2025 marked a turning point for innovation. It was the year breakthrough science and technology transitioned from lab benches to market reality. Propel(x) SELECT portfolio companies didn’t just publish papers or file patents. They deployed working solutions that are reshaping how we generate energy, treat disease, monitor health, and power our future.
These startups are built differently. Unlike traditional software companies that can launch in months, these ventures require years of R&D, rigorous validation, and patient capital to bring transformative innovations to scale. The reward? Technologies that don’t just disrupt markets. They create entirely new ones.
Here are the startup breakthroughs from our 2025 SELECT portfolio that caught our attention:
1. Akston Biosciences Corporation – Series H
Akston is pioneering the next generation of veterinary medicine with affordable, protein-based biotechnology designed exclusively for pets. The company is making advanced therapies accessible to pet families who previously couldn’t afford cutting-edge veterinary care.
2025 Highlights:
- Advanced their lead protein-based therapy candidates through clinical validation stages with promising efficacy results
- Expanded veterinary partnerships across multiple animal hospitals to accelerate real-world deployment and data collection
- Secured Series H funding to scale manufacturing capabilities and bring their first treatments to market by late 2025
2. CAGE Bio Inc. – SAFE Extn.
CAGE Bio is revolutionizing dermatology with its proprietary localized drug delivery platform. By targeting treatments directly to the skin, the company eliminates systemic exposure and dramatically reduces side effects for patients with challenging skin conditions.
2025 Highlights:
- Completed Phase 2 clinical trials demonstrating superior efficacy in treating immune-related dermatological conditions
- Received FDA Fast Track designation for their lead candidate, accelerating the path to market approval
- Partnered with major pharmaceutical companies to expand their delivery platform across multiple therapeutic areas
3. Agemica, Inc. – SAFE
Agemica is tackling the biology of aging itself. Using artificial intelligence and massive biological datasets, the company identifies novel vaccine and therapy targets that could extend healthy human lifespan and prevent age-related diseases.
2025 Highlights:
- Published breakthrough research identifying three new aging pathway targets with strong therapeutic potential
- Launched AI-powered drug discovery platform that reduced candidate identification time from years to months
- Initiated preclinical studies for their first longevity-focused therapeutic compound targeting cellular senescence
4. Trailhead Biosystems Inc. – Convertible Note
Trailhead Biosystems has cracked one of biology’s hardest problems: reliably turning human stem cells into any specific cell type needed. Their platform replicates natural human development to produce consistent, high-quality cells for research and therapeutic development.
2025 Highlights:
- Achieved commercial-scale production of cardiomyocytes with 95% purity, setting a new industry standard
- Signed supply agreements with five major pharmaceutical companies for drug screening applications
- Expanded their cell type catalog to include neural, hepatic, and pancreatic cells for diabetes research
5. Probius – Series A Extn.
Probius is connecting biology with artificial intelligence through Quantum Electrochemical Spectroscopy. Their technology transforms complex biological samples into clean digital data, accelerating research discoveries and enabling precision healthcare insights.
2025 Highlights:
- Deployed QES technology in 15 leading research institutions, generating over 100,000 biological data points
- Launched a cloud-based bioanalytical platform that reduced sample analysis time from days to hours
- Secured partnerships with diagnostic companies to develop next-generation disease detection tools
6. Xsensio – Series A
Xsensio is bringing the medical lab to your skin. Their Lab-on-Skin platform enables real-time, continuous biochemical monitoring through next-generation wearables, making health tracking truly personalized and actionable.
2025 Highlights:
- Received CE Mark approval for their first commercial wearable biosensor for continuous lactate monitoring
- Demonstrated clinical accuracy comparable to traditional blood tests in validation studies with 500+ patients
- Partnered with major wearable manufacturers to integrate their sensing technology into consumer devices
7. HEVO Inc. – Series A-2
HEVO is eliminating the friction from electric vehicle adoption with wireless charging technology. Their system lets drivers simply park and power up, making EV charging as effortless as parking your car.
2025 Highlights:
- Deployed wireless charging infrastructure across 50 commercial fleet locations, powering over 1,000 vehicles daily
- Achieved 93% charging efficiency, matching the performance of traditional plug-in systems
- Announced partnerships with three major automakers to integrate wireless charging capability in upcoming EV models
8. Cordance Medical, Inc. – Seed
Cordance Medical is opening new pathways to treat brain diseases with focused ultrasound technology that temporarily opens the blood-brain barrier. This breakthrough enables precise drug delivery to specific brain regions, unlocking new treatment possibilities for neurological conditions.
2025 Highlights:
- Completed first-in-human safety study demonstrating successful, temporary blood-brain barrier opening with no adverse events
- Initiated clinical trial for Alzheimer’s treatment combining ultrasound with targeted therapeutic antibodies
- Developed next-generation portable ultrasound system that reduces treatment time from hours to minutes
The market grew sick of apps, and we did too. These eight companies represent what happens when patient capital meets patient science. They’re not chasing viral growth or quick exits. They’re building technologies that will define how we live, work, and stay healthy for decades to come.
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