohort, announced in April 2025, developers are now invited to apply for the next cohort, which may be jointly evaluated by Charles River and BioTech Social, in conjunction with the upcoming European Cell and Gene Therapy Summit in September.
Enabling Advanced Therapy Technologies
Committed to expediting the development of life-changing therapies for patients in need, explore our inaugural Incubator Program cohort, including 64x Bio and Purilogics by Donaldson.
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