Best Life Sciences Companies in Iowa, United States
The 60 best Life Sciences companies in Iowa, United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Trace Genomics.
Our analysis of 164 Life Sciences companies
$34.7b in tracked funding; 83% of the stack-profiled cohort runs cloud-native; funding activity peaked in 2025.
Ranked: Best Life Sciences companies in Iowa
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Stage | Employees | Founder | Tech stack | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trace Genomics Provider of soil intelligence technology for sustainable agriculture and food | $54M | 28 mo ago | Series B | 51 | Poornima Parameswaran CEO & President | WordPressMySQLMariaDB+24 | 44 patents Microbial-based soil health analytics for precision agriculture and sustainable farming | — |
| 2 | Vida Lung Provider of clinical trial software and analysis services for lung diseases | $36M | 33 mo ago | Series C | 60 | Susan Wood CEO & President | WordPressApple iCloud MailMicrosoft 365+24 | — | 1 partnership |
| 3 | IotaMotion Provider of robotic system for cochlear implantation surgery | $25M | 4 mo ago | Series B | 12 | Marlan Hansen Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer | WordPressMySQLPHP+14 | 50 patents Robotic and modular systems for precise surgical implant delivery and cochlear electrode insertion | 1 launch |
| 4 | Iowa Approach Catheter based tools to treat Atrial Fibrillation | $19M | 124 mo ago | Series B | — | Steven Mickelsen Founder | — | 41 patents Minimally invasive pulsed electric field and thermal ablation devices for cardiac and esophageal tissue | — |
| 5 | Integrated DNA Technologies Provider of oligonucleotide-based reagents and kits | $15M | 147 mo ago | Acquired | 1,400 | — | Cart FunctionalityWordPressApple iCloud Mail+36 | 677 patents Synthetic oligonucleotides and engineered CRISPR/Cas nucleases for gene editing and diagnostics | — |
| 6 | Viewpoint Molecular Targeting US-based, early-stage pharma developing "theranostics" for metastatic melanoma | $14M | 9 mo ago | Series A | 29 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | Exemplar Genetics Develops genetic miniature pig model | $10M | 141 mo ago | Acqui-Hired | 33 33 → 17 (-48%) | — | WordPressMySQLPHP+20 | 22 patents Genetically engineered animal disease models for cancer, atherosclerosis, and muscular dystrophy | — |
| 8 | Corvida Medical Closed system transfer device for safe administration of hazardous drugs | $10M | 133 mo ago | Seed | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 9 | Dryland Genetics Developer of proso millet varieties for sustainable food and agriculture | $6M | 28 mo ago | Series A | 10 | — | — | — | — |
| 10 | Harrisvaccines Innovating animal health through vaccines, medicines, and technology solutions | $5M | 153 mo ago | Acquired | 29 | Hank Harris CEO & President | — | 25 patents Aquaculture disease vaccines and rapid production methods for animal immunization | — |
| 11 | BioForce Nanosciences Nanotech instruments, consumables, & applications for life sciences | $4M | 217 mo ago | Public | 11 | — | — | 34 patents Patents concentrated in electrical & electronics | — |
| 12 | Terpenoid Therapeutics DrugSpecialty company engaged in discovery and development for treatment of cancer | $3M | 103 mo ago | Seed | — | David F Wiemer Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 13 | NanoMedTrix Provider of nanoparticles as biomaterials for various diagnostic purposes | $3M | 94 mo ago | Funding Raised | 3 | Joe Assouline Founder | — | 6 patents Nanoparticle drug delivery systems integrated with radiographic imaging for bladder cancer therapy | — |
| 14 | Digital Artefacts Provider of the clinical trial management platform | $1M | 130 mo ago | Acquired | 20 | — | — | — | — |
| 15 | Behavioral Diagnostics Early cancer and substance abuse detection through epigenetic and AI analysis | $1M | 121 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | Philibert Robert CEO | — | — | — |
| 16 | NeoVaxSyn Developer of immunogens and vaccine technologies targeting viral surface antigens | $1M | 46 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | Michael Cho Founder | — | — | — |
| 17 | PathoVacs Innovating vaccines and diagnostics for infectious and neurodegenerative diseases | $1M | 46 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | Manohar John Founder | — | 4 patents Generating anti‑proteome antibodies for diagnostic and therapeutic target discovery | — |
| 18 | PK Bio Developer of drugs for neurodegenerative | $771K | 87 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | Vellareddy Anantharam Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 19 | Cellular Engineering Technologies Provider of cell lines to help researchers and process development professionals | $766K | 70 mo ago | Early Stage | — | Alan Moy Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 20 | Prairie Pharms Provider of small molecule plant extract supplement | $455K | 157 mo ago | Seed | — | Bill Rohlfse Founder | — | 16 patents Cultivation of Monarda fistulosa for thymoquinone production (botanical phytochemical extraction). | — |
| 21 | NanoBio Designs Provider of genetic marker detection software for research applications | $450K | 18 mo ago | Seed | 2 | Todd Kielkopf Co-Chief Executive Officer and Lead Investor | — | — | — |
| 22 | FBB Biomed Developer of in-vitro diagnostic test for COVID-19 and neurological diseases | $401K | 71 mo ago | Seed | 5 | Howard Urnovitz CEO | — | — | — |
| 23 | Ratio Drug delivery pump worn like a patch | $343K | 192 mo ago | Seed | — | Tony Escarcega Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 24 | Skroot Lab Developer of analytical technologies for bio-manufacturing | $225K | 84 mo ago | Funding Raised | 6 | Nigel Reuel Founder | — | — | — |
| 25 | OscillaVent Developer of medical devices for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes of respiratory conditions | $225K | 93 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | Mark Baillie CEO | — | — | — |
| 26 | SynderBio Developer of cell separation technology for single-cell sequencing and cancer diagnostics | $219K | 108 mo ago | Funding Raised | 2 | Michael Henry Co-Founder & President | — | 4 patents Mechanical cell lysis devices for selective removal of target cells from suspensions | — |
| 27 | CartilaGen Dedicated to health, offering innovative solutions for well-being and care | $125K | 43 mo ago | Funding Raised | 2 | Jaison Marks Founder | — | — | — |
| 28 | GenQual Developer of antibodies and kits for autoimmune Rheumatoid Arthritis | $122K | 175 mo ago | Seed | 2 | Jonathan Mirich Founder & CEO | — | 8 patents Predictive nucleic-acid biomarkers for diagnosing and treating inflammatory diseases | — |
| 29 | Itr Diagnostics Diagnostic test for Neurological diseases | $25K | 119 mo ago | Deadpooled | — | Bill Harwood Co-Founder | — | — | — |
| 30 | Immortagen AI-based NGS solutions for cancer diagnostics | — | 117 mo ago | Series A | 5 | Donghai Dai Co-founder | — | — | — |
| 31 | Advanced Analytical Technologies Developer of an automated nucleic acid quality control solutions | — | — | Acquired | 5,304 | — | — | — | — |
Top 12 Life Sciences companies in Iowa
#1
Series B · Coralville, Iowa · founded 2015 · 12 employees$25Mraised▾
Provider of a robotic system for cochlear implantation surgery. It offers implantable robotics and, electrode re-positioning, aiming to allow for enhanced natural hearing preservation and optimized hearing quality over time. It also provides an open platform and robotic-assisted system to control the speed and acceleration of electrode insertion during surgery.
- Feb 2026Series B$1.9M
- Apr 2025Grant (prize money)$306.1K
- Jan 2025Series B—
- Jul 2023Series A$12M
#2
Series A · Coralville, Iowa · founded 2008 · 29 employees$14.3Mraised▾
Viewpoint Molecular Targeting is a US-based, early-stage pharma developing "theranostics" for metastatic melanoma and other cancers. Its lead product targets a cell surface receptor that is found on the cell surface of metastatic melanoma cells. They are developing image-guided therapies. The company has invented or licensed a portfolio of theranostics at the preclinical and clinical stage of development, with the lead agent starting Phase I human imaging of metastatic melanoma.
- Sep 2025Grant (prize money)$1.9M
- Jun 2024Grant (prize money)$391.6K
- Aug 2022Grant (prize money)$2M
- Jan 2021Series A$14.3M
#3
Series B · Ames, Iowa · founded 2015 · 51 employees$53.6Mraised▾
Provider of soil intelligence technology for sustainable agriculture and food. It offers digital measurement technology that transforms understanding of the world by unlocking critical insights across soil, plants, and food. By combining advanced sensor technology, machine learning, and computational chemistry, it empowers farmers, food producers, and industries to make smarter, more sustainable decisions. The solutions drive both environmental and economic impact, improving efficiency, sustainability, and quality across the entire value chain. It pioneers a new standard for soil intelligence that combines AI, spectroscopy, and genomics to deliver actionable insights. It also offers soil analysis and hi-definition genomic sequencing to make better, smarter, and more impactful management decisions.
- Feb 2024Series B$10.5M
- Jul 2020Series B$17.2M
- Dec 2018Series A$19.7M
- Feb 2017Seed$2M
#4
Series C · Coralville, Iowa · founded 2004 · 60 employees$36.5Mraised▾
VIDA provides clinical trial software and analysis services. The company platform aid in the early detection, evaluation, and treatment planning of lung diseases, including lung cancer, emphysema, airway obstructive diseases, and asthma. The company provides its service for providing full-service image analysis and management for respiratory trials.
- Sep 2023Series C$10.8M
- Jul 2020Series C$11M
- Apr 2020Series C$2M
- Jul 2019Series B$2.6M
#5
Series A · Ames, Iowa · founded 2014 · 10 employees$5.8Mraised▾
Developer of proso millet varieties for sustainable food and agriculture. The company utilizes genetic and statistical breeding techniques to enhance crop yields. It focuses on improving agronomic performance on marginal lands. The goal is to make proso millet a climate-conscious choice.
- Mar 2024Series A$2M
- Aug 2023Series A$3.8M
#6
Seed · Des Moines, Iowa · founded 2017 · 2 employees$450Kraised▾
Provider of genetic marker detection software for research applications. The company has designed a genetic marker detection platform ExpresSeed, which works on the basis of that DNA-coated nanoparticles detection technology. The platform has the ability to detect and quantify any presence of a particular gene in a sample.
- Dec 2024Seed$115K
- Feb 2021Seed$450K
#7
Acquired · Coralville, Iowa · founded 1987 · 1400 employees$14.5Mraised▾
Integrated DNA Tech develops oligonucleotide-based reagents and kits. In addition to custom DNA and RNA oligonucleotide synthesis, the company provides services for synthetic biology, genome editing, functional genomics, genotyping, next-generation sequencing and gene expression.
- Mar 2014PE—
- Apr 2010Venture Debt$12M
- Jan 2010Grant (prize money)$868.2K
- Aug 2009Grant (prize money)$269.8K
#8
Series B · Iowa City, Iowa · founded 2012$19.3Mraised▾
Catheter based tools to treat Atrial Fibrillation
#9
Acqui-Hired · Sioux Center, Iowa · founded 2008 · 33 employees$10.3Mraised▾
Exemplar Genetics develops animal models for the following diseases heart disease, cystic fibrosis, cardiac arrhythmia, cancer, neuromuscular, neurodegeneration, nervous system, lonestar swine. Additionally, they provide services in model development, regulatory services, and cloning.
- Sep 2014Grant (prize money)$238.9K
- Jan 2013Grant (prize money)$224.9K
- Sep 2012Grant (prize money)$167.1K
- Jun 2012Grant (prize money)$1.2M
#10
Seed · Coralville, Iowa · founded 2008 · 5 employees$10Mraised▾
Corvida Medical produces an FDA approved Halo closed system transfer device (CSTD) which is an airtight device that protects medical professionals and patients from unintended exposure to toxic drugs when administering cancer therapies. The device received an ONB product code classification from the FDA, demonstrating no escape of hazardous drug or vapor concentration, no transfer of environmental contaminants, and prevention of microbial ingress.
- 2015Seed—
- 2015Grant (prize money)$5M
- May 2015Seed—
- Jun 2012Grant (prize money)$5M
#11
Funding Raised · Des Moines, Iowa · founded 2009$1Mraised▾
Innovating vaccines and diagnostics for infectious and neurodegenerative diseases. This is a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative solutions for global health challenges. The company's mission centers on creating efficacious universal protein subunit vaccines for infectious agents that pose significant public health concerns. Their focus areas include targeting global diarrheal diseases, developing vaccines for biothreat and veterinary infectious agents, and innovating solutions for neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. They utilize a proprietary Proteomics-based Expression Library Screening (PELS) technology for protein-antigen discovery. They seek collaborations for commercialization of vaccine targets and offer contract protein biomarker discovery services. This is a B2B company in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, focusing on research and development, vaccine development, diagnostics, and protein biomarker discovery.
- Sep 2022Grant (prize money)$650K
- Aug 2018Grant (prize money)$99.5K
- Sep 2012Grant (prize money)$99.8K
- May 2012Grant (prize money)$99.8K
#12
Seed · Coralville, Iowa · founded 2005$3.4Mraised▾
Terpenoid Therapeutics is a drug discovery and development company focused on cancer. Uses the platform of terpene chemistry to develop candidate drug molecules. Currently has two projects, to discover small molecule inhibitors of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase(GGDPS), a novel target with applicability towards cancer and other indications; and another project is focused on the schweinfurthins, a family of novel cytotoxic agents with applicability towards cancer
- Nov 2017Seed$535.9K
- May 2012Seed$802.5K
- Aug 2010Grant (prize money)$204K
- Jan 2010Seed$1M
Funding & investor landscape
Notable founders
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Life Sciences coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
How research on Biotechnology in Iowa is moving
A read on the academic research around Biotechnology in Iowa — which themes are gaining ground, the institutions and researchers driving them, and how the tone is shifting. Based on 72 papers.
Iowa State University and University of Iowa lead plant/animal genetic mapping, livestock traits, and CRISPR research, with an optimistic but cautiously contested tone reflecting growing recent momentum.
- Iowa State University52
- University of Iowa18
- Upper Iowa University1
- Northwestern College - Iowa1
- Transcription factor2
- Protein subunit2
- Gene expression2
- Trait2
- Transcription activator-like effector nuclease2
- Innate immune system2
- Strain (injury)2
- Mutant2
- Identification (biology)2
- Genomics2
- Food processing2
- Biochemical engineering2
- Crop yield2
- Genetics2
- Food products1
Common questions
Rohit lives in the feed. He covers what's moving right now — the funding rounds, launches and shifts breaking across the trade press — and ties them back to where the sector is heading.