Series A: GCB Secures JPY 200 Million in Funding

Gel Coat Biomaterials, Inc. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Shin Yoshida, hereafter “GCB”) announced that it has successfully raised JPY 200 million through a Series A financing round via a third-party allotment of shares. The investors include The WUV 1st Fund (official name: WUV 1 Limited Partnership)managed by WASEDA University Ventures, and Soken Chemical & Engineering Co., Ltd..GCB also plans an additional JPY 100 million extension round.

Biomolecules such as enzymes and antibodies play indispensable roles across a wide range of industries, including food, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. However, their inherent instability imposes strict requirements on temperature control and transportation conditions, leading to increased costs and challenges in practical implementation.

To fundamentally address these issues, GCB has developed “Gel Coat™,” a bio-material platform technology based on an amoeba-like hydrogel discovered by Professor Madoka Takai of the Department of Materials Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, This innovative hydrogel dynamically alters its structure and function, enabling new possibilities in biomolecule stabilization. “Gel Coat™” is positioned as a platform technology that will enhance productivity and expand the bio-manufacturing market.

GCB has established proprietary biomolecule stabilization technologies by analyzing interactions between amoeba hydrogels and biomolecules, accumulating a growing number of successful applications.For example, fragile enzymes that previously required storage at −30°C can now be stably preserved at 4°C for four weeks using “Gel Coat™.” The technology also enables enzymatic reactions in organic solvents and provides antifouling functionality.

During the Series A phase, GCB aims to reduce development timelines to one-tenth of conventional durations and significantly expand applicability beyond enzymes to include antibodies, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules. Multiple joint research projects with major corporations are already underway. As a technology directly contributing to bio-manufacturing productivity, “Gel Coat™” is attracting strong interest from industry players both in Japan and globally.

With this funding, GCB will accelerate the advancement and mass production of amoeba hydrogels, expand joint research with major manufacturers, and promote the practical implementation of customized “Gel Coat™” solutions through contract R&D.Additionally, GCB will actively collaborate with academic institutions to explore new functionalities of amoeba hydrogels and drive global business expansion.

Collaboration with Soken Chemical & Engineering Co., Ltd.

Soken Chemical & Engineering Co., Ltd. (including its group companies) actively collaborates with academia and startups to forge a better future through chemistry and technology. We are dedicated to creating new businesses by integrating our mutual strengths, with a focus on the medical, healthcare, environmental, and energy sectors.

About GCB’s Amoeba Hydrogel and “Gel Coat™” Technology

Amoeba hydrogel is a novel biomaterial composed of a zwitterionic polymer as one of its components and formed through physical crosslinking. “Gel Coat™” is a functionalization technology that utilizes this hydrogel to enable enzyme stabilization and other applications.Amoeba hydrogel exhibits unique physical states depending on its environment: it forms gel particles when dried, becomes a hydrogel in aqueous solutions, and can further behave as a dispersed gel in solution (Figure 1).

By applying “Gel Coat™” to coat enzymes with amoeba hydrogel, high residual activity can be maintained even under harsh conditions, including high temperatures (up to 65°C), organic solvent environments, long-term storage at room temperature, and repeated freeze–thaw cycles (Figures 2 and 3).“Gel Coat™” is supported by granted patents and multiple pending applications, ensuring a strong competitive advantage in terms of intellectual property.

Figure 1. Appearance of amoeba hydrogel.Left: Dried gel particles.Center: Hydrogel.Right: Hydrogel dispersed in water.

Figure 2. Enzyme activity of β-galactosidase at 65°C.The enzyme protected by amoeba hydrogel (red) shows a significantly prolonged retention of activity compared to the enzyme without hydrogel (black).

Figure 3. Enzyme activity of β-galactosidase in organic solvents.The enzyme protected by amoeba hydrogel (center graph: red; right graph: blue) shows significantly improved activity compared to the enzyme without hydrogel (black).PBS: phosphate-buffered saline; MeOH: methanol; AN: acetonitrile; DMSO: dimethyl sulfoxide.Center graph (red): enzyme directly conjugated to the hydrogel polymer.Right graph (blue): enzyme conjugated to the hydrogel polymer via a spacer molecule.

---

About Gel Coat Biomaterials, Inc.

Gel Coat Biomaterials, Inc. is a startup based on amoeba hydrogel materials discovered by Professor Madoka Takai of the Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo.

About Professor Madoka Takai

Professor Madoka Takai is a leading researcher in the fields of electrochemistry, biointerfaces, and biomaterials. She has advanced research on high-performance biosensing materials, medical microchips, and novel biointerfaces that regulate cellular functions through precise interfacial control technologies.Amoeba hydrogel is an innovative outcome derived from her extensive body of research.

Company Overview

• Company Name: Gel Coat Biomaterials, Inc.

• Established: January 16, 2024

• CEO / Co-founder: Shin Yoshida

• CTO / Co-founder: Professor Madoka Takai, Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo

• E-mail: info@gelcoatbio.com

• Website: https://www.gelcoatbio.com/company