Copenhagen's BII Doubles Down on Six Biotech Startups With Fresh $1.4M Each

Jan de Vries · 2026-09-08

Copenhagen-based BioInnovation Institute (BII) just made a bold move. It’s handing out additional convertible loans of $1.4 million to each of six portfolio companies. That brings the total each has received from the institute to about $1.9 million. The recipients — PanTarg, 3Sonic, Inia Biosciences, Yngvi Bio, Proxi Biotech, and Sagava — had already pocketed around $540,000 apiece from BII. Now they’re getting a serious boost to push their science toward the market. ### Why This Funding Round Matters This isn’t just about writing checks. BII is known for doing more than that. They plug startups into a whole ecosystem — labs, mentors, investors, and business development support. That’s a big deal for early-stage life science companies that often struggle to cross the so-called “valley of death” between research and a viable product. Trine Bartholdy, Chief Business Officer at BII, put it plainly: “The six companies have demonstrated strong potential and have already taken important steps from promising research to developing solutions that can make a real difference.” She added, “With continued funding, they have the opportunity to accelerate their development and focus even more on their path towards the market.” ### Meet the Six Startups Getting the Boost Each of these companies is tackling a different challenge, but they share a common thread: they’re all trying to solve problems that affect millions of lives. - **PanTarg** — A spin-out from the University of Copenhagen and Rigshospitalet, this startup is developing an antibody-based cancer therapy that combines two targeted attacks into one treatment. Their focus is on aggressive cancers, including pancreatic cancer, which has notoriously low survival rates. - **3Sonic** — Born out of Rigshospitalet and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), 3Sonic is building a 3D ultrasound and AI imaging tool. The goal? Helping surgeons assess cancer tissue in real time during operations, which could lead to more precise tumor removal and better outcomes. - **Inia Biosciences** — With roots in innovation hubs in both Boston and Oxford, Inia is working on new treatments for inflammatory diseases, starting with psoriasis. That’s a condition that affects over 7.5 million Americans alone, so the potential impact is huge. - **Yngvi Bio** — Another University of Copenhagen spin-out, Yngvi is developing biological pest-control solutions. Their aim is to protect crops while minimizing harm to biodiversity and human health — a growing concern in agriculture. - **Proxi Biotech** — This one comes from Statens Serum Institut (SSI). They’re developing a vaccine-based immunotherapy to treat recurrent bacterial infections, specifically those caused by Clostridium difficile. That’s a nasty bug that can cause recurring and chronic infections, and current treatments often fall short. - **Sagava** — A DTU spin-out, Sagava is converting waste into sustainable biofuels and energy. Their target? Decarbonizing the maritime sector, which is under increasing pressure to cut emissions. ### BII’s Track Record and What’s Next Since its founding in 2018, BII has backed more than 140 startups. Its alumni have gone on to raise over $1.1 billion in external capital. That’s a strong signal that BII knows how to pick winners. In February 2026, BII secured $27 million in funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation to launch a new initiative called “Upscalator.” That program is designed to support Danish and European early-stage startups with facilities, services, and expertise to bring novel biosolutions to market and drive the green transition. Bartholdy emphasized that these six companies are at a critical juncture. “It is precisely at this stage that the combination of capital, strong expertise and the right network can make a decisive difference,” she said. “We see significant potential in all six companies, and our role is to help them turn their technologies into sustainable businesses and products that can create value for patients, society and investors.” ### What This Means for the Biotech Landscape This move by BII is more than just a funding announcement. It’s a vote of confidence in the European biotech ecosystem. With the global biotech market projected to grow from $775 billion in 2024 to over $1.1 trillion by 2029, according to industry reports, startups like these are poised to play a key role in that expansion. The fresh funding is intended to help the companies mature their technologies, strengthen their businesses, and take further steps toward commercial application. Alongside the capital, the companies retain access to BII’s innovation platform in Copenhagen, including lab facilities, a network of investors, advisors, and strategic partners, plus support in business development and commercialization. With the new capital, BII says these six companies are better positioned to advance their technologies and attract further external investment. And if history is any guide, some of them could become the next big names in biotech.