En Carta Diagnostics Secures $5.3M for At-Home Lyme and STI Tests

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-10

En Carta Diagnostics, a Paris-based DeepTech startup, just announced the first closing of $5.3 million in financing. That's a big deal for a company that's working on bringing lab-quality molecular tests right into your home. Here's the breakdown: $3.2 million in equity led by Blue Forest Ventures, with Ring Capital and existing investors like CentraleSupelec Venture, 50 Partners Health, and a group of business angels chipping in. The rest, $2.1 million, comes from non-dilutive financing through Bpifrance and other partners. This follows a $1.6 million pre-Seed round back in May 2024. ### What This Means for You "This first closing brings us closer to our mission of transforming access to testing," said Guillaume Horreard, co-founder and CEO. "By enabling patients to perform reliable molecular tests wherever they are, we can support earlier diagnosis, improve patient outcomes, and help relieve pressure on healthcare systems." Think about it: no more waiting days for lab results or traveling to a clinic. You could test for Lyme disease or STIs right in your living room and get answers in about 30 minutes. That's the kind of convenience that could change how we approach healthcare. ### The Tech Behind It Founded in 2022 by Horreard and Margot Karlikow, En Carta is blending the accuracy of a PCR test with the simplicity of a rapid test. Their platform uses aptamers—think of them as custom-designed molecular magnets that latch onto specific targets. This tech is backed by over ten years of research, so it's not just hype. Here's what makes it stand out: - **Lab-grade precision** in a small, affordable cassette - **30-minute results** without any special equipment - **Programmable** to detect different diseases, from Lyme to STIs ### Tackling Lyme Disease and STIs Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne illness in the Northern Hemisphere, with 1.2 million cases every year. And it's getting worse—cases are rising by 22.5% annually, according to the CDC. En Carta's first product targets early Lyme detection, which is huge because early treatment can prevent serious complications. But they're not stopping there. The company is also working on STI screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea. They've already inked a $13.8 million commercial partnership with AAZ, a French leader in self-tests. This deal covers clinical development and committed volumes of several million test units over five years. ### Regulatory Milestones En Carta is making serious progress on the regulatory front. In January 2026, they received the FDA Breakthrough Device Designation, which fast-tracks their path to the U.S. market. They're also running clinical trials in Boston and Bialystok, Poland, and have already achieved first-in-human results. "From FDA Breakthrough Designation to a $13.8 million commercial partnership, and now $5.3 million in financing, En Carta is delivering," Horreard added. "Our next milestone is getting our two products—a rapid molecular diagnostic for Borrelia and an STI screening test—into the hands of patients and clinicians across Europe and the US." ### What's Next With this fresh capital, En Carta plans to push forward with regulatory certifications in both Europe and the U.S. They're aiming to make their tests available at scale, starting with Lyme disease and expanding into STI screening. It's a bold vision, but with the FDA designation and strong partnerships, they're positioned to make it happen. So, keep an eye on this space. At-home diagnostics are about to get a whole lot more powerful.